Background

Background: 
I decided to create this blog after others encouraged me to do so after I experienced a unique medical illness (recurrent Strep G). Before I was properly diagnosed I had difficulty finding information relevant to my condition despite seeking several doctors including my primary care physician, urgent care medical providers, emergency rooms, hospitals, an endocrinologist, a rheumotologist, and more. After, I was diagnosed I found it difficult to find useful information from other patients that had my condition or a similar condition. I hope I can offer others my perspective on my journey and what to potentially look out for, how to deal with it, and what to expect. Hopefully, this information can reach appropriate people that are experiencing what I did and can enable them to get proper treatment sooner. The most important thing is be confident in your body and to continue to seek medical advice and testing until you have an answer. I strongly recommend keeping a symptom diary to share with your doctor.

Case Study:

History: 27 yo female, asthma, allergies (environmental-especially trees, eggs, medications-sulfa, illin's, clindaymycin), anemia (under control of supplements), history of orthopedic surgeries; otherwise healthy, active female. Strep as a child 1-2x only and treated successfully with antibiotics. No ear tubes. History of MRSA in left lower leg 2007.

December 2011: Diagnosed with Mono (symptoms included: sore throat, swollen tonsils, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, initial fever, upper left quadrant pain (thought to be spleen pain), increased heart rate). Had mono symptoms, but continued to work for approximately 3-4 months.

April 2012 admitted to hospital for difficulty breathing/asthma after already seeing primary care physician regarding asthma and being put back on old asthma medications and prednisone. Chest X-Ray taken and ruled out pulmonary embolism (PE). IV steroids given at hospital. Also newly diagnosed with anaphylactic allergy to shrimp. Continued fatigue.

Summer 2012: 3-4 episodes of increased asthma symptoms warranting use of prednisone and continued use of nebulizer. Continued to be fatigued and awoke some mornings with sore throat or slight bloody mucus (thought to be from dry air), but otherwise no other signs/symptoms of Mono/Strep/other infection.

August/September 2012: Swelling  in neck lymph nodes followed by swelling of tonsils (L>R), white spots on tonsils, difficulty swallowing, throat pain, increased fatigue. Tested positive for actue ebstein-barr virus (MONO/EBV) in August. Began to feel more like self by mid August.

Mid-September 2012: Moved to different city and had to wait for new insurance, continued to have throat pain, fatigue, upper left quadrant pain, began to have intermittent joint stiffness in fingers, hips, elbows, thumbs, began to have flushed face, intermittent low grade fever.

September 2012-November 2012: Began to have itchy butterfly rash on neck and cheeks, extreme fatigue, intermittent throat pain, hoarsness without pain, swollen lymph nodes, intermittent joint stiffness, headaches, visual changes (blurriness, spots), rare heart mumur. October saw urgent care when unable to see primary care physician (PCP) and was referred to ER for enlarged spleen with throat pain. Believed to be flare up of mono. Released from ER with instructions to follow up with PCP given no information or new diagnosis.

November 2012: Swelling in tonsils and lymph nodes increase, low grade fever. Unable to see PCP, returned to same urgent care. Diagnosed with acute pharyngitis and given azithromycin. Took full dose of azithromycin, had diarrhea duration of medication usage, presence of small hives.

December 2012: Continued to have butterfly itchy rash every few weeks for a few days. Took prednisone on own and helped to decrease symptoms. Continued to have extreme fatigue, intermittent headaches, joint pain, intermittent mild sore throat, intermittent nose bleeds, intermittent nausea, rare gastric reflux, hoarsness, even brittle hair. Saw endocrinology and rheumotology and tested for connective tissue diseases, lyme, lupus, thyroid function, liver function, kidney function. All tests negative. Rash was present for appointments, advised to wait for results and also advised to see dermatology, ENT, and allergy again. Went to Dentist after appointments for routine cleaning. 3 days post-cleaning awoke with extreme swelling in left side of neck and face, difficulty swallowing, throat pain, low grade fever, increased itchiness, headache, upset stomach. Unable to be seen by PCP and went to urgent care. Rapid strep, rapid mono negative, given medrol pack. 5 days later received phone call from urgent care with diagnosis of "rare strep with scarlet fever," given doxcycline for 10 days. 4-5days into medication rash, swelling, pain, began to subside. Approximately 5-6 days after diagnosis, got the flu as diagnosed by PCP.

January 2013: Return of itchy rash, increased fatigue, joint pain, nausea, etc. Also intermittent increase in difficulty breathing. Awoke one morning with increased butterfly rash with no relief from prednisone, low grade fever, lymph node and tonsil swelling (L>R). Unable to see PCP, returned to urgent care. Explained was tested for lupus, returned negative, symptoms occurred just the same as when diagnosed with scarlet fever, requested prednisone and antibiotics. Rapid strep negative. Given a "fold and hold" script for doxycycline, filled on own anyways. 3-4 days later received call from urgent care and diagnosed with, "rare form of strep, strep G." Advised to see infectious disease, advised may need to be desensitized to more effective antibiotic, need to see ENT. Confirmed with first urgent care from December, strep was strep G. Called endocrinology, rheumotology, PCP to advise of second positive strep G. Put on levaquin and referred to PCP. PCP suggested tonsillectomry, explained did not see an abscess on tonsils or throat.

February 2013: At end of levaquin use increase in symptoms returned within 36 hours. Took remaining doxycycline. Without antibiotics for 24 hours when saw ENT. Continued to have increase in rash, sore throat, all other symptoms, including increase in nausea and increase in symptomatic days and severity of symptoms. Consulted with ENT who advised tonsillectomy ASAP and put on levaquin until surgery date (approximately 2 weeks later).

February-March 2013: Continued to have persistent butterfly rash, nausea, fatigue, itchiness, drowsiness, increased joint pain, and decreased urine output. Leading up to surgery could only work part time due to symptoms. After approximately additional 12 days of levaquin began to have increased nausea, hip and thumb joint pain to the point was unable to walk, extreme fatigue, still had rash and itchiness, also green stool. Stopped levaquin. Few days later had outpatient tonsillectomy where an abscess was also found.