Cold, Flu and Viral Infections Forum - Superflu Or West Nile?

Ok I am about the sickest i've ever been from a bug. I have a very good immune system and rarely get sick (probably 2 or 3 times in the last 5 years). When I do get a cold or flu, it usually lasts a day or two tops as far as the fever and major symptoms goes then it's recovery...

So tuesday I started feeling ill like a stomach flu... Then I started getting fever and chills big time, which have lasted almost 4 days now (unusual for me) and are only minimally helped with acetominophen (i still run a 102ish fever even so)... My lymph nodes are a bit tender and minorly swollen... The chills and fever alternate fairly frequently... And i'm nautious almost all the time -- not enough to puke (tho i've been eating almost nothing so there's not much there)... I'm super thirsty all the time... Mild headache off and on and fever aches and pains, very typical flu type symptoms...
Also, i've hard dark (not black) diarrhea off and on... Not a constant thing, just whenever I do go that's what it is...

The only thing not typical is not sore throat but a congested, almost irritated throat and a lot of coughing... This morning I noticed yellow sputum so I think something may be settling in separate from the other thing... I am prone to occasional and quick bouts of bronchitis (once again once every few years) but this does not feel like that as there is no wheezing and the congestion is in the upper respiratory area... I've never had any respiratory infection that would make the other symptoms happen tho... I have noticed I am much more easily winded the last few days and breath heavy at semi-simple tasks

but

no one around me has gotten what I have yet... And I started thinking that the other day I went to a birthday party at a friend's house.... Almost immediately when I went in their back yard I got over a half dozen or more mosquito bites on my legs til I got some repellant... They have bird baths that they leave stagnant water in!!! For some reason it seems like they just loved me cuz he said not that many people complained of being bit, and he said his son (whose 1 year birthday party it was) did not get bit at all... I did reading on west nile virus and it said 80% of people are asymptomatic and i'm wondering if i'm one of the 20% with the less serious form... Also incubation time for wnf is 2-15 days and symptoms started just over 2 days after the party) I don't have the sever neck pain and stuff associated with the encephalitis version, but I do have rashes all over my legs where I was bit... All I know is it's now day 4 and it's only barely better, and that's only really due to otc medicines and such... Maybe i'm just freaking out because i've never been this sick this long -- any feedback anyone? Unfortunately I am one of the many with no health insurance and don't have a few extra hundred to thousands in the bank for a doctors or er visit....But since there's no treatment for wnf other than iv fluids and preventive antibiotics it really doesn't matter I guess

any ideas???

I'm 34 and don't have any other serious medical conditions (that I know of) and I have always been in really good health, that's why when I get this sick this long it worries me.

Here is info I got off the cdc site for west nile...

Symptoms of west nile virus updated! 8/16/2004

q. What are the symptoms of west nile virus (wnv) infection?

A. Infection with wnv can be asymptomtic (no symptoms), or can lead to west nile fever or severe west nile disease.

It is estimated that about 20% of people who become infected with wnv will develop west nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash (on the trunk of the body) and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be suckers as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.

The symptoms of severe disease (also called neuroinvasive disease, such as west nile encephalitis or meningitis or west nile poliomyelitis) include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with the west nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease. Serious illness can occur in people of any age, however people over age 50 and some immunocompromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with wnv.

Most people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with west nile virus will not develop any type of illness (an asymptomatic infection), however you cannot know ahead of time if you'll get sick or not when infected.

Q. What is the incubation period in humans (i.E., time from infection to onset of disease symptoms) for west nile disease?

A. Usually 2 to 15 days.

Q. How long do symptoms last?

A. Symptoms of west nile fever will generally last a few days, although even some healthy people report having the illness last for several weeks. The symptoms of severe disease (encephalitis or meningitis) may last several weeks, although neurological effects may be permanent.

Q. What is meant by west nile encephalitis, west nile meningitis, west nile poliomyelitis, “neuroinvasive disease” and west nile fever?
A. The most severe type of disease due to a person being infected with west nile virus is sometimes called “neuroinvasive disease,” because it affects a person's nervous system. Specific types of neuroinvasive disease include: west nile encephalitis, west nile meningitis, west nile meningoencephalitis and west nile poliomyelitis. Encephalitis refers to an inflammation of the brain, meningitis is an inflammation of the membrane around the brain and the spinal cord, meningoencephalitis refers to inflammation of the brain and the membrane surrounding it, and poliomyelitis refers to an inflammation of the spinal cord.

West nile fever is another type of illness that can occur in people who become infected with the virus. It is characterized by fever, headache, tiredness, aches and sometimes rash. Although the illness can be suckers as a few days, even healthy people have been sick for several weeks.

Q. If I have west nile fever, can it turn into west nile encephalitis?

A. When someone is infected with west nile virus (wnv) they will typically have one of three outcomes: no symptoms (most likely), west nile fever (wnf in about 20% of people) or severe west nile disease, such as meningitis or encephalitis (less than 1% of those who get infected). If you develop a high fever with severe headache, consult your health care provider.

West nile fever is characterized by symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache and sometimes swollen lymph glands and rash. West nile fever generally lasts only a few days, though in some cases symptoms have been reported to last longer, even up to several weeks. West nile fever does not appear to cause any permanent health effects. There is no specific treatment for wnv infection. People with west nile fever recover on their own, though symptoms can be relieved through various treatments (such as medication for headache and body aches, etc.).

Some people may develop a brief, wnf-like illness (early symptoms) before they develop more severe disease, though the percentage of patients in whom this occurs is not known.

Occasionally, an infected person may develop more severe disease such as “west nile encephalitis,” “west nile meningitis” or “west nile meningoencephalitis.” encephalitis refers to an inflammation of the brain, meningitis is an inflammation of the membrane around the brain and the spinal cord, and meningoencephalitis refers to inflammation of the brain and the membrane surrounding it. Although there is no treatment for wnv infection itself, the person with severe disease often needs to be hospitalized. Care may involve nursing iv fluids, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections.