We have a virus that has been going around our area for the last several months that no one remembers experiencing before. Doctors report not knowing what it is. We live in an area where people visit from all over the country and all over the world. So if it is common somewhere, that somewhere could be anywhere. Would like to know if someone knows the name of it.
Typical symptoms:
Weeks 1-3/4
*People sleep for 20 hours a day, usually all night and then are awake for an hour or so at intervals during the day. Fall asleep near instantly upon lying down.
*Overwhelming need to sleep again after being awake for about 45 minutes.
*All ages and genders affected.
*People who have to go to work and try to stay awake due to lack of sick leave need someone to drive them. They have difficulty doing their job while forcing themselves awake such as answering easy emails.
*The feeling of tiredness and desire to sleep is about 75% level of that of mono.
*People who can usually power through a virus/infection during the work day are not able to do mind over body on this one.
*If they are in a situation where they can sleep as needed, they can usually think fairly well for about 45 minutes of the hour they are awake.
*There is a feeling of fever at times for an extended period. People who have taken their temperature have reported there wasn’t one registering on the thermometer. Some older women who previously experienced hot flashes during menopause describe it as feeling like an hour-long hot flash.
*People who needed to work outside in the hot summer heat during their awake periods often experienced all the symptoms of heat exhaustion during the hot phases even at temperatures they commonly worked outside in. Attempts to cool themselves down were very slow to work.
*People occasionally felt chilled similar to mild shock symptoms.
*Mild cough, mild phlegm, sore throat at start. In people who went to the doctor, strep throat was ruled out.
*Slightly unstable on their feet, stumble, mild bruising from banging into furniture or doorways, but rare to fall down.
*Fairly normal desire to eat. Preference for liquids and soup due to sore throat. Not much desire to prepare food including microwaving something already made. No desire to make the effort to go out and get a prepared meal. Might only eat twice a day though due to preference for sleeping over eating.
*Normally responsible people care only minimally about answering emails or returning phone calls in a timely manner. Mostly unable to complete projects on time. Not able to give coherent presentations.
*Achy. Unrelated things that hurt before hurt more. Asprin/Acetaminophen partially helpful.
Weeks 4/5-6
Similar but awake about 8 hours a day at intervals.
Throat feels better.
Weeks 6-7
Now awake about 12 hours a day, usually only one nap needed.
Weeks 8-12
Now awake about 14 hours a day, usually only one nap needed.
Hot phases gone.
Can think/work fairly well except near nap time.
No apparent patterns with respect to:
Eating healthily or not
Cuisines eaten
Vegetarian or not
Eat in restaurants or not
Type of exercise
Good about following food safety rules or not
Takes care to reduce germ contact or not
Eats only cooked food or mix of fresh and cooked
Travel or not
International travel or not
Drinks filtered water or not
Drinks alcohol or not
Children in family or not
Have pets or not
Type of job
Sometimes everyone in the household will be sick, other times only one.
No difference in people who go to the doctor or not.
Only one doctor has given antibiotics on the outside chance that something bacterial was going on. These had no positive effect.
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