Thank you for inviting me into the support group. It is been seven weeks since I contracted Chik V. A week prior to being diagnosed, I was enjoying a vacation for my 20th wedding anniversary in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Chick V has caused the most excruciating pain I have ever been in my life. I went to a walk-in clinic on a Saturday morning as the pain was so bad I could barely move. Even though I told the doctor I had been out of the country (and I had done my own research on possible diseases), the doctor gave me a course of steroids and told me it was just a virus. For about 10 days I did get better but after quitting the steroids I crashed. The joint pain and fatigue was horrific and I went to see my primary care doctor. He immediately started working me up for rheumatoid arthritis (I had to tell him about Chik V and asked for a blood test). Needless to say, my blood test came back positive. My doctor had no clue about this virus and he has tried me on multiple medications for pain ranging from Tylenol to morphine. I just started a new job as a hospice nurse and had to quit due to the joint pain. As of today, i continue to have joint pain, mainly in my feet, ankles, wrists, hands, knees and elbows. I do not like to take the morphine so I manage on tramadol and Advil. At night, I wear wrist splints (usually worn for carpal tunnel syndrome) and that seems to help a little bit. I called two infectious disease doctors in the area and I was told they do not know how to treat Chik V. I bought some antioxidant teas and supplements at the local nutrition store so hopefully this will help. Its very frustrating that the doctors here in Tampa dont know anything about this virus. You feel very alone and misunderstood. Im sure my family is tired of hearing me talk about it all the time. Thanks for letting me vent! Any suggestions or thoughts about remedies would certainly be helpful!
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 16:54:58 +0000
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