Has anyone heard about ParvoVirus B19

Hello. sorry for the long post I just needed to vent and let it out because I am trying to remain strong in front of Family as to not to upset them .

\I have been going through the diagnostic phase. It is NO FUN. My PCP thought it could be lupus. Sent to rheumy and after several test he seems to think it could be Human Parvovirus B 19. The symptoms do mimic lupus and RA in that you get swollen joints, pain, fatigue, increase in both sed and crp rates and overall feeling bad. It ids fifth disease in school aged children. Adults have more of the symptoms I described. The problem is that I don't recall being exposed to a child with this disease and I work in a hospital long term facility where our kiddos live and don't leave so they are not exposed to much. Plus my symptoms started after surgery in Oct 2014 (7 mos ago) Then my blood test said

IGG is 5.6 positive
and IGM is0.1 negative

Elevated IgM antibodies will remain detectable for two to three months after acute infection. IgG testing is less useful because it only indicates previous infection and immunity.
I interpret this is that I am immune but hey say differently



◦Past infection documented by IgG antibodies – IgG antibodies remain detectable for life

Has this been the case for any of you

Parvovirus is Associated with the onset of autoimmune disorders
◦Systemic lupus erythematosus
◦Rheumatoid arthritis
◦Systemic vasculitides
◦Autoimmune thrombocytopenia
◦Hemolytic anemia

Needless to say They put me on preg and said this should help but would this also help if it were lupus.

I also had a brain MRI and they found lesions that are consistent with MS. So now I need to follow up with this.


Thank you for reading,
Laura

Hi Zulily:

I'm so sorry to hear about everything that's going on with you. You have every right to vent and be upset. It sounds like you're getting the "standard" run around with the Dr's. I went thru pure you know what trying to get my DX.

I had Rheumatic Fever at age 17 and I believe (so do my docs) that this is what set off my lupus. However, I didn't get an official DX and start treatment for 13 years. It took them that long to agree that's what I had. Even now, I'm a round peg in a square box. I don't fit the Lupus DX perfectly but I don't fit anything else, so they say it's lupus. I've go so many other issues now with it that I'm so complex my doctors spend all their time reading text books trying to figure it all out.

Lupus can cause lesions on the brain, but the question I'd ask is are you showing other neurological issues? Sounds like you'll need to be seen and I'd push them to see you ASAP. Any worrying that you're doing isn't helping with whats going on with you.

My skin biopsy just came back for vasculititis and we are unable to prove if it's systemic or not. They believe it's in my lungs and heart but I'm way to sick for them to attempt any type of a biopsy. So for now I'll just be treated for the condition, not that they could ignore it as it's all over my skin now.

I hope that you get some answer really soon, and hang in there come and vent whenever you need to.

Hugs,
Barbara

Hi Barbara,
Yes I have other symptoms. I do get tingling in my hands and feet and occasionally in my elbow. I also have issues with my sciatica from time to time. Over the past few weeks I started getting this burning sensation around my upper lips with no redness just burning and 3 days ago it started all over my face again no redness. I have weird itchy sensations with no visible rash but after I scratch it turns into a bruise. Brain fog, lack of concentration, word finding difficulties , and occasional confusion all which kind of come and go. I occasionally get anxious and easily tempered not very patient which is not like me. I tend to be tripping as if I am not picking my feet up high enough off the ground. I have severe GERD right now and hot flashes. ( I just turned 52 and suppose post menopausal since age 47). Not sure I should still be having so many flashes. I have many throughout the day and night sometimes every 15 min -30 min no kidding. I have timed them. I also have the extreme fatigue.
Crazy I know!
Laura

I had a MRI a couple of years ago and they found lesions too. They told me it was common in lupus too.