sick for a month

I've been sick for a month now. It started out as what I thought was a common cold. That went on for a week and after that I felt better for a few days but then got worse, much worse. I had a really sore throat and a high fever for about 2 weeks. The first week the fever would come and go but the 2nd week it was every day. It was as high as 104. I would wake up soaked with sweat and freezing cold. The one time my temperature was going down. It went down to 96.5 degrees. I went to the doctor 3 times and the first time they thought it was a sinus infection. I disagreed because I get that twice a year and know how it feels. The 2nd time they thought it was pneumonia. They did a chest x-ray and gave me some antibiotics. The antibiotics didn't seem to help. So I went back in for a 3rd time and they thought it could be meningitis or influenza but weren't sure. They gave me a shot and they also did another chest x-ray. Both chest x-rays came back negative for pneumonia. I don't have a fever anymore except for maybe a slight one at night but for the past 2 weeks I've had a runny nose, occasional sore throat, bad cough, aches and pains, extreme fatigue. Now for the past 2 days the inside of my mouth has burned around the gums and inner lips. I do smoke and drink. Probably a bit too much of both. I also don't sleep very well and haven't for several months, most likely due to stress. I have a very hard time falling asleep and when I do sleep I wake up after about 3 or 4 hours and can't get back to sleep. Could this contribute to being sick like this? Or has anyone had anything like this? I'm wondering if it could be bronchitis. I know that lasts for 3 to 6 weeks. I'm not sure what else to do. I'm sick of going to the doctor. I eat fairly well and I take centrum vitamins as well as vitamin C and E but this crap don't seem to go away. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Did you go to a different Dr. and get a second opinion?

Also, what's so stressful? Stress reduces your immune system, obviously, and maybe your body is telling you to get a new job or something.

Finally, have you been tested for STD's?

I started out with similar symptoms to you in 1999 and was told I had a virus. The pains didn't go away! They tested me for all sorts of things and discovered I had Fibromyalgia Syndrome. I suggest you look at those symptoms.

I hope you get well soon.

Good luck and take care.

I did see 3 different doctors and all 3 said something different. The 2nd doctor determined that it was a bacterial infection. They do know I smoke but they're not aware of drinking. My smoking has increased as well due to stress.

My stress is most likely financial, job related as well as from not enough sleep.

I didn't get tested for any STD's and it wasn't sugested. I don't believe that's what it is, such as HIV. 95 % of people with HIV get genital herpes. I have never had any of that or even a cold sore. Never had any shingles or sores on my body or anything. Plus I don't sleep around or use needles, and I'm not homosexual.

I'm starting to wonder about bronchitis. I did have a really bad cough and chest pain annd mucus producing cough. I still do but it's subsiding.

It's possible I'm allergic to something. I've been at my job for about 1.5 years and it's a woodworking plant. The wood dust seems to ititate me a lot. I got sick like this last year too, it was off and on for 2.5 months but I don't recall having a high fever like this. I could of had influenza and got a cold on top of it. They say the symptoms from influenza may last for a few weeks after the illness.

Yes the doctors are aware that I work in a woodworking plant. I remember in high school when I had shop classes such as cabinet making or just general woodworking I would get severe sinus infections. To the point where my nose would bleed. The doctors said the only solution is to find a different job away from all the dust. It seems like when I get home I start to feel a bit better and whenever I get sick it seems to be when I'm at work. If it is in fact allergies it don't explain the fevers I've had. Unless allergies broke down my immune system and I caught something on top of it.

I smoked from age 16-22 and what finally convinced me that I had to quit sounded similar to you. A common cold would persist and hang on and eventually turn into bronchitis. It happened several times and the only way to cure it was to go to the doctor and get antibiotics, sometimes more than one course as once wouldn't do the job. Once they made me come in every few days to listen to my lungs to make sure it wasn't turning into pneumonia. The final straw for me was when it became hard to breathe and I was given an inhaler. So here I was taking a few puffs off that to open up my airway so I could BREATHE, then lighting up a cigarette... Apparently it's common for smokers to have illnesses (usually lung-related like bronchitis and pneumonia) like this that are recurrent and persistent, I think they call any bronchitis lasting longer than a week or two "chronic bronchitis" even.

The bottom line is that you really, really should quit smoking. I haven't gotten sick like that once since I quit (which was a year and half). In fact, I barely get sick at all anymore. Quitting is hard, but this should prove to you why it's important.

I've also thought about "mono". I've never had it and I have all the symptoms. It started out as a really sore throat and an apparent cold. Then I got what seemed to be the flu and now a sinus infection. Totally drained of energy. Fevers, chills, fatigue, all of which are signs of mono. My girlfriend has 4 kids and I could have gotten mono from her. Even though she don't show any symptoms she may have already had it or has built up immunities to it. Either way she could still be a carrier of it. Her oldest was sick shortly before me and was diagnosed with strep throat but strep throat and mono have very similar symptoms and he could have been mis-diagnosed. 2 of the other kids have been sick off and on too.

I too have been sick for just over a month. It started with a really sore throat & neck, then progressed into a cold. The only time I had a fever was in the night. I'd wake up soaking wet. After about 2.5 weeks of the symptoms getting worse, I saw a Doctor. I was prescribed 10 days of anibiotics for a sinus infection. Before the antibiotcs were finished, I got another cold (that's even worse). Low grade fever, a dry cough that intensifies throughout the night, and I blow my noe at least 50 times a day. Today I woke up with extreme nausea and zero energy.

Wondering why I can't seem to get better. I have to admit, it worries me a lot.

Hope you're feeling better!