Chronic low-grade fevers

Hi Pink Grandma,

Thanks for the great info!

My fevers do not decrease by taking Tylenol or Ibruprofen, which is why the doctors know that it isn't caused by infection.  The other things that cause fever are cancer or auto-immune disease (infectious disease specialist told me this).  My doctor believe it is an auto-immune disease, but it is unknown which auto-immune disease.  The weakness and fatigue I experience is very disabling.  I am going to see a lyme disease doctor soon, and I am going to ask my doctor to sent me to a rheumatologist to screen me for lupus.

It's nice to meet you.  Do you ever visit the fibro forum?  I mainly read and post there, as I carry the official diagnosis by a rheumatologist of fibromyalgia (2002).  My GP dx'd me in 2000, but it had to be confirmed by a rheumy.

Hi everyone.  I'm new to this forum.  I'm doing research on chronic low grade fevers before my dr. appmt tomorrow.  My temp usually runs in the 97's but for the past 6 months its rarely gotten below 99 and typically runs up to 100.9.  Over the past 2 weekends I've run 101-103.  I've just moved to a new town so new doctors.  He gave me a z pack a month ago, and said to come back if my fever didn't go away.  Well I finally decided to go back because now I'm extremely fatigued for a week at a time.  Everyone's posts have been very informative.  I'm glad this is out here.  I now have lots of questions I can ask him!  He'll love that.  Oh, well........

Very dissappointed w/ outcome of dr. appmt today. He thinks I have an acute infection so he's treating me w/ antibiotics to get me over it. He said, after this, if I'm still running a low grade temp he'll check me out to see what's going on chronically. Go figure. If it hasn't gone away in 6 months after 3 separate courses of antibiotics, I don't think this one will make much difference. In my neck of the woods there aren't too many specialists. but I may go above his head to a specialist, since I don't need his referral to do so.

Hi eveyone,

Here is the latest..all my tests came back negative..which is a relief..but then what is wrong with me?  So I went to a preventative health/holistic doctor.  I also came upon an article that sacoriltis can be caused from celiac/gluten intolerance.  So I put myself on a gluten free diet.  I also decided that maybe my husband and I were someone contaminating during intercourse so we use protection and finally I started b12 shots. 

AS a result,my pain has gotten so much better I don't have to take celebrex.  I am having a flare again and I am racking my brain trying to figure out what I did..ate the wrong thing..too much intercourse or what but it is so much better than before.

  Anyhow..I think it is so wonderful just short of a miracle how my lifestyle changes have helped.  My doctor doesn't think I am a true celiac but that i had toxins in my intestines that built up and then caused the inflammatory process.  the Rheumy from the university hospital now says he thinks I have degenerative/ mechanical and not spondyloarhropathy.  Since he said that I was more willing to get off celebrex.  Had a scare with heart palpitations..that helped too. 

 So wanted to post so that you all would have some hope.  It sucks to feel sick all the time and I am glad my persistence in research and finding right doc seems to be helping.  B12 shots hurt..but my doc thinks they are helping alot.  Has anyone researched yeast and how it can cause problems?  I am thinking the gluten free diet helped me get rid of yeast and that might have effected me systemically.

So here is the score

traditional medicine (take celebrex and antidepressants didnt help)  THE LOSER!!

holistic medicine listened and encouraged me (diet changes, vitamins, B12)  THE WINNER!!

Take care to all of you..i appreciate your support and input tremendously.

Sally

PS when my four year old gets up in the middle of the night..I can help him now..that is so awesome!!

I also have chronic low grade fevers, sore throats and swollen lymph nodes for several days on and off. Unfortunately, this has been a constant for nearly 2 decades. I have seen so many doctor's over the years who tell me there is no such thing as chronic EBV and they do that whole thing about how everyone has EBV titers-you know the story! It is so frustrating because it is like having the first stage of the flu all the time. My theory is that those of us who have this form of CSF have a totally different illness than those who get colds, etc. I know that I have an upregulated immune system which just works overtime to fight off everything. Thus, the immune response of sore tonsils, fever, and lymph node swelling. I would die if I had to go off to work everyday, no matter how I feel. I am so happy that I work at home so that I can work a lot on my good days and rest on my bad days. I actually spend most of the day lying on the couch on my computer.
I know this weird, but certain things seem to trigger the fever. Airplane flights-any crowded place where there are lots of germs and believe it or not, the telephone. When I hang up the phone, I am burning up.

I have chronic low grade fevers, no infection, theyve chalked it up to a combo of pain, inflammation, and something autoimmune.

Shelter I got my daughter on the acidophilis, it helps ward of yeast infections and is actually keeping her regular since she wont eat fruits and veggies, I wish could eat them.

I had postive ana, still dx with fibro and still have low grrade fevers, especially when inflamed, the pain can make fever go up, inflamtion.

Hello Everybody,

I am Cara, previously known as Carrie J (nickname), whose screen name is now spaztick. I am the one who started this thread in 2007.

Wow, I don't visit this forum often, but I did today!

Update: The pieces of the puzzle finally came together ~ It's LYME disease!
I saw a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) several times starting September 2007.

I was diagnosed clinically (based on symptoms) with both Lyme disease and Babesiosis.
My Canadian blood work was negative. My Igenex (California) test for Babesiosis was positive, and my Western Blot results for Lyme disease were negative, but clinically significant (ie- positive bands).

I started treatment with oral antibiotic combination's in December 2007: Mepron + Zithromax; Biaxin + Metronidazole (Flagyl); Biaxin + Plaquenil, then Mepron + Zithromax again from Jan/09 to mid June/09 (had to treat babesiosis twice). I am currently off antibiotics and waiting for blood test results (checking out liver enzymes, etc.) but will be on Ketek 400 mg twice daily soon (along with Plaquenil 200 mg twice daily as a cyst-buster). Plaquenil has also greatly helped my osteoarthritis.

The fevers have been very stubborn to treat, but for quite a few months of 2009, my temperature readings have been NORMAL, or just below normal!! When I do get low-grade fevers occasionally now, the readings are far lower than they were (up to 100.9). They normally only go up to about 99.3. The main culprit has most likely been babesiosis, with Lyme disease contributing. I do not have an auto-immune disease.

It's hard to believe that I was undiagnosed for 7+ years, but unfortunately it's not uncommon. Lyme disease is included in the differential diagnosis for both FMS and CFS. In January 2009, my health improved enough for me to return to the gym after a five year absence! I have also been able to reduce my pain medication by one half! And no more chronic high-end low-grade fevers!

I have been off antibiotics for about two months now, and I am backsliding: headaches, visual disturbances like seeing zigzag flashing lights, hot flashes, anxiety pangs, cognitive/concentration/memory problems, low-grade fevers, nausea, pain, and disabling fatigue. I am patiently tolerating it, because I am hopeful that the ongoing antibiotic therapy will help. I went from being severely disabled and mostly housebound (more bad than good days) prior to treatment to being able to "get out and about" regularly (more good than bad days) with long-term antibiotic treatment.

One of the reasons why my late-stage Lyme disease has been hard to treat is because I remained undiagnosed for so many years. Other factors include strain of bacteria, its virulence, personal immunity, and the list goes on. Although it is a relief to finally know what has been ailing me for so many years, Lyme disease is no picnic ~ it is a highly politicized disease, with no clear consensus on both diagnosis and treatment.

There are NO Lyme Literate Medical Doctor's in Western Canada. The one who diagnosed me has retired, yet out of the kindness of his heart, and his dedication to the sufferers of Lyme disease, he still offers free advise to both patients and doctors:

http:/www.drerniemurakami.com -- web site address and forum

The Lyme disease forum on Healing Well has been a tremendous source of knowledge and strength for me. Along with my Mom's insistence, it was also the people on this forum who encouraged me to be evaluated for Lyme disease.

Feel free to ask any questions or post your opinions. I would be happy to help out in any way I can!

Cheers!

Cara (Carrie is my nickname, but my given name is CARA.)

I have been going through 3 months of the chronic fever (always 100.9 or lower), extreme fatigue, body aches and multi joint aches. I feel so terrible most of the time. My fever seems to come in phases but never completely goes back to normal (2 weeks between 100-100.9) then 1 week a little better with a little energy (99 - 99.9). My PCP did blood tests and all were normal except ANA was positive. My joint pain is hands, elbows, knees, hips but no swelling or redness.

Have seen a rheumatologist and she said she isn't convinced that this is autoimmune related. My sister is diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis, CFS, and others. Next step is to see infectious disease doctor next week.

I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations on other tests I should ask for or specialists to see?
Thank you for any advice.

I've read this whole post and my thoughts were right away that the poster has Lyme with coinfections. I have Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia and have low grade fevers. I test negative for Lyme, but do have bands that come up. After two years of being treated for Lyme, Bartonella finally came up on the test. I have drenching night sweats and air hunger that just won't subside, so was clinically diagnosed with Babesia as well.

There are so many Bacterial infections out there as well as Protozoan. Many you can't even test for and some still haven't been discovered. With CFS symptoms, Lyme is always a possibility of causing symptoms. The other tick born infections also have to be considered. Too often patients just get checked for Lyme and not the other infections.

I was tested for Lupus and had MRI to rule out MS and don't have any autoimmune markers come out. I did get bitten by a tick and had an oval red rash around the bite with purple center. I knew that I had Lyme by my symptoms and the timing of them coming on after the bite. With time and severity of my symptoms, I thought coinfections were involved but didn't test positive for any of them the 1st two years. Based on my symptoms, I thought I had Lyme with Bartonella and Babesia. That's what it turned out that I have. No one knows your symptoms better than you. Trust your instinct.

fevers actually mean you body is fighting something or somethings. Most likely some combination of bacteria-fungal and virus. No reason why it cant be all three. I would work on the infection an not on turning down the immune system ( fever)

He really didn't think much about your fever?
What do you think about it?