I contracted a virus (at the Marriot Hotel in Scottsdale Arizona) that was so pernicious that I was completely dehydrated in 2 hours, weak, couldn't move or even open my eyes. The hospital hydrated me, I flew home to LA. Then I kept getting sick over and over for 2 years, diagnosed with flu, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc. My adrenals got exhausted, doctor said my body was starting to shut down in preparation for death. Finally, a brilliant doctor took 2 trays of blood samples, sent them to labs including Cedars Sinai and UCLA - they found a virus that wasn't in any database, they surmised that it may have come from South America because of where I was when I got it. He sent me to another brilliant doctor, an internist, who said the labs also saw cytomegalovirus. He wanted to try giving me mega-doses of anti-virals for the cytomegalovirus in the hopes that it would also kill the other 'mystery' virus. He also sent me to Santa Barbara where another doctor took the blood out of my body, ran it under ultraviolet light (to kill some of the viruses) and put my blood back in. I fought for my life because my daughter was in grade school - she needed her mommy. Slowly, I got better. The anti-viral was very expensive and my insurance company tried every which way to cut me off so I had to fight them for my life every month too. After about 1 1/2 or 2 years, I felt well enough to quit the medicines. My doctor tested again and there was only a little of the viruses left. He said that the remnants would always be there and I should get a flu shot every year because getting sick with flu could trigger the mystery virus and/or cytomegalovirus to start replicating again. The muscles that move food from my stomach to intestines had shut down and they never have come back. The doctors sent me to a gastroenterologist who put me into the test program for dexloxiglumide. The rest of that part is in my first post. I had to rebuild strength in my body so I did physical therapy, Gold's gym, and running. My daughter is 33 now, married, and doing well. I retired after 50 years of working (while I was child-rearing I only worked part time). I have done everything to avoid getting covid. I didn't get it until last October - the doctors gave me Paxlovid and it worked very well. I haven't been sick since then but I'm still avoiding viruses as best I can (shots, masks, staying away from crowds, washing hands often, etc.) And I take a low dose "prophylactic anti-viral" every day.
Thank you for asking - I haven't told that scary story in a long time. I am still grateful to brilliant researchers and doctors who spend their lives looking for ways to make us feel better.
Peggy

What is a "low residue" diet??

Hi: My GI specialist says he is "frustrated" and has not come up with a diagnosis. I have had exploratory bowel surgery with nothing turning up plus several CT scans. One prescription I am on is to speed up digestion but I had another obstructed bowel since starting to take them. The other prescription is supposed to help muscles work. I have been on that one for several months. It does give me the runs plus a sick stomach at times. The only surgery I had before this all started with appendix which does not appear to be the cause. I had a colonoscopy in late March and then 2 weeks later had my first obstruction, followed by the 2nd obstruction about 6 weeks later and then the 3rd obstruction about 14 weeks later. I feel that the GI people are ready to give up. In order to get a 2nd opinion I would have to have them refer me and would have to travel to a larger city. At one point they told me to eat whatever I wanted. I have cut out popcorn, walnuts and raw vegetables but other than that am eating pretty well everything.