Fifth's Disease
Posted 10-20-2008 at 01:26 PM by Darbie Shaw
I am a healthy 36 year old woman who trains for Ironman triathlons. I have had fifth's disease since March or April 2008 (from when my symptoms started). I had noticed my thumbs swelling and extreme exhaustion. I was right in the middle of training for my second Ironman when I finally decided to get blood work done to see if it was something serious. I was negative for all blood work except for the Parvo B19. We did have a patient who was also exposed to the virus 2 months before I noticed my symptoms. I have had on going problems with joint pain and fatique that seems to get worse during harder workouts, or near my menstrual cycle, or if I am stressed due to a busy schedule. I have not received any answers from any of the many physicians I have visited. It seems I am the only one that has had these symptoms for so long. I do not plan on stopping my physical activities all together. I have tried to take 3 weeks off from exercise and only to be disappointed when the symptoms do not leave!! I have now started taking supplements like Igg 2000 DF, Viragraphis, ImmunotiX 3-6, and Saloxicin for joint pain. I have only started to take them for a week and a half now, in hopes that something will work. If anyone has my lifestyle and has had Fifth's Disease, please give me some hope! It is very frustrating not to have any answers and no one who can help!!
Total Comments 6
Comments
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Fifth Disease
Here's some information-according to what it says about adults symptoms can last from months to years.
Hope this helps-never heard of this till I read your blog. Wow!!Posted 10-20-2008 at 10:48 PM by TearsNheaven77
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I'm 40 yrs old and have been regularly exercising for the last 25 years. I've always been very healthy and regardless of how many people around me get sick, I never come down with it. That was until July 08. I developed a fever of 103 and the symptoms that go with it but no other cold/flu like symptoms (runny nose, cough, etc). It lasted a day or two and then I was fine aside from some residual fatigue. I didn't think much of it until exactly one month later I developed another fever of 103. The second bout progressed exactly as the one prior and therefore I assumed the two had a common cause. Interestingly both fevers closely followed acute physical stress in my life. What has followed since has been general consistent fatigue and malaise. Recently I had some blood work done thinking it might be Lyme disease but was also checked for parvo 19. It turns out that I've had fifth disease all along. During this period I've continued to workout but I previously scaled back my effort hoping that the next week I'd feel better and pick things back up. Well now it's been months and my optimism has faded. Fortunately I've been spared the joint pain completely thus far. I too am very frustrated and without answers as well.Posted 10-22-2008 at 02:56 PM by Billpro
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Fifth's Disease
I was diagnosed with Fifth's Disease two weeks ago. I had presented to the ED with extreme pain in both wrists and also in my neck. Several tests were ran and all came back w/in normal limits. I left w/out a dx however he did give me a script for prednisone. I was also advised to follow up with my family doc that week. The following day my youngest child broke out in the rash. For proper dx I took him to his ped doc who verified that it was indeed Fifth's. My two older children broke out as well. My PCP diagnosed me solely based on my children. He offered me the blood test but being that I am confident in his dx I refused. I by no means train for athletic events however, I do use the elliptical trainer or run 3 miles a day for 5 days a week. I also lift free weights four of those days. I went back to the gym yesterday after a two week leave and only walked for two miles. I am basically worthless today. I have no energy and the pain in my joints is worse than yesterday. Cold seems to increase my pain. I am quite angry with this disease already. I do not like to be limited in what I do. I am undecided as to whether or not I say OK let me lay down and heal as I may or do as I usually do and not let it get the best of me. I realize the initial post was in Oct of this year but if there is any update with this individual would you please share? It's just nice to know that I am not imagining this. Hope all is well.Posted 12-16-2008 at 09:18 AM by Gina McGee
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I am a 45 y/o woman, who contracted Fifth's from my daughter. I'm autoimmune with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I used to be a really active person with a full-time career as an elementary school teacher. I used to work out about 5 days a week. I've had Fifth's for 5 months and have been out of work for 4 months. I've had the achy joints/muscles, fry eyes, irritability, and extreme fatigue. I started feeling better toward the end of my summer break, went back to work to put my classroom together, and completely relapsed. I do nothing all day everyday, but the fatigue remains. I've taken supplements, prayed several times a day, and tried being really positive. . .but to no avail!!! I feel like it will never go away. If/when it does, I don't know how I will know that it is gone, because I've had several periods of decent days, only to relapse again! My Infectious Diseases Specialist told me it could be up to 6-8 months for it to go away. For those of you who have gone through this, can you please assure me that it will go away, and tell me how you knew that it was finally gone? I really just need some hope right now. I've reached my frustration point several times over, and today is an especially bad day.Posted 09-01-2011 at 10:22 AM by shmeverbly
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I strongly encourage anyone with a chronic viral infection to consider seeing a neuroimmunologist. There has been alot of work done to treat chronic viral infections leading to fatigue, among other debilitating symptoms. Look online for Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or just Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Look up Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine, which is in Florida. Unfortunately, there are not many of these specialists and wait lists are long. Also most doctors, even specialists like Infectious Disease docs aren't familiar with this. Antiviral therapy may alleviate some of the symptoms.Posted 07-26-2014 at 09:25 PM by CJohnson1994
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I am in my 60's and have fifth disease for the third time. My right hand swells up and the joints hurt so bad I can't use it. Other than a prescription for Meloxicam I have had no help from the many doctors. In the past it has taken a month to go away and now I have it back again. Any suggestions?Posted 08-02-2016 at 09:37 AM by Kaye Schilling
