Tested positive for E

[muscle750]

 Firstly ive just reg on this website and cant see a E section so im posting this in hoping or seeing if i can get any help advice etc
Just over a year ago after returning from Paris i fell ill and was in the end off work for 12 months i under went numerous tests including Brain scans lumber puncture numerous blood tests the symptoms i have are severe pain in my legs tingling numbness and very tired .
 The consultant tested me for Hep E as he said it was a very slight possibilty that i had it and it had damaged my nervous system
 well after many months on waiting the result it came back positive althou i didnt have it at the time the test was done it seems once youve had it it is evident that youve had it in the past . Its increasingly looking like that this is the cause of my troubles at times i am very unsteady on my feet and cant lift my legs at all if i lay flat
I have now been refered to another consultant whom im seeing in a few weeks just wondering if anyone has any pointers help advice etc on what i can expect im now back at work part time on greatly reduced hours im finding it very tiring
 Im unable to drive as i cant feel much sensation in my legs i have tried and when i got back out the car i was very unsteady on my legs infact it looks as if ive just come back from the pub after a heavy session I cant walk in a straight line with one foot in front of the other ive also had physio which did very little The results of the brain scans two of which we paid for the lumbar punc and the blood tests all showed nothing

[willie g]

welcome muscle,, haven't heard of any hep e but if you check back our moderators are sure to be responding and others that know allot more than me,,, i started this treatment around 2 and some months ago, i have just started third bottles of series, sounds like you have your hands full though,, sorry to hear that but hang in there andcheck back in a few hours, i am sure you will hear something.  ''just willie g    and thanks for sharing that

[Mike]

I'm not an expert on HEV, but what I've read indicates it causes the same symptoms of any of the Hepatitis viral infections:

Fever
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Jaundice
Dark urine
Clay-colored stool
Joint pain

Most folks clear the infection on their own.

I have not read that HEV causes any neurological/motor accesses, deficits, or  issues with the legs.

Has your doctor run any liver function tests? If so, what were the results?

Best wishes, Mike

[muscle750]

Ive had electrical nerve tests done which i forgot to mention and it showed one side of my body was over responsive the other under responsive and have no reflex action in my mid rif area

[Mike]

Has your doctor ruled out MS? I'm assuming that was what the lumbar puncture (spinal tap) was about.

Signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary, depending on the location of affected nerve fibers. MS signs and symptoms may include:

Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or the legs and trunk
Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement
Double vision or blurring of vision
Tingling or pain in parts of your body
Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially bending the neck forward
Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
Slurred speech
Fatigue
Dizziness
Problems with bowel and bladder function


Best wishes, Mike

[muscle750]

Did raise the question but is was dismissed thats why they did the Lumbar puncture i believe we went to Paris for a week and i felt ill on way back and just got worse the consultant said there have been some rare cases of Hep E resulting from contaminated meat in the French/Netherlands region however he thought that if it was pin pointed it would be from contaminated water.
 Its certainly changed our lives thou whatever caused it.

[Mike]

Yes. Generally HEV is contracted from contaminated water. Your symptoms, however, don't seem to match Hepatitis, which primarily  impacts the liver.

To back up a step, you tested positive for the HEV antibodies? If so, did the doctor check for the presence of the virus (antibodies mean you were exposed to the virus; a viral load will determine if you have an active infection). Was a liver panel ordered to see how well your liver is functioning?

(Please note I'm not a doctor; but I have a lot of knowledge regrading Hepatitis and liver disease.)

Best wishes, Mike

[iana5252]

We reported on this a couple of weeks ago...

Hepatitis E Lurks in Much of the European Blood Supply
http://www.hepmag.com/articles/hepatitis_e_lurks_in_europe_2831_26048.shtml

Humans can contract hepatitis E from infected pigs, blood or drinking water. Symptoms include appetite loss and fever, but the virus can be dangerous for those with suppressed immune systems, such as pregnant women and people with cancer or HIV. There is no cure for hepatitis E.

[lporterrn]

Dear Muscle 750 -
Wow, now that is quite a story. Here is a little info from our friends at the HCV Advocate: http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/HEV.pdf

Please keep us posted - sorry that you are sort of a guinea pig for me, but I haven't actually met anyone with HEV. I promise you thin, you will be a well-supported guinea pig here on the Forum.