Third time sick in less than six weeks—what gives?

It all started back in late August when I was hit with a brutal five-day stretch of high fevers and intense stomach issues. It was devastating; I lost about 13 pounds in just five days, which eventually landed me in the hospital getting an IV drip. I had been on a diet at the time, so my body was already vulnerable, and that was just how it went down. Shortly after recovering, I managed to land a job and started working again, but then, about two weeks ago, the hammer dropped once more. I came down with a bacterial throat infection so severe I couldn't even speak. My temperature spiked again, and when I went in for blood work, everything—my white blood cell count, you name it—was through the roof. My doctor prescribed some antibiotics, and after three days of treatment, my blood work actually looked normal again. But fast forward just one week from that point, and here I am, sick all over again 😕. Yesterday, I was suddenly struck by a high fever, though strangely, the only real pain I felt was in my legs. Today, I feel just as weak, and my temperature is swinging wildly up and down. My doctor told me she wants me to come back tomorrow for nasal and throat swabs, along with more blood work. To add a layer of complexity to this whole mess, I dealt with mononucleosis about two years ago. Back when I had it, a lymph node in my neck swelled up, and ever since then, it hasn't gone down. It fluctuates in size—sometimes more swollen, sometimes less—but it doesn't cause any pain. However, my doctor did mention that we might eventually need to have it surgically removed 😕. On top of that, I've been dealing with these persistent swollen glands under my arms lately; I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m genuinely worried about the pattern here 🤷. Most of all, the exhaustion is relentless. I feel like I could sleep for eternity. Even if I manage to sleep for twelve hours straight, I still wake up feeling completely drained :S...

I’m honestly not sure what the underlying issue might be, but I just wanted to weigh in on those swollen lymph nodes you mentioned:

<citat>
The main jobs of lymph nodes include:

1. Filtering out foreign cells and their debris—like metastatic cancer cells—as well as bacteria, viruses, external pigments, toxins, and antigens through phagocytosis (using reticular cells and free macrophages).
2. Producing B lymphocytes, plasma cells, and antibodies.
3. Managing lymphocyte recirculation by moving B and T cells into specific zones.

Most people have roughly 500 to 600 lymph nodes scattered all over the body, like in the armpits, neck, chest, abdomen, and groin.
</citat>

They’re swollen because they’re working overtime to get the job done! It’s always way easier for doctors to just go in and cut them out, then spend the rest of the time hitting patients with antibiotics and stuff, whereas actually diagnosing the root cause and figuring out *why* they're swollen is the hard part. It reminds me of how people used to deal with tonsils—you know, that first line of defense for your immune system? Maybe try tweaking your diet a bit, like eating more fresh fruits and veggies and drinking plenty of water (and I mean actual water, not soda or booze)—basically, just making things a little easier on your system.

Take care, Edward Hall3

Look, I’m well aware of how these things work. I understand the mechanics behind it all. But even so, there is absolutely nothing normal about this constant swelling. It’s just relentless. Especially this particular lump on my neck—it’s been swollen for a year and a half now. It’s like a pendulum that won't stop swinging; one day it’s flared up, the next it’s slightly diminished, but it never actually goes away. It’s an endless cycle of inflammation that defies common sense.

rapidviper29 said:Look, I get all that, I really do, but isn't it just weird how it keeps acting up like this? Especially that swelling on my neck that's been hanging around for over a year now... one day it's super swollen and then the next it's better, it's just constant

I'm telling you, man, it's working overtime! There’s gotta be a reason behind it, so if you can just track down what's actually causing it, those symptoms will probably just clear right up.

I think mono played a part in this. Ever since I dealt with it, my immune system just hasn't been the same 😳
I also went through those stretches where I was constantly catching colds and viruses; once, I had a low-grade fever lingering for maybe three months 🙄

Actually, it's similar to what you're going through. I was on antibiotics about three months ago, then had a five-day virus a month and a half back, and now here we are again... though for me, it feels mostly like a thyroid issue now...

It might not be a bad idea to get your thyroid checked out!

Someone already suggested I look into those kidney issues... that it might actually be a possibility... and we ended up discussing the exact same set of illnesses... It reminds me of when my boyfriend caught mono; he breezed right through it without any real symptoms, whereas for me, it felt like being hit by a freight train ☕ .What you’re saying about the kidneys is entirely plausible, and I think it's worth looking into

Could it just be job stress?

I was already dealing with these health issues long before I even landed my current job. It isn't quite

I noticed you mentioned those swollen lymph nodes... back about three years ago, I went through a very similar ordeal. It was mostly digestive issues paired with a persistent fever. I spent months bouncing between doctors—mostly ENT specialists at places like Mayo Clinic—and even though all my standard lab work came back perfectly normal, I eventually decided to get my thyroid checked out, since that’s what everyone kept suggesting to me.
It turns out the thyroid wasn't actually the culprit. The lymph nodes weren't reacting to a thyroid issue; they were responding to some serious stomach trouble. I ended up testing positive for H. pylori. It’s one of those things that can basically exist anywhere from your sinuses down to your gut, and it can wreak havoc on your system without you ever realizing what's actually causing the chaos.
That exhaustion you’re describing? My money is on your thyroid being the issue there...😢
But you really shouldn't ignore that node on your neck. Have you had a doctor perform a fine-needle aspiration yet? You need to know exactly what's going on in there.
In my case, the pathology report indicated it was just a result of reactive inflammation. Once we started tracing the source of that inflammation, we finally pinpointed the stomach and the H. pylori infection.

I am almost certain there is some sort of connection to my kidney, though I’ll definitely need to get that verified.
As for checking out the lymph nodes, I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow, so we will see what the diagnosis brings. 🤷

rapidviper29 said:It’s almost certainly related to my thyroid, I really need to get that checked out...
I have an appointment tomorrow to look into the lymph nodes, so we'll see 🤷

It’s very likely the thyroid... there's been such a huge spike in thyroid issues over the last 15 years or so... probably just stress and stuff like that...☕

It doesn't necessarily have to be your thyroid. You could have a bacterial hotspot somewhere else in your system, and your lymph nodes are just reacting to that infection.

If I were you, I'd start by getting a full CBC, along with sedimentation and CRP levels. If those all come back normal—and remember, if there’s inflammation, you'll see elevated sedimentation, CRP, and white blood cell counts—only then would I bother checking the thyroid.

My C-reactive protein levels spiked quite significantly when I was battling a severe bacterial throat infection. Once I finished my course of antibiotics and went back to get my blood work checked, both my CRP and white blood cell counts had returned to perfectly normal ranges. I actually just had more labs done yesterday, and everything looks fine—my blood work is solid, and my nasal and throat swabs came back completely clear. So, if everything is healthy now, I can't help but wonder why they are still pushing things like fiber supplements and other stuff 😕 ...it feels like a total gamble with my kidney health.

So, what kind of throat bacteria were you dealing with?

And is the fever a constant thing, or did it just flare up again recently?

I don't get why everyone is obsessed with the thyroid. It doesn't really cause swollen lymph nodes. Sure, a thyroid can swell up and make swallowing or breathing a pain, but affecting the nodes—especially under the arm—doesn't sound right to me.

As for being exhausted, that’s probably just because your body is totally wiped out from constantly fighting something off.

melloworca6 said:It doesn't necessarily have to be your thyroid. It could just be some kind of bacterial infection somewhere else causing the lymph nodes to react like that.

I’d start by getting a full blood count, including ESR and CRP. If everything looks okay there (since inflammation usually bumps up the ESR, CRP, and white blood cell count), then I'd look into the thyroid...

Yeah, obviously the first step is a CBC and whatever other tests the primary care doctor orders...
They aren't going to hand over a referral to an endocrinologist right away. You'll probably spend months jumping from one clinic to another...😉

And you might not even get a diagnosis for another two, three, or five years...😬

rapidviper29 said:My CRP was high when I had a bad bacterial throat infection. Once I finished my antibiotics and got my blood work done, both my CRP and white cell counts were back to normal. My labs came back fine again after testing yesterday, and my nasal and throat swabs were clear too. So why all this talk about fibroids and stuff... it's gotta be the thyroid...😕 ...for sure...

Just try not to panic...🙂
Even if it is the thyroid, it's not the end of the world...😉

melloworca6 said:Which specific bacteria were you dealing with in your throat?

And do you have a constant fever, or did it just flare up again recently?

I’m not really sure why everyone is fixated on the thyroid; I don't think it actually causes swollen lymph nodes. A thyroid issue might make it swell enough to affect swallowing or breathing, but affecting the nodes—especially under the arm—doesn't seem right to me...

As for feeling exhausted, it’s probably just because your body is worn out from constantly fighting something off.

The thyroid can definitely impact lymph nodes... where are you getting that idea?
If her bloodwork came back normal, I'm assuming things like white blood cell counts and lymphocytes are okay too?
Thyroid inflammation can mess with the lymph nodes...😉

Grace Lewis6 said:Yeah, obviously she’ll start with a CBC and whatever other blood work her primary care doctor orders first...
They aren't just going to hand over an endoscopy referral right away. No, she'll probably spend months playing phone tag and running from office to office. 😉

Then maybe two, three, five years down the line, she finally gets a diagnosis. 😬

Just don't panic. 🙂
And if it turns out to be thyroid issues, it's not the end of the world. 😉

Duh. Obviously, the first step is a CBC and an ESR to make sure there isn't some bacterial infection. They aren't sending every kid to a specialist if their GP can handle it themselves. 😉

Grace Lewis6 said:Thyroid issues can definitely affect lymph nodes... where'd you get the idea they couldn't?
If she says her blood work came back fine, I'm assuming white blood cell counts, lymphocytes, and all that stuff are okay too?
Thyroid inflammation can mess with the lymph nodes. 😉

Look, it works both ways—lymph nodes can swell because of almost any autoimmune condition (thyroid inflammation usually points to Hashimoto's or Graves, which means an autoimmune issue). For me, my lymph nodes behind my ears swell up all the time, but that's just my baseline given my autoimmune stuff.

The girl needs to rule out a localized infection first—could be anything from the cervix to the bladder, etc.—before they start digging deeper.