Question for Doctor Moms - Update

[WellPreserved]

I am glad she has a referral to rheum! Does she have an accompanying rash?

Question for you?! Today she is considerably more comfortable - swelling is down and not as achy. It's probably due to the steroids. BUT, she also woke with "flu-like" symptoms. At no point was she tested for Covid or flu. Could this just be an immune system response to something like flu?

She has an appointment with rheumatologist end of next week.

It would be unusual for COVID or influenza to present with polyathralgias for several days/weeks, prior to other viral inflammatory symptoms. The parvovirus B19 virus commonly produces joint pain in females, but again, every time I see this, usually the flu-like symptoms come before the joint pain. BUT, I am surprised regularly, by people not presenting like my textbooks tell me they should or the last 50 patients did; lol. That’s the fun part of being human!

What other symptoms is she having now? Like URI symptoms?

Did they check for parvovirus antibodies? You mentioned sed rate. Did they check a CRP too?

Has she had any international travel?

The only symptoms she is having now is fever, chills, and body ache not specific to her joints. She is progressively getting better so probably not related.

I'm not sure if she was checked for parvovirus but she isn't/wasn't experiencing any rash, headache, etc.

She was in Cuba last spring but no travel since.