Symptoms of AIDS

[PaulnCarole]

Could anyone please tell me if the following could be symptoms of AIDS (or other sexually transmittable disease):

Extreme weight loss
Loss of swallowing reflex
Loss of speach
Loss of use of limbs

Thank you.

[landie]

Sounds more like Guillane Barre syndrome to me.

[smee.tracey]

PaulnCarole - PLEASE sod all the other messages you may get. If you think for a nanosecond that someone MIGHT have AIDS, get to the doctor quick.
The symptoms you describe can be a result of all kinds of things (including stroke/tia).
PLEASE GO TO A DOCTOR

[PaulnCarole]

smee.tracey, thanks for your concern. It's a long story, an old friend of ours is dying - with the symptoms I have listed. He is in hospital and being treated, but the hospital say they cant give a diagnosis of what has caused the problem. We have been told (not by the hospital) that he has been unwise in the past, getting involved with the wrong sort of people. I'll say no more about that. However, several years ago he used to work in Africa, and one theory for his illness is that he could have been bitten by an insect, and is now reacting, although it is about ten years ago, so I don't know how likely this is. We are particularly concerned as my husband visits the same country to work, and it is very worrying that he could go the same way. The hospital wont give us any info, they say its confidential (understandably). If a hospital knew a patient to have AIDS, would the patient be kept in isolation? Our friend is not in isolation, visitors are free to come and go as they please. Honestly, we are not being nosey, we are just worried for my husband, and if we could rule out the possibility of an insect bite, that would be a big weight off our minds.

[landie]

I jest not, my friend had similar symptoms and almost died. See my answer above. About one in 3 million people are diagnosed with Guillane Barre syndrome but the doctors have a job spotting it.

[smee.tracey]

AIDs patients are not kept in isolation. Africa has a whole lot of problems. I would suggest your husband contacts his GP surgery to make an appointment with a Sister who will be able to advise of vaccinations (reception will be able to advise which vacs he has had).
Patient confidentiality means the hospital cannot say what if wrong with your friend, will he tell you?
http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/itd/ might be able to help you re tropical diseases.
I am SO pleased you are not immediately affected by AIDS as I understand it is not possible to contract it through insects (but please don't quote me).
My very best wishes

[PaulnCarole]

Sadly our friend cannot tell us as he is unable to speak, we have been told that his life expectancy is upto a few weeks, but he is definitely on the way out. I was going to post a question on the AB to ask if you can get AIDS from an insect bite, but I will look up that website about tropical diseases first. Many thanks for your replies/concern.

[smee.tracey]

I only wish I could be more help.
I KNOW it isn't easy at a time like this but I hope both of you, Paul and Carole can find the strength to help each other.
No-one is to blame in this, your friend chose his path and no doubt enjoyed it. So, celebrate his life!

[smee.tracey]

Please let me know how things go. If you need a sounding board etc

[PaulnCarole]

hi smee.tracey,

by a process of elimination, we have worked out that our friend has AIDS, and it is nothing to do with an insect bite. many thanks for your concern.