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Syphilis here.  Caught it last year around this time.  Unfortunately I also use cosentyx, which suppresses the immune system, to treat my psoriasis so by the beginning of September it had rapidly advanced all the way to neuro-syphilis before I even knew I was infected.

    Folks, you do NOT want to experience neuro-syphilis.  I had regular night sweats, fevers that spiked to 102° at least twice a week, body aches that felt like I’d been hit by a car, hearing loss of 40% in one ear and 60% in the other, and facial paralysis that made me look like I had had a stroke.

     Luckily I was diagnosed and had to do 14 days of daily heavy-duty antibiotic infusions which thankfully cleared the infection and the paralysis and hearing loss were completely reversed.  This recovery was not guaranteed though and for a few months I seriously considered suicide.  If you’ve never experienced a sudden and profound hearing loss you can’t understand how it removes you from the world.  Music has been a lifelong comfort to me and another feature of this hearing loss was a pitch shift which made everything sound like one of those Chipmunk albums.  It wasn’t cute, it wasn’t funny, it was vicious and terrifying.

    Due to the circumstances of my use of an immuno-suppressing drug, I caught the express train to hell so it was atypical, but if you go long enough without treatment this too could be where you end up and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.  Well, probably Trump, but I’m fairly sure he’s already got an even more advanced case so…

    I’m not trying to moralize here, but these things can happen and it is horrific.  I know a big part of this site involves the bug-chasing lifestyle and I am not judging anyone with what I’ve said.  You do you.  But just know the impact that can result and reality can be terrifying when it actually comes down to it.

    Do with this what you will…

   

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