Central American Woman with Influenza and Severe Weakness

Chief Complaint: Cough and fever
Central American middle age woman presented on January 11, 2011 to the outpatient clinic with one week history of cough and fever up to 101 deg F. She denies chills. She also denied much in the way of sputum but complained of some headache. She was diagnosed with right lower lobe pneumonia and begun on albuterol aerosols and levofloxacin orally.

On January 14th she came back to the clinic complaining of dysgusia and increasing sputum production. She felt “her sputum was loosening up.” She noted that her fever lasted 7 days. She also complained of feeling inordinately weak. She denies chest pain or changes in the color of the urine.

On January 24th she returned for follow up to the clinic. At that time she was regaining her appetite but felt increasing weaker. She denies fever or discoloration of the urine. Her physical exam revealed a slightly disheveled middle age woman without tenderness in the major muscle groups. Her chest exam was remarkably clearer.

A laboratory study was performed on this day that led to calling her back immediately to be re-evaluated.