Anish Vij
A London man who was hospitalised for weeks has shared his horrifying monkeypox symptoms that made him think he was going to die.
Harun Tulunay, a 35-year-old charity worker, was isolated in a hospital room on his own in what was a terrifying period of uncertainty for him.
The Shoreditch local says that initial fever symptoms, which he thought was Covid-19, promoted him to get a test. However, the Covid-19 result came back negative and his fever escalated to highs of 39.7C.
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He told MyLondon: "When my fever and pain hadn't changed for a whole week, my friends became really concerned and so I reached out to 111 for help. I called five or six times when my fever was high and each time I told them the symptoms I was experiencing.
"At this point my fever was so high I was passing out and couldn't move. I would get asked the same questions over and over again - the answers were always the same.
"They said 'if you get worse call us' and each time I got worse the next day and when I called them the response was the same.
"My diagnosis was delayed a lot because of this, but I don't blame them."
When he was eventually tested for Monkeypox he said that 'they hadn't seen a case like (his) before' and his 'symptoms were not the ones they had seen with other people'."
Harun just wanted to find out what was wrong with him, saying: "I just wanted to know what is happening to me and what action can we take, I didn't want to die from a high fever - my concern was not knowing what I had.
"After having been in A&E I was waiting on results from Homerton and I began to get worried about my fever. I'm completely alone in the UK, I don't have anyone with me.
"I was unable to swallow my spit, drink or eat and I cried to a nurse on the phone saying that I'm alone, even 999 doesn't listen to me, where can I get any help.
"She was upset hearing how upset I was and arranged for me to go to Royal London Hospital on Friday June 24- 11 days ago - that's how my journey started."
He concluded: "I had the worst experience ever in the last few weeks, it was worse than Covid and I've had that twice.
"I wanted to share my story to educate people and normalise the conversation around Monkeypox.
"My case is really rare - the person who transmitted this to me had it really mild - he had some legions but he wasn't as ill as I was.
"The lesion was so big and scary I was crying thinking it was going to leave a scar, it is scary waking up in the night alone shivering and being alone in an isolated room not knowing if the drugs they are giving you will work or when your lesion will disappear."
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