So Sick

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NakedOnMyChain -> So Sick (3/31/2006 12:12:25 PM)
I need to get something off my chest. I apologize in advance to those of you who don't want to hear about it. To the rest, advice is appreciated. I've been sick for a week now. I'm finally kicking it, but I couldn't get out of bed on Monday or Tuesday without feeling like I was going to pass out. It sucked, but it wouldn't really worry me except that it's become a recurring theme. January before last, before Tyler and I moved in together, I was the sickest I've ever been in my life. I couldn't leave his house for a week because I was too sick to ride in a car. I had flu symptoms, but they were notably severe. I had a 104 degree fever accompanied by severe hallucinations. (Have you ever been so sick that the little green men start crawling out from under the bed?) I managed to kick it on my own, but I'd lost fifteen pounds by the time the week was up. The problem is that ever since then I've gotten mildly to severely sick at least once a month... every month (though it's never been as bad as that first time, this weeks came close). I'd never been sick like that before, and it feels like it's a strain of whatever I had in the first place that just won't go away. This week I've lost weight again, and I did two months ago as well (six pounds two months ago, five this week). I shouldn't be losing any. I'm pregnant, but I'm well out of the first trimester and I have no morning sickness symptoms. I eat well, often and healthily. I've discussed this with my regular practicioner and my prenatal specialist both, and they've said it's nothing to worry about and won't give me any medicine, treatment or advice on how to get well. Unfortunately, by the time they can usually pencil me in for an appointment, I'm not sick anymore. They swear I'm healthy as a horse, and so is the baby. They write off my monthly illness as me overreacting. I'm just not quite sure what to do about it anymore. I take very good care of myself, and I don't approve of taking medicine lightly, but I think something more is needed here. I've gotten a second and third opinion, but everyone is reluctant to treat me because I'm pregnant. They tell me to go with what my OBGYN says. I'm honestly very worried about myself and my baby. Does anyone have any relevant advice? It's to the point where a hospital visit is seeming viable. I'm really not quite sure what to do when doctors just shrug at me and say the medical equivalent of "Idunno".

MsBlackheart -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 12:21:11 PM)
Have you always gotten sick in the same location, ie house, or after being in one place? I ask because the first thing I thought of is carbon monoxide poisoning. It's hard to diagnose sometimes because so many things share the symptoms, and I've heard of all the things you describe. A blood test would rule it out. It only takes relatively short exposure(s) to make you sick. HTH! MsB

NakedOnMyChain -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 12:26:30 PM)
Thanks for the reply. The first time it happened was in Tyler's old house. We've moved twice since then (one to move in together, and once more when we felt they jacked our rent to high for the tiny space we lived in). Both houses are fairly old, though. It's possible that it's carbon monoxide poisoning, but not overly likely.

ShiftedJewel -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 1:33:31 PM)
Start paying close attention to what you are eating a week to two weeks before you start getting sick, it's possible that you have formed an allergy to something that you have eaten your whole life. Also, besides checking for carbon monoxide, check for mold... it can make you extremely sick and is some is highly dangerous. My girl is a retired hospice nurse... she said you need to see and endrocrinologist.. it sounds like something you really need to be treated for. Could be any number of things. Don't delay on that, ok? *If you like, you can email twicehappy and she'll tell you what to look for in a doctor.*

Moloch -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 1:43:39 PM)
Could be some mold in the house?

NakedOnMyChain -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 2:01:02 PM)
I'm allergic to so many odd things (cough syrup, the pseudoephedrine in Tylenol cold and flu, feta cheese, latex, metal on my skin) that it really wouldn't surprise me if I was allergic to something else. I was tested fairly recently, though (last summer). It's possible that something new has cropped up since then though, as I wasn't allergic to anything until I was eighteen, and all my allergies hit me suddenly. Honestly, it feels more like my immune system took a serious blow from that first time being sick. I was hardly ever sick before that. It feels like my immune system is on vacation and I pick up whatever is going around if I'm within fifty feet of it. I honestly feel like I'll never get well. I've never regained the level of energy I used to have before I was sick that first time, and for the last year I constantly have felt run-down, exhausted, and just plain not up to par. I'm going to take your advice about going to another doctor, though. No matter what I do on my own, I'm not getting better. Thanks for the advice.

CandiStarr69 -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 2:04:57 PM)
Hi, I tend to agree with the other posters about symptoms of CO or mold poisoning. A CO detector is readily available at home improvement stores. How old is the house and has there been any water damage? What do you heat and cook with? However, being that it occurs monthly (have you tracked it on a calendar?) triggered questions related to your cycle. Furthermore, since you are pregnant now and have the same symptoms (have they changed at all?) it seems unlikely related to ovulation. Fevers and green men hallucinations are NOT part of momma nausea. I work in the healthcare field and would suggest visiting an endocrinologist --specializes in hormones and can probably refer you to a nutritionist who can "prescribe" alternative meds while you are pregnant. Vit B6 is good for nausea. But realize docs are skeptical of liablility, esp. from pregnant women and you may have to look to a practitioner with more holistic approach.[;)] Good luck.

Gauge -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 2:07:04 PM)
The one thing that I will point out is that a food allergy will manifest itself within a few minutes if not a few hours. One or two weeks for a food allergy to cause symptoms is unlikely. I asked a friend who is a physicians assistant for an allergist just so you know the source. I also had these same questions answered by a gastroenterologist. I tend more to agree that there is something environmental causing illness symptoms. I worked in the heating and air conditioning industry for fifteen years and environmental causes of illnesses was one thing that we were trained to look for. For example: If you get a large amount of condensation on your windows during the winter you are not getting enough air into your home. The likelihood will be that mold has formed behind pictures, within walls, in crawl spaces and in the attic. Any time that you have a fuel burning appliance in your home, carbon monoxide is a threat. There was something that we referred to in the industry as the "weekend flu." That is where a customer would make complaints that during the week he was fine but on the weekends they got sick. He was fine during the week because he wasn't at home being exposed to carbon monoxide, but over the weekend when he spent more time at home he became ill. You can be exposed to low levels of CO and not have it become fatal... it will just make you sick. I would not dismiss this as a possibility. If you own the home you are in, call whoever provides heating service to your home (oil, gas, coal) and ask them to come out and check for carbon monoxide. If you don't own your home, call your landlord and explain what is happening and request that he have the appliances checked for CO. If your doctor is downplaying your complaints then find another doctor. Any savvy doctor would not just dismiss your complaints as stupid. Go to an immunologist, see what they have to say. Have a doctor get blood work to determine any possible physiological or environmental causes. Seeing as you are pregnant, this is nothing to take lightly at all. Action on your part is necessary to insure that everything is fine for the baby. Keep us posted as to how things turn out.

windy135 -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 4:41:37 PM)
The first time you were really ill.... you went to the doctor right? with a temp of 104 and hallucinations? Could it be a bacterial infection that just won't go away? hmmmm

JazzDaddy -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 6:30:20 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Gauge The one thing that I will point out is that a food allergy will manifest itself within a few minutes if not a few hours. One or two weeks for a food allergy to cause symptoms is unlikely. I asked a friend who is a physicians assistant for an allergist just so you know the source. That is so true! As a person who has a lot of food allergies, if I inadvertantly eat something wrong, I will usually start feeling a reaction almost immediately. I will be more than happy to answer any food allergy questions anyone may have. Hope you get to feeling better soon!

Moloch -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 9:19:22 PM)
Oh one more thing In also 22, when I was 18 19 20 around that age when I got a cold/fever I would take some meds and be fine, Now im 22 and this stated around a year ago, If i get a fever with high temperature I get very sick have hard time moving and most of all I get delirious and just generally really messed up to a point where I am eh for the lack of better ford "tripping balls", which is a bad thing because then I cant take care of myself. For me I think It just came with age.

mistoferin -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 9:20:06 PM)
Well I do hope that you are feeling better soon, being sick is no fun at all. I would recommend making a trip to the ER WHILE you are sick. I know it's more costly but at least they will be able to see and evaluate your symptoms while they are occurring. Aside from that, I don't know that if it relates at all or not but, I had Lyme disease that went undiagnosed for many years. Although I was sick all of the time, the symptoms were worse cyclically, worsening in 6 week cycles. Toward the end it became harder to distinguish as I was very ill...but earlier on the cycles were pretty obvious and are apparently somehow related to the life cycle of the spirochete associated with Lyme disease. You may want to specifically ask for some blood work to be done like an ELISA to be checked for autoimmune diseases.

TemptingNviceSub -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 9:27:54 PM)
To the OP..gotta go with Gauge on his advice..he stated exactly what I wanted to say....I do not believe any MD should ignore complaints and symptomology...never take ,"it is in your head:" as an answer..Too many MDs seem to throw that about,usually to women specificially...Whenever one does you seek out 2,3,4,5,6,opinions until an answer is found....I hope your health improves...and yes definitely get another blood test..seems a good starting point.....be well..tempting

TemptingNviceSub -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 9:29:32 PM)
Oh yes I forgot to also say..sometimes it certainly doesnt hurt to do some research on your own as well......tempting...(internet is wonderful for this kind of research)

Evanesce -> RE: So Sick (3/31/2006 10:32:03 PM)
quote: Does anyone have any relevant advice? It's to the point where a hospital visit is seeming viable. I'm really not quite sure what to do when doctors just shrug at me and say the medical equivalent of "Idunno". Don't accept "I don't know." And don't accept their telling you it's all in your head or you're overreacting. If you're running high fevers and having hallucinations, it's not normal, and you're NOT overreacting. Keep seeing doctors until you find one who will actually do his/her job and find out what's wrong with you.

sweetpleaser -> RE: So Sick (4/1/2006 5:44:43 AM)
I agree with Erin on this, I knew someone who had Lyme disease as well that went undiagnosed for a year. She had to have IV antibiotics for months and she still isn't right. Go to a specialist like others have said. Good luck.

Thanatosian -> RE: So Sick (4/1/2006 12:06:05 PM)
Not sure if this will help any, but the first thing that popped into my head when you said you get sick monthly was malaria - kinda oddball but still might want to get checked for it as well

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