Unidentified Disease: Abdominal Swelling, Numbness in Limbs.... HELP!

[ubunta]

To all MedHelp members,

I am desperately in need of finding a treatment/cure for my 50 year old mother. She has been sick for 4 months now due to an unidentified illness. She currently exhibit the following symptoms: Abdominal Swelling, increasing numbess in limbs, nausea, light-headedness, vomiting, and cramps. A few months ago, the vomiting episodes became so severe that my mother was unable to ingest adequate amounts of food for 2 weeks; thus, she was admitted to the hospital. For this reason, my mother has been taking small doses of Amitriptyline and Perphenazine.

My mother always have minor GI problems since young, including minor cramps and constipation. In the hospital however, she was x-rayed and results showed that an enormous amounts of feces are present in GI. Does this explain the numbness though? She is also diagnosed for osteopenia and going through menopause.

Please help! We have visited 3 family doctors, 1 GI, 1 neurologist....all tests show normal. I am tired of people saying it's normal. It's obviously not when a person can't function normally.

[zmombomb]

look up hepatitis!  has she had her liver enzymes checked?  

She may need to do a total bowel cleanout.  That may take care of it!  I highly doubt it, but it's only three days to do a bowel flush, and it may make her feel tremendous relief.  

[RWebster]

if you have a PPO, try and infectious disease specialist or an immunologist... i dunno what is available to you where you live, and how knowledgeable the dr's are on uncommon diseases.  try calling around 1st... just get out the phone book and search the internet for local specialists.  last resort, see a reumotologist.  and if you have a HMO, i'm sure your family dr. will give you a referral, and if they don't, demand one, and don't leave until you get help.  i still think Guillian Barre is quite possibly the cause.

-Becky

[ubunta]

Here are the results of all the tests she had done/scheduled/aborted;
1. ENG - negative
2. EMG- scheduled
3. MRI- Doctor said not needed
4. Audio test - normal
5. X-Ray (GI) - found a lot of feces, otherwise normal
6. CAT scan - normal
7. Comprehensive Blood test - Vitamin D deficiency, otherwise normal
8. Pregency test (at home) - negative

Please help!

[RWebster]

research the Epstein Barr Virus and Guillain Barre syndrome.  the Epstein Barr Virus (mono basically) can lead to Guillian Barre, which can cause nerve damage and eventually paralysis, starting usually in the lower limbs, working it's way up.  i have also heard of the Epstein Barr Virus being present in partially cooked meat (chicken) on an episode of "Mystery Diagnosis" on the Discovery Channel.

-Becky