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Sporatic mobile swelling around eye socket
I have been to Kaiser Permanente several times with no conclusive answers to my symptoms so here is what I consider the main problem, followed by the other seemingly unrelated ailments that I have been experiencing...
For the last 5 months I have experienced sporadic swelling above my left eye. The first incident was located at the outside corner of my eyebrow. The swelling comes on quickly and within 30 minutes, there is a hard fluid lump usually an inch to inch and a half in diameter. After several hours the hard lump begins to disperse and will move down into my eyelids. The day after the flare-up, the point of origin is sore, but the swelling will usually resolve itself after a day.
The swelling was happening approx. every other week and each time occurred in another location. The lumps made a slow progression across my face toward my nose. I had gone about 3-4 weeks with no swelling before the latest incident. The last swelling started 12/23/2007. This swelling began on my left temple midday and spread down my cheekbone by the evening of 12/24/2007. On 12/25/2007, I woke up with a severely swollen eye area – to the point that I could barley open my eye. The cheek area remained slightly swollen. This swelling in my eye socket decreased slightly over the period of four days and was evenly only a minor bump under my eye on the morning of the fifth day. The area around my eye was very painful and when the swelling decreased I was left with a black eye.
Medical History:
I had exercise-induced asthma as a kid but eventually developed the ability to work threw the breathing and when running, I would usually be able to regulate my breathing by the 3rd mile. The asthma returned after a bad flu in February of 2007 and I have severe bronchial pain in cold weather and around smoke, resulting in coughing fits and difficulty taking deep breaths, ever since then.
I have had an ongoing problem with stomach and bowel discomfort, along with abdominal swelling. I fluctuate between constipation and diarrhea and have fowl smelling flatulence after eating specific food such as dairy, eggs and bananas. I experience severe discomfort in association with eating eggs and dairy products but have been repeated refused referral to the allergist to definitely test for allergies to these food items.
After eating foods with soy sauce I have extremely painful swelling in my lower legs. But again, have not been able to determine which specific food ingredient is causing the allergy.
I also experience numbness in my hands and feet in cooler weather. I have been repeated tested negative for diabetes (which runs in my family) and have been told I have good arterial pulses. My fingers and toes turn purple and often white similar to the look of Raynaud’s Disease. My father has the same problem.
08/2005: While hiking across Costa Rica, I developed a skin lesion on my left mid-calf. When first discovered, the lesion was approx. 0.5 in. in diameter. I was given topical medication, with no avail, and the sore continued to grow to 1.75 in. in diameter at it’s widest. The sore was red, raw, and dry with a ring of white flaking skin that would peel away as the sore increased in size. Damp conditions caused accelerate growth. I experienced radiating shooting pains from the affected area up through my thigh and hip. My overall calf appeared to be retaining fluid. I returned to the US and saw a doctor who was unable to diagnose the sore. I was given antibiotics and a topical anti-fungal medication. The sore eventually healed, leaving a scarred dent in my calf. The sore was present for over 2 months before symptoms resolved.
08/2005: I also contracted an intestinal parasite on two occasions while in Costa Rica. I was unable to absorb any foods and for a time had trouble keeping down fluids. I had severe diarrhea and vomiting for one week each time. I was given a prescription antibiotic both times.
02/2007: I had the flu and had a fever above 104 degrees for 4 days and 101 degrees for the next three days. I was unable to keep down fluid until the 5th day and lost over 12 lbs.
06/2007: On a routine pap smear, I tested positive for Chlamydia and had evidence of bacterial vaginosis. I was given Azithromycin and my partner was also given the antibiotic dose. A follow-up test was clear of any STD’s.
07/2007: The ball of my left foot, just below my big toe began to hurt when I walked. After two days of pain, my foot began to swell and I was unable to put pressure on it. I experience shooting pains radiating up from my toe into my hip. I was icing and keeping the leg elevated but the swelling continued and I went to the ER on 7/26/2007. The ER doctor believed that I had gout, although my uric acid levels were low. He administered two doses of medication but I had no relief. The swelling eventually went down and I was able to put light pressure on my foot on 7/31/2007.
11/2007: I had a week of not being able to keep down food, vomiting immediately after ingesting any food. I experienced no other flu like symptoms.
11/20/2007: I experienced severe bleeding after intercourse and had to use a tampon to control the bleeding. After 4-5 hours and changing the tampon once, the bleeding stopped. However, the next day, I began to bleed again while at work. I scheduled an appointment and was seen that evening. The doctor said that in the smear she examined under the microscope she noted a high presence of WBC and said that this indicated infection. She wanted to wait until the test results were back to prescribe an antibiotic. All test results came back negative and I was not contacted again.
For the last 5 months I have experienced sporadic swelling above my left eye. The first incident was located at the outside corner of my eyebrow. The swelling comes on quickly and within 30 minutes, there is a hard fluid lump usually an inch to inch and a half in diameter. After several hours the hard lump begins to disperse and will move down into my eyelids. The day after the flare-up, the point of origin is sore, but the swelling will usually resolve itself after a day.
The swelling was happening approx. every other week and each time occurred in another location. The lumps made a slow progression across my face toward my nose. I had gone about 3-4 weeks with no swelling before the latest incident. The last swelling started 12/23/2007. This swelling began on my left temple midday and spread down my cheekbone by the evening of 12/24/2007. On 12/25/2007, I woke up with a severely swollen eye area – to the point that I could barley open my eye. The cheek area remained slightly swollen. This swelling in my eye socket decreased slightly over the period of four days and was evenly only a minor bump under my eye on the morning of the fifth day. The area around my eye was very painful and when the swelling decreased I was left with a black eye.
Medical History:
I had exercise-induced asthma as a kid but eventually developed the ability to work threw the breathing and when running, I would usually be able to regulate my breathing by the 3rd mile. The asthma returned after a bad flu in February of 2007 and I have severe bronchial pain in cold weather and around smoke, resulting in coughing fits and difficulty taking deep breaths, ever since then.
I have had an ongoing problem with stomach and bowel discomfort, along with abdominal swelling. I fluctuate between constipation and diarrhea and have fowl smelling flatulence after eating specific food such as dairy, eggs and bananas. I experience severe discomfort in association with eating eggs and dairy products but have been repeated refused referral to the allergist to definitely test for allergies to these food items.
After eating foods with soy sauce I have extremely painful swelling in my lower legs. But again, have not been able to determine which specific food ingredient is causing the allergy.
I also experience numbness in my hands and feet in cooler weather. I have been repeated tested negative for diabetes (which runs in my family) and have been told I have good arterial pulses. My fingers and toes turn purple and often white similar to the look of Raynaud’s Disease. My father has the same problem.
08/2005: While hiking across Costa Rica, I developed a skin lesion on my left mid-calf. When first discovered, the lesion was approx. 0.5 in. in diameter. I was given topical medication, with no avail, and the sore continued to grow to 1.75 in. in diameter at it’s widest. The sore was red, raw, and dry with a ring of white flaking skin that would peel away as the sore increased in size. Damp conditions caused accelerate growth. I experienced radiating shooting pains from the affected area up through my thigh and hip. My overall calf appeared to be retaining fluid. I returned to the US and saw a doctor who was unable to diagnose the sore. I was given antibiotics and a topical anti-fungal medication. The sore eventually healed, leaving a scarred dent in my calf. The sore was present for over 2 months before symptoms resolved.
08/2005: I also contracted an intestinal parasite on two occasions while in Costa Rica. I was unable to absorb any foods and for a time had trouble keeping down fluids. I had severe diarrhea and vomiting for one week each time. I was given a prescription antibiotic both times.
02/2007: I had the flu and had a fever above 104 degrees for 4 days and 101 degrees for the next three days. I was unable to keep down fluid until the 5th day and lost over 12 lbs.
06/2007: On a routine pap smear, I tested positive for Chlamydia and had evidence of bacterial vaginosis. I was given Azithromycin and my partner was also given the antibiotic dose. A follow-up test was clear of any STD’s.
07/2007: The ball of my left foot, just below my big toe began to hurt when I walked. After two days of pain, my foot began to swell and I was unable to put pressure on it. I experience shooting pains radiating up from my toe into my hip. I was icing and keeping the leg elevated but the swelling continued and I went to the ER on 7/26/2007. The ER doctor believed that I had gout, although my uric acid levels were low. He administered two doses of medication but I had no relief. The swelling eventually went down and I was able to put light pressure on my foot on 7/31/2007.
11/2007: I had a week of not being able to keep down food, vomiting immediately after ingesting any food. I experienced no other flu like symptoms.
11/20/2007: I experienced severe bleeding after intercourse and had to use a tampon to control the bleeding. After 4-5 hours and changing the tampon once, the bleeding stopped. However, the next day, I began to bleed again while at work. I scheduled an appointment and was seen that evening. The doctor said that in the smear she examined under the microscope she noted a high presence of WBC and said that this indicated infection. She wanted to wait until the test results were back to prescribe an antibiotic. All test results came back negative and I was not contacted again.
Sounds like it could be a chalazion...
http://www.****.***
Hope this helps
Jonny
http://www.****.***
Hope this helps
Jonny
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You should consider a second opinion. Perhaps Kaiser will get one for you. Perhaps you will have to pay for it on your own. Try a University Medical School Dept of Ophthalmology and an Oculoplastic surgeon or neuro-ophthalmologist.
JCH III MD
JCH III MD
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