Crisis started 4 weeks ago!

BACKGROUND: My wife has never been sick in her life other than colds. She takes no medication whatsoever. She is 60 years old and in excellent health. She works out and is in very good condition.

Slightly more than 4 weeks ago while visiting in Tampa my wife woke up early in the morning with an incredible, piercing headache, nausea and limited vomiting. Her temperature was running between 103-104. She had started feeling bad the evening before but we let it pass.

The pain was so bad we visited a walk-in clinic and they gave her a shot of Imitrex. Less than 2 hours later we called the office and reported she still had the migraine-like headache. Take her to the hospital, they suggested.

We returned to our home on the east coast and drove directly to the emergency room. They gave her a shot of Diladin for the headache, some nausea medication and ran all the typical tests. Nothing.

Her temperature continued for the next 3 days and then went back to normal. Her nausea continued but with little vomiting. She would have very high anxiety attacks, shiver, eyes flickering,etc.

For the next 12 days she/we persisted with tylenol and three visits to the doctor. It could be a virus they said but none of the blood tests came back with anything too high other than slight elevated thyroid. No neck stiffness. By the time of the last visit, she was feeling so bad, shaking, knots in stomach, bouts of anxiety, that we insisted she be hospitalizd. She remained in the hospital for the next five days.... she has had endoscopy, checked by neurologist and an endochronologist and nothing jumped out. Family doctor wanting early on to strongly suggest it was something emotional in her life.... BS! There is nothing. She is a strong woman who owns her own successfu business.

Seven days ago she was discharged with prescription for Xanax (.5 mg taken every 8 hours as needed... Xanax seems to do little and sometimes it seems to aggravate her anxiety. She is actually only taking .5 mg. of Xanax and we have experimented with timing but to no avail.

Her energy level is probably a 3 on a 1-10 scale, and her anxiety that something is seriously wrong is almost persistent, with only a few limited bouts of normalcy. She had an MRI today but no one expects them to find much if anything.

90% of the times she does not feel like eating and I am afraid she will have to go back in the hospital if that continues.

Remember, this is an individual that was in almost perfect health 23 days ago, has never visited a hospital in her life... also, it all clearly in my mind seemed to start with a severe, dibilitating headache. No, she has never suffered from or had migraines.

We have made a new appointment with an internist but the appointment isn't for 4 more days and I am running out of ideas. I could really use some help and suggestions.

John Stewart

[Kevin Pho, MD]

There has been a pretty comprehensive evaluation, with evaluations by a neurologist and endocrinologist.  The head imaging - including an MRI - would rule out many of the neurological causes.

The upper endoscopy is a good test to evaluate many of the upper GI causes - such as GERD, an ulcer, or inflammation of the upper digestive tract.  I would consider further abdominal imaging including an ultrasound and/or CT scan to evaluate the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas.  

More specialized testing, like a 24-hr pH study with esophageal motility or gastric emptying scan, can be considered to look at more uncommon causes like motility disorders or gastroparesis.  

Another neurological and/or GI opinion should be considered if the tests continue to be non-revealing.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[Biskie2]

Did she get an MRI of her brain? Or a spinal tap?

[myproblem]

Have they considered menengitis?

[Iam4OhioState]

I would be very interested to find out how things are going with your wife. I am 30 years old and am having very similar symptoms ,except for the fever, everything else is almost identical. I have seen my doctor twice and been to the ER once with blood tests done twice with nothing found. I have an appointment with a Gastroentologist set up for april 12th. It is very frustrating since this has been going on with me for about 6-8 weeks. Please keep me posted as I will do the same to try and help.

Marc

[jazzman323]

My dad has a strange disease which we or the Specialist has no explantion. He has been suffering nausea and occasional vomitting for 4 months. The funny thing is his symtoms (symptoms) are different to all other gastric symptoms. He has been experiencing nausea (or sometimes vomit) whenever his stomach is empty. i.e. when he feels hungry, he has to eat straight away else his stomach is feeling uncomfortable and starting to feel nausea. If he eats the food on time , he is ok, if not, then he feels nausea and sometimes vomit. But after he vomits with little acids come out then he can eat comfortably but only small amount of liquid food (else he will feel nausea again ).  That means has has to eat every 3 hrs interval even at night to keep his stomach not being empty. This has been going on for 3 months and we have no solutions as to why this happen. He went for upper GI Endoscopy , CT scan of liver, galebladder, kidney and bloodtest and all normal. Is anyone out there has a similar symtoms (symptoms) ? Or can someone be able to diagnose what it is ?

Help?????
Thanks

[Wheever]

Have they tested her for Lyme? This sounds almost classic, minus the rash. (Which really only appears in like 50% of cases.)

Make them test her for Lyme!

Andrew