very very sick

[stomachworry1050]

For the past five days, I have been experiencing worsening gastrointestinal symptoms. On the first day, I suddenly came down with a 104 degree fever, a headache, stiff muscles in my neck and shoulders, and skin that was painful to the touch leaving me basically unable to walk. On day 2 at the family clinic, my doctor prescribed me an oral anti biotic and gave me an IV drip. That night my fever peaked  at 105. No strange stomach symptoms up to that point. On the morning of day 3, my fever was down but I started having terrible diarrhea, which lasted the entire day and all night. I was in the bathroom every 20 minutes and I was unable to consume even a sip of water without causing another episode within 1 or 2 minutes. Day 4 my fever was still down, but the diarrhea was even worse, and I went back to the doctor for IV fluids. He took me off the oral antibiotics and gave me anti-diarrheal medication (which I had already stopped taking). It is now Day 5, and the diarrhea has NOT stopped. This morning I went back to my doctor, and he gave me more fluids, IV antibiotics, and anti-diarrheal medicines, and a gastrointestinal prokinetic agent, and oral antibiotics. It is now night time, and it has gotten worse. The diarrhea is now bloody, more frequent, and accompanied by sharp cramping that was not there previously. My fever is steady at about 101. I haven't been able to keep anything food or drink in my body since the diarrhea started. Needless to say, its been a totally awesome week.

Is there anything you can tell me to ask my doctors to do? They haven't suggested testing me for anything, and have only given me fluids and told me to rest as much as possible, and that "i will be better tomorrow."  Should I ask them to test me for e-coli? salmonella? Hepatitis? Meningitis? Also I think this is important to mention: I have a RAGING appetite. I am so hungry, I want to eat every picture of food I see on TV, but I can't because i know ingesting anything will send me to the bathroom with painful, bloody diarrhea only minutes later.  Is it normal to have food poisoning or something and still be starving?

[patient915]

I would recommend seeing a doctor, preferably a gastroenterologist, in a large well-known hospital (like a university hospital).

[stomachworry1050]

ER doctors and family doctors only.

[patient915]

Have you seen any doctors besides the doctors in the ER?  Have you been seen at a large well-known hospital?

[stomachworry1050]

no tests of any kind, despite asking for them.

[stomachworry1050]

Thanks for your answer. I'm 27, white, female, no history of serious illness. Is there anything in particular that makes you think viral instead of bacterial? I've been having trouble getting a hospital to admit me, usually they just give me an IV and send me home.

On Day 5 I went back to the hospital at 3 am (ER) and they did the same thing. They asked me if I was confusing my period with the blood in my stool. I said of course not. They said I would have to make an appointment for a stool culture and come back. I told them I felt very thirsty so they gave me another IV.

Day 6 I was sick less often than the previous day. I was also able to eat a piece of toast and drink some water. I still had diarrhea but not the painful, immediate kind like the day before. I was still not able to sleep through the night without waking up and going to the bathroom, but it was not as severe as in previous days. My fever is down. Could I be recovering finally??

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

Your symptoms are most consistent with a severe gastroenteritis. These are more commonly viral and not bacterial. Hospitalization would have been appropriate given the dehydration. Stool cultures would also have been appropriate. When you signed up absolutely no demographic data was given - age, sex, not even the country that you live in. A little more info would help to fine tune the recommendations but, regardless of our comments, someone who is having severe diarrhea and is incapable of holding down liquids should be in the hospital for hydration. This is not nearly as good when done as episodic fluid boluses.

[margypops]

It does sound like a major stomach infection I agree with the others you  will be dehydrating and need real help ..

[doubleaaaron]

first of all, any doctor that didn't admit you in the hospital with that high of a fever is a complete moron. I am not sure of what is wrong but with that high of fever is has to be related to a bad infection somewhere in your body. I wouldn't go to that doctor, I would go to the hospital instead.

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  It sounds like you might need to consider being admitted to the hospital until you can figure this out.  What tests have you had done?