Rapid swelling of the whole body, chronic fatigue

[Dooku6]

Dear members.

I am writing on behalf of my wife. In August, within a single month her body mass increased from 58kg do 65kg without any changes in her diet --- her body just kept swelling. A feeling of chronic fatigue appeared (my wife now requires much more sleep and rest). Longer, intensive physical effort soon ends in her being on the verge of fainting.

The swelling appears on the whole body: face, abdomen, arms, legs, feet and hands. After pressing the skin with a finger, a visible slightly darker "dent" remains for a few minutes.

Here are the results of blood and urine tests suggested by our doctor at the beginning of September:

Blood tests:

White blood cells: 8.69 K/µL (norm: 4.00-10.00 K/µL)
Neutrophil: 4.69 K/µL (2.16-6.04 K/µL)
Lymphocyte: 2.78 K/µL (0.60-3.06 K/µL)
Monocyte: 0.35 K/µL (0.00-0.06 K/µL)
Eosinophil: 0.87 K/µL (0.00-0.40 K/µL)
Basophil: 0.00 K/µL (0.00-0.08 K/µL)

Neutrophil%: 54.00% (40.00-70.00%)
Lymphocyte%: 32.00% (20.00-45.00%)
Monocyte%: 4.00% (02.00-08.00%)
Eosinophil%: 10.00% (01.00-04.00%)
Basophil%: 0.00% (0.00-01.00%)

Red blood cells: 4.70 M/µL (4.04-6.13 M/µL)
Haemoglobin: 12.80 g/dL (11.50-14.50 g/dL)
HCT: 39.90% (37.70-53.70 %)
MCV: 84.92 fL (76.00-96.00 fL)
MCH: 27.20 pg (27.00-32.00 pg)
MCHC: 32.10 g/dL (32.00-36.00 g/dL)
RDW-CV (%): 13.70% (11.60-14.80%)

Platelets: 240.00 K/µL (150.00-400.00 K/µL)
MPV: 11.00 fL (7.20-9.20 fL)
PCT: 0.26% (0.01-9.99 %)
PDW: 13.10 10 (GSD)   (0.01-99.99)

Reticulocyte: 0.00% (0.2-2.0%)
ESR: 14mm in 1st hour (Westergren) (0-12)

Creatinine: 0.77 mg/dl (0.6-1.4)

T4: 7.03 ug/dl (4.50-12.00)
hTSH: 2.34 uIU/ml (0.47-5.01)


Urine tests:

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
Quantity: a few ml
Color: straw
Appearance: clear
Sediment: nil
Specific gravity: not done

CHEMICAL EXAMINATION
Reaction: acidic
Albumin: Nil
Sugar: Nil
Phosphate: Nil
Blood: not done
Ketones: not done
Bile salts: not done
Bile pigments: not done
Urobilinogen: not done
Bence-Jones protein: not done

MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION
Epithelial cells: 6-8/HPF
RBC: nil
Pus cells: nil
Cellular casts: nil
Granular casts: nil
Hyaline casts: nil
Calcium oxalate: nil
Triple phosphate: nil
Uric acid: nil
Amorphous phosphate: nil
Urates: nil
Trichomonas vaginalis: nil

The ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen did not show any problems.

At first, the doctor suspected a parasitic infection, and prescrived Mebendazole (100 mg). The treatment did not give any improvement --- in 5 days my wife's weight increased by another 3kg. At the next visit, the doctor prescribed 14 days of combinded Furosemide and Spironolactone. After 2-3 days there was visible improvement. Within 2 weeks, the whole body was back to normal (even the circumference of wrists decreased by 1.5cm/0.6 inch)

Unfortunately, after finishing the two-week treatment resulted in the recurrence of swelling just after 2 days. The doctor prescribed the same medicine for the next 10 days. Again, the treatment helped, but with the results being slightly less visible. After 10 days, my wife's body is starting to swell again and the doctor has no idea what might be wrong.

I want to underline that my wife is not pregnant, she does not take any medicines regularly. She has never been treated with any medicine for a longer period of time. She is 26 years old.

[sonusing]

A related discussion, Hi was started.

[sherry101]

wow, i am so sorry that you two are having to go through this...unfortunately i don't really know much about this kind of thing, but i did want to say that i think you should get a second or even third opinion, because of the seriousness of this, and maybe if you get a second opinion this other Dr. may know something that your current one doesn't.....i wish you well.....and good luck!