View Full Version : Help, our Doctors don't know what is wrong!
daydreamer01
Apr 12, 2010, 11:17 AM
My husband became very ill in January of this year. A GI doctor and an Internist are lost and cannot figure out what is going on.
He was hospitalized for one week with severe bloody diarrhea, vomiting, dizzyness. He also felt full without eating and gets very bad pains in his abdomen. His stomach gets extended and he has bouts of horrible "rotten egg" smelling burps and gas. He becomes nasseated and has spells of dry heaves that come out of nowhere. His abdomen is painfull to the touch during these spells, and he can't eat because it makes him feel worse.
Not sure if this could be related but he sweats a lot (mainly at night or when not feeling well) and it smells of amonia.
While in the hospital they did X-rays, CT's, MRI's, blood work of every kind (including cultures) and an colonoscopy. They found very little, though he was still very ill. By the end of the week his diarrhea had cleared up and his symptoms had calmed down, so they released him from the hospital.
His symptoms continued to flare up over and over ever couple of days. They did another CT, and upper GI and an endoscopy and found that he has two ulcers in the duadium and some inflammation in the stomach (this was found a week after being released from the hospital). "I thought I was going to have to take him back to the ER on Saturday, because he was so bad." But it calmed down by Sunday afternoon.
They were monitoring his heart enzymes because they were high, but they think that is because he is a big bodybuilder and his body was under severe stress due to the illness. His liver enymes have been up, but everything else is rpetty normal. He has a nodule on his kidney that they are now monitoring and a fatty liver. Every thing else is pretty normal according to the doctors!
He never feels 100%, but it is tolerable at times and then flares up again. The doctors still do not know what the problem is. He will be doing another CT this week and an MRCP. He is getting tired of tests and we are running out of ideas. If you have any information that can help, please let me know. Thank you
daydreamer01
Apr 12, 2010, 11:22 AM
Please help!
justcurious55
Apr 12, 2010, 11:28 AM
Daydreamer, this site is run by volunteers. We do have some very knowledgeable members, but there's no guarantee any of them will have any suggestions and even if they do, it may be a while until any of them are on. Please be patient.
bloodyhalo94
Apr 12, 2010, 11:46 AM
I don't know what's wrong with him but all I can really do is tell you to contact someone. On the discovery health channel there is a show cqlled mystery diagnosis. It's about people that had health issues and the doctors couldn't fix it. At the end they are treated by intelligent dedicated doctors. Try talking/seeing a gastroenterologist first and if they can't fix it. Maybe(I'm not sure how to do it but I'll look in to it.) get in touch with a gastroenterologist that helped someone else...
I'm going to try to look these things up so if you do figure it out try to post it on here...
Gemini54
Apr 14, 2010, 11:48 PM
I'm thinking diet here as well.
If he's been a bodybuilder then he has probably focused on eating a lot of protein. Change the diet - lots of fresh water, fresh green leafy vegetables, lean meats. No alcohol, sugar, dairy food, fried foods or bread.
Try it for a week and see what happens.
KISS
Apr 15, 2010, 12:02 AM
We had a similar case on this forum somtime ago. I forgot what the outcome was. Don't know if I can find the thread.
I need you to think if he has been out of the country or in an area infested with mosquitoes or near sewer lines.
I want to put Malaria on the top of the list for now: Malaria Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment on MedicineNet.com (http://www.medicinenet.com/malaria/article.htm)
Get an infectious dieseise specaailist to see him. From what you said, it could be serious. I hear your concern.
Suggested areas to look: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14.html?WT.z_section=InfectiousDiseases
William1472
Apr 15, 2010, 12:29 AM
Have him checked for hernias; several of his symptoms fall under that category.
daydreamer01
Apr 23, 2010, 01:21 PM
Thank you all for the advice.
As far as his diet goes - he eats very healthy. Always has! He eats a lot of vegatabeles, no fried food, dressings etc. He also drink water constantly.
We have visited Mexico, but that is the only place that we have gone to. Rocky Point!
He has a hyatal hernia (spelling is wrong), but they say that it is not bad enough to cause the problems.
No his head hurts a lot and he feels like when they give him IV contrast during a CT scan and it feels hot in your veins.
It keeps coming and going, but doesn't ever really go away. I am studying a lot of information right now and consulting another doctor. Pray we find something soon.
justcurious55
Apr 23, 2010, 01:35 PM
It could still be something in his diet. All if takes is getting too much or too little of one thing to make you sick sometimes. I met a man the other day that ate really healthy. Then he took it too far. He had been avoiding sodium but his diet got so low in sodium that his dr told him he needed to start putting salt in his food again because his body needed it.
KISS
Apr 23, 2010, 01:49 PM
I Mexico may be a key. Check for diseases on this list common to Mexico: diseases C. Amer and Mexico (http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Disease/diseases_CAmer.html)
Malaria, Typhoid Fever, Yellow Fever, Dengue fever, Cholera
Here are symptoms of Malaria:
http://www.medicinenet.com/malaria/article.htm
You can check the other's there too.
How long after visiting Mexico did the symptoms appear?
I still vote for an infectious disease specialist.
unluckynut
May 14, 2010, 12:22 AM
If he has a fatty live it could be the start of cirrhosis, I hope not, you don't have to be a drinker to get it. If they don't find anything the may want to do a liver biopsy. That can make you smell really bad. And blood in your stool can really hurt your belly. I hope I'm wrong. I wish you the best! Keep us filled in please.
KBC
May 14, 2010, 03:29 AM
Arsenic poisoning,heavy metals in his system,You mentioned he was/is a body builder.. has he taken any injections for enhancements?(I am just throwing ideas out here,I haven't a clue as to his symptoms)
If your local doctors can't come up with a solution,why haven't they 1)Referred you to a different set of specialists yet? And 2)Why haven't YOU gone to other specialists?
When the locals here don't have the solution, we head to Mayo Clinic, yes,you have to stay out of town,yes,you need to be able to stay out of town($$$),BUT... they are the TOP doctors and medical facility in the country, and with any insurance, they don't cost YOU any more than your locals.
daydreamer01
May 18, 2010, 11:27 AM
In January 2010 my husband became very ill with what we thought was a stomach virus. He had vomiting, diarrhea, cramping in his abdomen, felt full when he tried to eat, dizzy, foul smelling (sulfer) gas, flushing and swetting. He recovered 3 days later.
Then a week later it hit again, only this time it was much worse and he could barely move, and had bloody diarrhea. I took him to the ER where he was admitted to the hospital for one week.
During his stay in the hospital they ran CT, US, MRI of head, Blood cultures, stool cultures, and a colonoscopy. Ever thing checked out clear, outside of some minor inflammation in his pancreas.
One week later the symptoms persisted and they did an endoscopy in his stomach. There they found two small ulcers, and light inflammation. He was treated for hpylori and sent home.
Since then he has had reaccuring symptoms of nassea, frequent bowel movements, flushing, dizzy spells, pressure and distension in the abdomen, pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen, and now trouble breathing at times do to pressure and serious fatigue. He gets sick any time he exerts himself too much and begins dry heaving and dizzyness.
They did another endoscopy and took biopsies of the stomach and uper part of small intestines (1 foot in to the small intest). All were clear! They also did a smallbowel barrium follow through and it showed minor slowing, but nothing else. Since then he has had good days and bad days. But the tenderness and pain always remains in the lower abdomen. He can't eat much and has no appetite and no desire of any foods. His blood work has shown some abnormal findings, but we are still looking.
Some ideas would be great.
He is now working with a GI dcotor and a hemotologist/oncologist due to some abnormal findings in his blood. His test results are as follows.
Blood Work
BUN - Slightly High at 22
Creatinine - Slightly High at 1.6
EGFR - 59
ALK Phos - Low
Anion Gap - Low
AST - High 111
ALT - High 288
Protime - High 11.4
Chromogranin A - High 70 - Carcinoid Testing
Seratonin - Normal High 211
URINE
5 HIAA - Normal
Creat - High 3334
Now he has a mass protruding on the right side of his belly button. Will ask the doctor about that today!
Any ideas would be great! Thank you
thisisit
May 18, 2010, 11:58 AM
Possibly Crohn's disease. Hope you get some answers soon!
thisisit
May 18, 2010, 12:35 PM
I can't figure out why your posts about your health and your husband's health have been merged into one post. Very confusing.
thisisit
May 18, 2010, 12:38 PM
My answer was not about your question "What would cause WBC and RBC to be low?" My answer was to the more recent question titled "Running out of hope! Any ideas???"
J_9
May 18, 2010, 12:48 PM
Daydreamer, please understand that we are not doctors here. We are only ordinary people who volunteer our time to help others. We can only give you guesses based on experience and sometimes a bit of education.
It is in yours and your husbands best interests to see specialists to get the diagnosis and treatment you need.
daydreamer01
May 18, 2010, 12:52 PM
I am aware and I am just looking for ideas.
We are currently seeing specialists and everyone is trying to figure this one out!
But any fresh perspectives is helpful!
Curlyben
May 18, 2010, 01:50 PM
Sorry about that Fat Fingers.
Should be correct now.