Looking for Answers
Hello -
I am looking for insight and direction for my daughter. She is 26 and is, at this point, scared and beyond frustrated. She has been sick for 9 months. Symptoms are a severe sore throat that comes and goes, some difficulty swallowing, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss without trying, night sweats that come and go. She has been to multiple physicians and different specialties looking at a few different things and has had multiple labs run. No answers and she feels like no one is helping her or digging deeper. She truly believes something is seriously wrong and she is scared.
I suggested that we try Mayo but again, I have no idea on what direction to go at Mayo? Does anyone have any contacts or suggestions? One thought I had was a good ENT that is willing to dig deeper and look beyond or perhaps a physician that specializes in complex cases where there are no answers.
I am a bit scared and frustrated myself and truly trying to figure out what to do next. Thanks for any thoughts or insight.
Best,
Michele
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.
Dr. Moore at Mayo in the ENT area saved my life and functionality discovering a very rare cancer that had similar symptoms. My coaching to you is to get on the phone and make an appointment today. You will not be dissapointed and the will get to the root cause diagnostic. Good luck and do not delay!
Hi Jeff - thank you so much for your response and so quickly. I truly appreciate it and will call to see if I can get her in at Dr. Moore quickly. Thanks and I hope you are doing well.
Best,
Michele
Thank you both for expressing the symptoms your daughter is having and for responding to get to the bottom of this quickly.
I have had a series of similar symptoms, an outbreak of thrush in my mouth and esophagus, night and day sweats for months where my entire hair is soaked, fatigue and weakness, and a 12 lb. weight loss in 4 months. Believe me, I'm not trying to lose weight. I've had a CT scan, endoscopy, cultures of differest kinds and blood tests that have shown nothing, only a UTI. Yet, I awoke at 3:00 am with the thought that I feel as if I'm dying.
Because of your information I am going to now press my physicians to find out what's going on. I see an ENT at St. Jude's for the first visit on August 10. Thank you, Gail B.
Michele, I just saw your post and checking in to see how things are going since your last post on July 26th. Like Jeff my salivary gland cancer was found and expertly treated by the Mayo Head & Neck team of Dr. Kasperbauer, Dr. Moore and Dr. Neff. I am 7 years out from my original surgery and continue to travel to Rochester from Kentucky to receive the Mayo's expert care and most of all their concern. I hear that you and your daughter feel no one is listening to you and that the symptoms are merely minor. I've learned that most doctors aren't real experts in finding the answers to those of us who have issues like your daughters. I wish you all success and know that you can fully trust the physicians at the Mayo.
Gail, I realize you just saw your ENT Thursday but I'm hoping that visit went well and your physicians can address your concerns. I'm not sure where or what type of hospital St. Jude's is - other than the Children's Hospital in Memphis but I'll encourage you to seek out a second or third or forth opinion as needed. Head and Neck issues are often difficult to diagnose and you need an expert opinion you trust before moving on to decide on treatment. I'm a Mayo Head & Neck patient for almost 7 years and a practicing RN for almost 50 years so I have grown to understand both sides of diagnosis and treatment. All the best