Connect
Autoimmune mystery
In mid September, my wife went to the doctor about a sore throat. Not so unusual,since she us a high school teacher and is exposed to a variety of things throughout the year. She was also running a low grade fever, usually in the afternoons, but wasn’t at the time of her visit to the doctor. She was given a short course of antibiotics. While she was there she was persuaded to take a flu and Prevnar 13 shot (she is 65). By the time she got home, a rash developed at the injection site. By the next day, her back was covered with a rash two feet wide by three feet long. It looked like a poison ivy reaction. She continued to work but got weaker by the day. She did not want to go back to the doctor. At the end of September, I took her to the ER because of her deteriorating condition and she was experiencing periodic double vision. They did a pretty full work up on her (including a head and neck cT scan, one with iodine and one without, and xrays). She has mild bronchiectasis and the doctor - focusing on her low grade temperature and white blood cell count concluded she had a mild case of pneumonia. Two powerful antibiotics were prescribed and she was sent home. My wife has never taken much medication, and after three days the antibiotics had pretty much destroyed her stomach. On day four she stopped taking them. She had Abdominal pain and nausea. Her appetite began to fade. The rash was still present a month after it first appeared. Back to the doctor. We were referred to a neurologist, a pulmonologist, a rheumatologist and she underwent extensive testing, including for west Nile, HIV, valley fever, lupus, Sjögren’s, RA, and myasthenia gravis. She tested positive for RA but showed no symptoms of it. Negative on everything else. She continued to decline. I took her back to the ER and they admitted her to the hospital. Her kidneys were beginning to fail. In the hospital, the tests Continued. She could not (and still cannot) tolerate solid food because of the intense nausea. At the hospital she was given three different anti nausea medications through iv. She was even throwing up water. After four days, kidney function improved and the nausea was alleviated by medication. She was sent home. That was three weeks ago. Since then, she has remained very weak and has nausea almost all the time. She ingests only Boost/Ensure and water and occasionally a few tablespoons of cream of wheat. Since this started, she has lost 12 lbs, and is to all intents an invalid. The weight loss has stopped. The rash is gone. Every other day she consumes about 800 -1400 calories. The rest of the time we are lucky if she takes in 300-400. At times, she has muscle pain in her jaws. She can walk only 10 feet unassisted. We are trying major league probiotics, CBC oil and drops, vitamins, and electrolyte supplements. In short, after innumerable visits to the doctor, numerous phone consultations, 74 vials of blood drawn for testing, CT/MRI/X-ray, four days in the hospital, we are no closer to an solution or explanation than we were when we started. The nausea renders her incapable of sleeping more than three hours at a time. She drinks copious amounts of water (dry mouth). Her temperature spikes every afternoon between 6 and 7 pm at 100.5-101.8. Tomorrow we have more blood tests to monitor kidney function, to test for infectious disease, and to do a CT scan of her stomach and abdomen. Needless to say, her career as an AP teacher and Academic Decathlon coach are over. At this point, the best diagnosis we have is a general severe autoimmune disorder. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Our HMO doctors seem to have no definitive answers.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.
Connect
My second Shingrix vaccination triggered Giant Cell Ateritis, a rare autoimmune disease. It is an inflammation of the temporal artery and is considered serious unless it is treated with prednisone. This is my story and it is probably quite different from your own. Initially, doctor thought it was Polymyalgia Rheumatica,also autoimmune. They are both treated by a Rheumatologist. If you research both, maybe the symptoms could rule these out diseases. Good luck.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsThank you for your reply. Been to so many doctors and they can't find anything. We each know our bodies and this is ridiculous! Will continue to try and find out until I exhaust all alternatives. Appreciate your input. Haven't been to a Rheumatologist but do have arthritis in neck, spine, and other joints.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsSame here american, I have hmo medical group, went to hematology, rehmotolgy and they don't know what's wrong with me and why my white blood is low.
I went to UCLA rehm in burbank and was told it would be $100, spent 5mn with the doctor and now I get a bill for $576.0. I think they're forcing us to buy supplement insurance. I'm in Los Angeles and the hmo would not refer me to USC or UCLA or Cedar Sinai.
I started to have swelling and redness on the side of my leg above the foot and it's getting larger. The bottom of my foot and going higher large red batches. Hematologist referred me to Dr. Church at Children Hospital, he see adults too for Allergy and Immunology.
He wouldn't give appt until he reviews my records. I've been in this mess for three years now and don't know what to do. Please tell me how to maneuver the hmo system
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactionswhere do you find one and are they approved by HMO?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionUpdate on the burning situation that started this mess. Still say Shingrix is the culprit but will see after some more tests. Burning FINALLY stopped. Weird. Lasted from November after my 2nd dose of the Shingrix and finally stopped in February. Now to me that is weird! Also the off balance of my legs and weakness is not as bad. So, does anyone know if it is Shingrix how long do symptoms last? If it isn't Shingrix then the EMG should tell me what it is and the Double Vision am nervouse about the appointment tomorrow to see what the specialist has to say!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@dablues My 2nd shot gave me a sore arm for about a month but thats all wishing you well tomorrow
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThank you! Very nervous about the results!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsUpdate, please!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThey eye doctor said I need prism glasses, cataracts are ready, and he is testing me for Myasthenia Gravis, He's worried about my loss of balance which is much better. Still I think the EMG test will be the tell all. I told him I thought The Shingrix Vaccine started all my symptoms but of course I can be wrong. Just weird 4 months of burning that magically went away, loss of balance which was severe for 4 months getting better. Yet, the last test should be the tell all I hope.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 Reactions@dablues I’m glad to hear that you’re getting better and the burning and balance issues are going away. Be sure to tell us what the results of the last test are!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions