Jupiter

I am just looking for some answers. I have been to the ER four times over this in less than one month, and I have been admitted three times out of those four. Including the ER, I have spent 18 out of the last 30 days in the hospital (admitted for 13, the rest in the ER). I have some sort of mystery problem, and it's affecting my life. I haven't been able to work, and I work at HOME. That's how bad the pain and exhaustion has been. Anyone who can possibly help, I am dying for suggestions.

I got very sick at the beginning of March. The main symptom was EXCRUCIATING abdominal pain, at the top of my abdomen, directly below my sternum. This pain is unpredictable; sometimes it comes with food, sometimes it's fine with that same food. Sometimes it happens when I'm hungry, other times it doesn't, and sometimes starts in my sleep. The pain gets up to a 9 on a scale from 1-10. I also had lesser pain in the lower right quadrant. It is VERY painful to the touch, in both areas. I had some constipation, diarrhea and a fever of 101 or so. I was having trouble getting in touch with my PCP, so I finally went to the express clinic, and they sent me to the ER thinking I had appendicitis. I was in the ER for two days, with a fever of over 102. They did x-rays, a CT scan, blood, urine and stool tests and samples. They found my appendix was inflamed and I had terminal ileitis. They sent me home with a diagnoses of salmonella, even though I tested negative.

They sent me home with Senekot, Hydrocodone 5/325, Zofran, Avalox (antibiotic for Salmonella), and Dicyclomine (as needed for cramping, but I didn't have cramping pain, so I didn't take it).

Less than two days later, I was in the ER with a fever of 104 and the same abdominal pain and the same various symptoms. They saw me right away, did another CT scan, more x-rays, two different ultrasounds, urine, blood and stool tests and cultures, and then admitted me for eight days. They suspected Epstein Barr syndrome, but that was another false diagnoses. I developed pneumonia while in the hospital, and I don't remember most of that eight days. After the pneumonia cleared, they sent me home with no real answers.

They sent me home with Nexium (no explanation why, I don't have heartburn or acid reflux) and told me to keep taking some of the other scripts, too.

I was diagnosed with Rickettsia Typhi a few days AFTER they discharged me, and actually tested positive. However, it didn't really explain the abdominal pain, which was only getting worse. They switched my antibiotic from Avelox to Doxycycline.

A week after being discharged, I was back at the ER with the same pain, but worse. They admitted me overnight for observation and discharged me with no new answers. They told me to come back to the ER if my appendix-area pain was worse, and it did get worse, almost daily.

They added Lactulose to my scripts.

A week after that, I was back AGAIN with the abdominal pain, it has extended to my right slightly, where the gallbladder would be, plus more pain in the lower right quadrant. They did a third CT scan, two more ultrasounds, more x-rays and admitted me again for two nights. My appendix looked better on the CT, but hurt more. While I was admitted, they began to suspect my gallbladder, even though it appears to be fine on all tests. They did a HIDA scan and another similar test, not sure what it was called. Both of those tests came back normal. They did an endoscopy, and found mild healed gastritis (no where near an explanation for the pain), but no ulcers, etc. They scheduled a laparoscopy surgery to see if they can find anything. They prepared me for two days, and even had me sign the paperwork, then decided against it with no real explanation. They discharged me with NO new answers, and when I left I was crying, in almost as much pain as I was in when I got to the ER four days earlier. I almost went straight back to the ER downstairs, the pain was that bad. They decided to prescribe Bentyl for my gallbladder, even though it tested and looked normal.

This time they sent me home with Zofran, Hydrocodone 10/325, Pantoprazole, and two different Dicyclomine, one for the first week and one for after that.

The pain comes and goes, as always. I am afraid to eat, afraid to be hungry, afraid to sleep, afraid to be awake, it's torture. Could this possibly be a side effect of the Rickettsia Typhi that I should be afraid of? Or is this something else/unrelated? I'm afraid they're missing something important, and I am living in misery. Please help!

I have been advised to take an iron free multivitamin. The only ones I have found are either a) at a health food store, and well over $40 per month, OR b) Centrum Silver for about $9 a month. I'm not rolling in the dough, so Centrum Silver seems to be the answer, but I can't seem to find ANY info online about young adults taking it. Is it safe? I am 34 years old, nowhere near menopause, no kids yet, but planning to have at least one child in the future.

I went camping last weekend. Exactly one week ago, I was stung by three wasps on the arm and leg, and fleas on the feet. THe first day, my wasp stings hurt, and they were swollen. I had forgotten about the flea bites because of the wasp stings. The second day, there wasn't pain, but the skin around the wasp stings was red. After that, I nearly forgot about them. Then suddenly on Wednesday (six days later) ALL of my stings started itching insanely. Several of the flea bites from last week are VERY itchy, and the wasp stings are near unbearable. I try not to scratch, but can't help it in my sleep. The stings on my leg are swollen and red, even without scratching, and the surrounding area is red and swollen out about 2.5" in diameter (the stings on my leg are only about 1" apart). The one on my arm is slightly swollen, but not red like the leg. My ankles are insanely itchy as well, where the flea bites are. Same problem, they didn't bother me for several days, now they are going to drive me insane.

I have never been allergic to stings, and I am baffled why the symptoms went away for five days before appearing double time! And why are ALL of my stings itchy?? Flea and wasp, maybe some fire ants. It was a rough day for stings!!

I know how to treat the itching, my question is really should I be worried? Is this a weird allergic reaction? I can't find any info online.