Sick now for over three weeks and still going...

[dragonfairy]

Haven't posted in the group in months as we thought we were doing better and handling ourselves ok. Ha that was a complete joke to say the least who are we kidding. Now in the last three weeks we have come down sick and can't hold anything in and are falling fast. As we turn to those around us for support that we THOUGHT were our friends were are realizing more and more that we really are alone when it comes to singltons as they don't understand us at all. And even as for our family whom we know love us they to have a hard time understand us or even being able to tolerate us on our worst days. This was the one place that always made us feel at home and able to come and talk and not feel like some freak of nature. About three weeks ago we started just not feeling well overall. Body aches, migraines, feeling tired, not sleeping well but all this has happened before and we thought nothing of it. Then we started to vomit and then lets just say it nicely it wont' stay in either end. This has been now going on for three weeks straight. We have been hospitalized once which for us is terrifying in itself as we hate feeling trapped or having strangers surrounding us at all times and in control of our every move. On top of having to leave our home, dog and our security of knowing what to expect daily. And we have lost 15lbs in this time period of which for a regular person would not be to bad but for us we are diabetic so it is not a good thing! We can honestly say that we are starting to become scared to death and just hoping that at some point they will find out what is going on and make this all stop. We are so tired of feeling so sick and scared daily from the not knowing and the physical pain is so much on top of the chronic pain we already suffer daily. Just glad to be back in the group where we know we belong as at least here we don't feel judged and we know we can talk freely amongst friends. Thanks for listening for what it is worth as we know you can't do anything to fix us.

The collective

[tweeter]

I thought twice before answering because you've been to hosp., and considering a current public health problem, it's logical that you would have been tested. However, my experience of carelessness so common in the medical industry leads me not to take anything for granted anymore.
Did or do you eat packaged salads? Contamination has been found in some of these products, resulting in current outbreaks of cyclospora infection. I might be something else along these lines.

Here's a link to the FDA page:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm361637.htm#Cyclospora

Also a link to the Centers for Disease Control page re this current problem:
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/investigation-2013.html

I would advise you to find out all tests you had done, and specifically any for food-borne problems. A printout of the results would be nice. Insist on it.

I hope you feel better very soon.
tweeter

[Cammy]

DF: OMG girl- so sorry you are SO unwell right now. Hope you are able to follow Tweeter's suggestions and get to the bottom of all this. Please, even though you are afraid of hospitals, please go in if you are getting too sick to help yourself anymore or so dehydrated that you are incapacitated or fainting. Worse comes to worse, the hospital can get nutrition into you via venous feeding and other methods. Something very odd is happening - you sure sound like you've been exposed to a pathogen (as Tweeter suggests), or one of your meds is not agreeing with you at all. Keep digging. Keep going to the hospital MAKE them find out what is going on. Igraine.

[nats]

hi dragonfairy,
so sorry you're going through this. most pathogens are self-limiting but this seems to have gone on a long time. hospitals are rarely any fun but agreeing that this probably requires more professional investigation.

take care of yourselves (and keep well-hydrated)!

[tweeter]

(08-01-2013, 04:44 PM)nats Wrote: hi dragonfairy,
so sorry you're going through this. most pathogens are self-limiting but this seems to have gone on a long time. hospitals are rarely any fun but agreeing that this probably requires more professional investigation.

take care of yourselves (and keep well-hydrated)!

Greetings nats,
This one can be a little sneaky in its presentation. The FAQs page is really good. I wasn't particularly well-informed.
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/gen_info/faqs.html
tweeter

[Reilly]

Sorry you are feeling poorly Dragonfairy!
Hope they find an answer soon and can help to put an end to your suffering.
You are among friends here that care.
Feel better soon.

[dragonfairy]

(08-01-2013, 08:59 AM)tweeter Wrote: I thought twice before answering because you've been to hosp., and considering a current public health problem, it's logical that you would have been tested. However, my experience of carelessness so common in the medical industry leads me not to take anything for granted anymore.
Did or do you eat packaged salads? Contamination has been found in some of these products, resulting in current outbreaks of cyclospora infection. I might be something else along these lines.

Here's a link to the FDA page:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm361637.htm#Cyclospora

Also a link to the Centers for Disease Control page re this current problem:
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/investigation-2013.html

I would advise you to find out all tests you had done, and specifically any for food-borne problems. A printout of the results would be nice. Insist on it.

I hope you feel better very soon.
tweeter

Our mom has also thought of this one and as our patient advocate called our doctor and recommended that they run the special test needed to test for this poisoning since we are vegetarian. So I am thankful to see she is not the only one thinking along these lines. Thank you so much for helping to think outside the box as with being so sick we are barely able to think at all let alone wisely!

[nats]

thanks tweeter, how are you doing?

at least if it's cyclospora then it should resolve on its own by 4wks or so. diarrhoeal diseases are no fun at all, but the biggest danger is usually dehydration and undernutrition b/c everything comes back out too quickly. even in tropical areas, danger is mainly for young (under 5yr old) children) and normally healthy adults should experience no lasting damage, with or without the antibiotic, once it's cleared the system.

[tweeter]

(08-01-2013, 09:44 PM)dragonfairy Wrote:

(08-01-2013, 08:59 AM)tweeter Wrote: I thought twice before answering because you've been to hosp., and considering a current public health problem, it's logical that you would have been tested. However, my experience of carelessness so common in the medical industry leads me not to take anything for granted anymore.
Did or do you eat packaged salads? Contamination has been found in some of these products, resulting in current outbreaks of cyclospora infection. I might be something else along these lines.

Here's a link to the FDA page:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm361637.htm#Cyclospora

Also a link to the Centers for Disease Control page re this current problem:
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/investigation-2013.html

I would advise you to find out all tests you had done, and specifically any for food-borne problems. A printout of the results would be nice. Insist on it.

I hope you feel better very soon.
tweeter

Our mom has also thought of this one and as our patient advocate called our doctor and recommended that they run the special test needed to test for this poisoning since we are vegetarian. So I am thankful to see she is not the only one thinking along these lines. Thank you so much for helping to think outside the box as with being so sick we are barely able to think at all let alone wisely!

My pleasure to be part of your out-of-the-box cheering section. I know how precious that sort of support is, and the relief it provides.
tweets

[tweeter]

(08-02-2013, 04:11 AM)nats Wrote: thanks tweeter, how are you doing?

at least if it's cyclospora then it should resolve on its own by 4wks or so. diarrhoeal diseases are no fun at all, but the biggest danger is usually dehydration and undernutrition b/c everything comes back out too quickly. even in tropical areas, danger is mainly for young (under 5yr old) children) and normally healthy adults should experience no lasting damage, with or without the antibiotic, once it's cleared the system.

Hi nats, always good to see you around.
Healthwise, it's like a bottomless pit, especially since April.
Sp., after having lost my sp. center as there are no leaders I wish to follow, etc., I re-established my emotional center (which I had also lost in childhood, and again in adulthood in more ways I want to say). Then I thought of images I had taken and made my own from NM. Whatever, NM made it possible for me to be at peace in sp. Trainman had made it possible for me to go back to my emotional center (not to what was imposed on me). I wish he would come back, but his love or lack of it does not define me.
I have profound appreciation for what I've accomplished. and how that has made me feel. I still make mistakes, though not as many, and I wouldn't let someone take my life away from me as I have too many times in the past. Health, well, that is like a done deal.
It ain't over till it's over.
thanks for asking, and best to you,
tweeter

[nats]

hi tweeter, we've been really happy to hear about the positive emotional and spiritual steps you've been taking - granted recognising it hasn't been easy or painfree. it's an important journey and one we admire.

[dragonfairy]

(08-02-2013, 04:56 PM)tweeter Wrote:

(08-02-2013, 04:11 AM)nats Wrote: thanks tweeter, how are you doing?

at least if it's cyclospora then it should resolve on its own by 4wks or so. diarrhoeal diseases are no fun at all, but the biggest danger is usually dehydration and undernutrition b/c everything comes back out too quickly. even in tropical areas, danger is mainly for young (under 5yr old) children) and normally healthy adults should experience no lasting damage, with or without the antibiotic, once it's cleared the system.

Hi nats, always good to see you around.
Healthwise, it's like a bottomless pit, especially since April.
Sp., after having lost my sp. center as there are no leaders I wish to follow, etc., I re-established my emotional center (which I had also lost in childhood, and again in adulthood in more ways I want to say). Then I thought of images I had taken and made my own from NM. Whatever, NM made it possible for me to be at peace in sp. Trainman had made it possible for me to go back to my emotional center (not to what was imposed on me). I wish he would come back, but his love or lack of it does not define me.
I have profound appreciation for what I've accomplished. and how that has made me feel. I still make mistakes, though not as many, and I wouldn't let someone take my life away from me as I have too many times in the past. Health, well, that is like a done deal.
It ain't over till it's over.
thanks for asking, and best to you,
tweeter

I agree for most healthy adults this sort of thing would not be an issue to be as concerned about but we are not the every day healthy adult. We have tons and tons of health issue including diabetes amongst many others so when our system is physically out of wack like this for extended periods of time it always causes our body to have many complications thus the hospital stay and all the worry. Have to say yesterday was the first day we have felt the least bit better in weeks. Not trying to jinx it by saying that but we are hoping that is a good sign and that maybe just maybe we are going to start turning around! Thanks for all the positive feedback and support as it truly helps. Especially when you feel so far down both emotionally and physically at the same time.

[nats]

great to hear you may be feeling a tiny bit better!

[tweeter]

Hi dragonfairy,
Sending get well wishes, and some cheer your way,
tweeter