Desperate for an answer: please read

[ta337 0]

I was banded in December of 2005 and have lost 92-95 pounds. I am currently 31 years old and was married just a few months ago. I'm very happy, but very sick; doctor's are grasping at straws and really do not know what is wrong with me.

I had my first weak spell in May. It was my then-fiancé’s family picnic at a park. We were inside, and I was able to eat a little of the delicious food there. We stepped outside to leave and, all of a sudden, as we were bidding our goodbyes, I felt terribly weak. I barely made it to the car, got nauseous, and vomited a little. My dh's uncle is a doctor, so they were able to wrap up my head in cold compresses and get me feeling better. It was a VERY stressful weekend as my in-laws were at my house, we had a lot of the agenda, and I was so worried about everything being perfect. I attributed it to stress.

Fast forward several months. Just before my wedding in November, like 2 or 3 weeks before, I wake up early in the morning with chills and 103 degree fever. It was a weekend, so we went to the ER. I was non-responsive, and it was hard to rouse me according to my parents. I was very dehydrated which could have been caused by the fever. They ran every sort of test imaginable, and I was admitted overnight when my EKG came back a little abnormal - flipped t waves. I saw a new doctor in my new hometown referred me to a cardiologist. Essentially, whenever I would stand up in the ER, my blood pressure would drop scarily low. Ever since then, I've been monitoring my blood pressure and pulse rate. Rarely is my pulse less than 100/minute. My blood pressure is always lower than average which causes my heart to beat fast so as to provide my body with the necessary blood. Long story short, the cardiologist released me saying that the flipped t waves were probably due to the extreme dehydration caused by the spiked fever. I went on my merry way, relieved.

A week or so later, exactly one week before the wedding, I had 101.5 fever. I went back to this new general practitioner I had seen when I was in the hospital. More tests for the flu and the like. I explained that I was going on a week long cruise but didn't have my passport. As such, if I were to get sick at sea and have to get off the boat, I would be STUCK out there with no way to fly home. His diagnosis? "Fever of unknown origin." 'Script? Take Tylenol and Advil alternatively every 2 hours until the fever breaks. Also, exercise 3 to 5 times a week.

This didn't sit well with me. I was worried about being stranded in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guatemala</st1:place></st1:country-region> or something, so I went to see the GP I've been having since I was a child. He's awesome, but is semi-retired and an hour from where I live now, so I was trying to establish a relationship with someone else. He looked at my blood work and noticed that my white blood count was a little elevated, indicating some sort of infection. Since I was on an antibiotic when I got admitted to the hospital, he treated me for some sort of unknown virus and put me on cortisone. He even gave me a prescription for another round of cortisone so that I could take it on the cruise ship, if necessary. I did.

So here we are in February. After two fevers out of the blue ranging from 100.5 to 101.5, complete with body aches and chills, that prevented me from working, I decided that I needed to get help. We called around. I didn't want to go back to the "fever of unknown origins" doctor for obvious reasons. My GP in my hometown wasn't in the office that day. The internist I had seen years ago couldn't take me and the one here in town wasn't taking new patients. I ended up at the office of another GP. He was puzzled, especially since the fevers spike so high so quickly, and aren't related to other symptoms. The only thing that I have before is typically a little cough (I think it might be due to heartburn) and the fact that my band doesn't let me eat anything the day before. Typically, I can't even keep down milk! The weird thing is that, prior to the fever episode this morning, three days ago I ate 2 fried eggs and an entire chicken fried steak from Shoneys. Being able to eat this much is VERY atypical for me, but I didn't question it thinking I needed the Protein.

This new doctor did another in-office EKG which showed not only flipped t waves, but also something wrong with the st waves. He ordered a nuclear stress test which I did the next week and didn't show anything. When I went in for the results, he did say that my November ultrasound of the heart done when I was hospitalized showed that I had mitral valve prolapse. I was shocked and he didn't have an answer for me when I asked why the GP nor the cardiologist mentioned it. He suggested I get on a beta blocker, Zocor for high cholesterol, and continue taking Zoloft for depression and anxiety. The whole game planned changed when I told him that my dh and I were not preventing pregnancy. All are dangers for unborn children, so he suggested that I not take anything. He attributed my weakness to the mitral valve prolapse. I told him that I could certainly contend with being weak when I got out of the tub and seeing black if I stood up too soon, but I could not deal with the erratic, high fevers that cause me such weakness that I have chills and literally have to contemplate whether or not to urinate on myself in the bed I'm so weak. I don't think it is fair for me, at 31, to have to make that kind of decision, but I digress. He had no idea what was causing the fevers. I asked, since I can not eat the day before one of these strange episodes, if the band could be moving around, stimulating a nerve or just causing irritation internally, thus inducing the fever to come on. He said that he didn't know enough about bands, but suggested I get in touch with my surgeon. I have an appointment with Dr. Lavin on March 5th.

I also called the cardiologist's office. The nurse told me that my report from November said nothing about mitral valve prolapse but she will have the doctor take another look and get back to me. She was also surprised that he attributed weakness to mitral valve prolapse and said she had never heard of such a thing. She also expressed concern that he told me to get off of Zoloft cold turkey as that can have an adverse affect on people. I'm still waiting for him to get back to me.

My question is this... I'm pretty sure that most of these episodes with the exception of the one in May, perhaps, happened after my last fill. Typically, when I'm under the weather, it is a struggle for me to keep food down. This is the case when I menstruate every month. Sometimes I can eat considerably more than others, albeit the entire chicken fried steak was the only time I've ever been able to eat so much. Three days later, however, I couldn't eat a bite of supper without throwing it up, I spit up all night long, and I awoke at 4:30 a.m. with the onset of chills. My fever rose to 101.1. Since my last fill, I have had a touch of heartburn, but the over the counter anti-acid pills do the trick and I suffer from it less than once a month. My fever/weakness episodes are becoming a lot more frequent. I've had 4 in the last month... one on Thursday, one the following Friday, last Saturday, and again this Saturday. I did the follow-up blood work this morning when I was sick in hopes that something would show up.

My question to you is this, does it sound like slippage. My friend who is brilliant and a nurse says that there is a nerve that runs near your stomach that, when stimulated/massaged, causes your blood pressure to drop. There is one in your neck that you can massage to lower your blood pressure; he used to use this technique when he was a paramedic.

Does any of this sound remotely familiar to anyone??? Say a prayer for me in the meantime. I just don't know what more to do or where to turn.

Thanks!

[libra 13]

I'm sorry that you're going through so many health issues. I really can't offer any advice regarding band slippage. You did say that you have difficulty eating when sick or during your TOM....that's really common. I'm pretty much on liquids during those times. Hopefully, your surgeon can give you some answers.

[lindaa 1]

ta: I really think you need to find one internal medicine doctor who has a consulting relationship with a band surgeon and stick with that person. You are getting conflicting advice from different people, and it's hard to know what is or isn't accurate. Your friends are talking about the Vagus nerve, which when stimulated can slow the heart rate. I suppose it's possible that is what may be happening to cause your sudden feelings of weakness, however that in no way explains your fevers. The other thing I would think about if I were you would be to postpone a pregnancy until you get a handle on this. I know that at 31 you may be feeling that the clock is ticking, but your chances of carring a pregnancy to term and having a health baby may be compromised by your own erratic eating and health issues. Pregnancy places a lot of stress on you--including your heart, and it would be best to talk to an OB-GYN before you attempt to get pregnant.

Good luck to you, hon. I hope all goes well.

[ta337 0]

I'm sorry that you're going through so many health issues. I really can't offer any advice regarding band slippage. You did say that you have difficulty eating when sick or during your TOM....that's really common. I'm pretty much on liquids during those times. Hopefully, your surgeon can give you some answers.

I would LOVE to believe that my sickness is not band related. I am so relieved to know that other people have difficulty when they're sick; this means that I can't eat because I'm getting sick, not necessarily that my band moved causing the sickness. Thank you.

[ta337 0]

ta: I really think you need to find one internal medicine doctor who has a consulting relationship with a band surgeon and stick with that person. You are getting conflicting advice from different people, and it's hard to know what is or isn't accurate. Your friends are talking about the Vagus nerve, which when stimulated can slow the heart rate. I suppose it's possible that is what may be happening to cause your sudden feelings of weakness, however that in no way explains your fevers. The other thing I would think about if I were you would be to postpone a pregnancy until you get a handle on this. I know that at 31 you may be feeling that the clock is ticking, but your chances of carring a pregnancy to term and having a health baby may be compromised by your own erratic eating and health issues. Pregnancy places a lot of stress on you--including your heart, and it would be best to talk to an OB-GYN before you attempt to get pregnant.

Good luck to you, hon. I hope all goes well.

I think you are giving great advice. My maternal grandmother just had one child and it took my mom four years to have me, so I don't think I'll get pregnant easily. Having a child is the most important thing in life for me, and I'm not convinced that I have mitral valve prolapse. Only one out of three doctors said that. The fevers are really weird. It's like having the flu for five hours and then being perfectly fine afterwards. I think if I got those under control, then I'll be perfectly fine. I think I can carry a child with blood pressure that's slightly below normal, right?

[cookienay 0]

ta- sorry you are having such a hard time. I agree you need to find a physician who is committed to finding out what is wrong with you. You should not be having fevers for no reason. As for MVP, it is very possible that you may have it and it can cause weakness, though it is usually without symptoms. It seems as if your cardiolgist's nurse may be uninformed. If I can recall my latest statistics, almost 30% of women have MVP and it can be definitively diagnosed with an echocardiogram. A physical exam may or may not reveal a heart murmur. It is also possible to have a benign murmur (a murmur with no structural defects of the heart). Sorry, was this tmi?

My advice to you is find a physician and get him/her involved and advocate for yourself upfront. There is nothing wrong with saying- I wan't answers, however long it takes. Your symptoms are somewhat vague-meaning they could be from any number of possible diagnoses- so it may take a while. Good luck on your journey.

[ta337 0]

definitely not TMI! I know that MVI is quite common and non symptomatic in most people. I'm glad that it can cause weakness; I'm unsure why the cardiologist never mentioned it.

Thus far, most doctors have thrown up their hands as if to say, "I don't know. Deal with it." Since the fevers are becoming more common, I can no longer deal with it. I just wish I wasn't made to feel like a hypochondriac. Perhaps I'm overly senitive. I don't know.

[Jaymie72 0]

I really feel for you!! There is a nerve called the vagal nerve that could be responsible for your weakness and fainting spells. I have some information concerning that nerve under this link:

Vaso-vagal syncope: Treatment

Are you drinking enough Water? Dehydration will definetly make you have those symptoms (not the fevers necessarily). I hope this link helps!!

[luv2smile 1]

My girlfriend was having some issues. Heartburn...etc. She was ill, but she believes it was from the sinus infection and she was on antibiotics...however, her doctor took her fill out (it was too tight) He did a test (Barium swallow?) (xray-etc) Gave her a break for two weeks and then did a fill and she is doing great now....Hope this sheds some light. I trully feel for you.

[ta337 0]

I feel more hopeful now, thanks.

[ta337 0]

I really feel for you!! There is a nerve called the vagal nerve that could be responsible for your weakness and fainting spells. I have some information concerning that nerve under this link:

Vaso-vagal syncope: Treatment

Are you drinking enough Water? Dehydration will definetly make you have those symptoms (not the fevers necessarily). I hope this link helps!!

As suggested by the ER physician, I'm drinking Poweraid like there is no tomorrow. I love Water and used to drink way more of it but, since the band, I've been drinking way more milk. I crave milk like crazy and it gives me a nice full feeling.

Anyway, the website on Vaso-vagal syncope was wonderful. I'm no doctor but I definitely think I may have a touch of it. The fevers cause dehydration surprisingly fast which may trigger this symptomology... thanks. I feel more comfortable bringing it up to the surgeon now that I'm more informed.

THANKS!!!

[Mom24Kidz 0]

I have a question for you TA.

What are your stress levels before/during these weak and fever episodes? My friend had Gastric Bypass a few years ago and she's had problems ever since...anyway they finally told her that it was caused by HIGH STRESS. They told her that when she gets depressed, stressed or worried her Immune System basically shuts down. She finally left her husband and life is good and she is slowly getting better.

Good luck in your search. Hopefully you find that "wonderful" doctor to help you with what you need.

I pray that you find out what is going on so that you can relax and enjoy life again.

[ta337 0]

I have a question for you TA.

What are your stress levels before/during these weak and fever episodes?

Great question. I've actually given this a lot of thought. Yes, I have gotten a fever when I was a little more stressed than usual, but I've also been awakened in the wee hours of the morning when nothing particularly stressful was going on. Likewise, I've been stress and have evaded the mysterious fever. I just don't think it is stress related.

The "old" people used to say that, when you get mouth ulcers or little pimple like things on your tongue or a poison ivy like rash around your mouth, that there is something wrong in your "gut." I have noticed more of the former two things. I did get that weird rash and a friend of mine says that, when she gets it, she takes acidopholous and it goes away. I drank that dan-active smoothing drink with active antioxidants and got good resuts. I think there is some sort of infection internally, personally.

Thank you so much for giving it so much thought. I do get stressed, admittantly, but I have so much support and I'm a happy newlywed... change is stressful, but the fevers aren't linked to high stress times. :confused2:

[Kat817 19]

Are you anywhere near a teaching hospital? Oftentimes you get multiple consults on one dime so to speak. It puts you in touch with multiple Dr.'s with multiple specialties, and of different ages---face it our minds work different angles depending on our age---and young Dr.'s might be more versed on the band issues----where as older Dr.'s might think of other things.

I have an Uncle who is a Dr. And when my cousin was having many health issues (ended up being Celiac Disease)---he recommended she go to a Dr. affiliated with the University which is a teaching hospital. She got great, detailed care, and they quickly located the problem, even though this was years ago, before Celiac was much heard of.

Good Luck!

Kat

[Laura_MD 5]

TA: Several things come to mind from your posts.

1) Watch the sodium level in those power drinks. They can cause additional swelling which you really don't need right now.

2) I would suggest that you go back to your band surgeon for help if he is close by still, or the teaching hospital is a great idea. Even though the bariatric surgeon primarily does bands, he is still a surgeon and they are often the best ones to deal with your innards once you have the band because they know where they placed it and how to work around it if they have to go in.

3) I agree that you must be your own advocate. If you need help, take someone with you. Make a list of questions/statements that you have and make sure your friend has a copy to make sure you ask everything and get answers. They can also help record the answers that you get because sometimes we hear something that catches us off guard or gets our minds churning and we don't hear anything after that.

4) Flat out demand a complete GI series (upper and lower). You need to make sure that there are no ulcers, obstructions, etc. anywhere along the way.

5) Have your physician check your gall bladder, both for stones and for proper function. The heartburn, nausea, fever and resultant dehydration and weakness sounds very similar to what I had when I had stones and my gall bladder was extremely infected. Some people have pain in their back or stomach as well, but I never did. Things like cheese and milk made me really sick though. I still can't eat pizza and that was 15 years ago! Yo-yo weight gain/loss over many years or just weight loss is a major trigger for the creation of gall stones so it would make sense.

Just my ten cents worth for the day. What ever you do, don't give up. Make the docs figure it out! I wish you luck!