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Suggest Treatment For Flu Like Symptoms, Tiredness And Painful Patches On Body
Question: I have been sick with flu-like symptoms since October of last year. I feel like I have the flu and it just won't end. I'm tired all the time, cold all the time. off and on my tongue turns white my stomach issues won't clear up. I get patches of skin as large as 10 sq in that are painful to touch like a typical viral infection.
Background: I was working very hard on a project and living out of a hotel. I ended up in the ER with a peptic duodenal ulcer and a terrible pain in my lower left quad. I also had a very bad case of dandruff that all seemed to start at the same time. At the time I was admitted, my blood sugar was very high 350 and my liver function was also high. Given metfromin, omeprazole and did a round of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole because the theory was it was probably diverticulitis (but was not). Ultimately, I improved but I still feel sick.
Since then: I have had a CT scan (normal) Scoped both top and bottom (normal). Found small amount of blood in urine so did a urogram and got scoped there too. Minor swelling of prostate likely cause, but otherwise all that checks out. As of XXXXXXX 1, my liver numbers are normal. I've stopped taking blood sugar meds completely A1C is 5.9 but my morning (fasting) blood sugar will be 90 and the next day with same diet over 150. Just completely exhausted all the time. Ulcer seems to have subsided but my small intestine is "sensitive". Carbs really make it worse. Have also had a lot of blood work except nobody has done endocrine study yet. All blood work is normal and WBC is only ever so slightly elevated.
Last Wed: I finally felt well enough to go on a one-day marketing trip where I was running all over XXXXXXX for the day. Then, I spent three days in bed, stomach is worse, tongue turned white again, side started hurting again. Left side has a patch that is just painful to even touch and I hurt all over and I'm freezing.
I am seeing a GP and GI specialist. I feel like the two of them don't want to get in each other's way but neither is getting the larger picture. I'm only working 5-6 hours a day and napping 2 hours a day, can't sleep at night. Going nuts and loosing my business because I can't get anything done. Both these guys tell me to wait it out, I'm getting better but they don't understand how BAD I really feel. I'm getting desperate for a solution.
Background: I was working very hard on a project and living out of a hotel. I ended up in the ER with a peptic duodenal ulcer and a terrible pain in my lower left quad. I also had a very bad case of dandruff that all seemed to start at the same time. At the time I was admitted, my blood sugar was very high 350 and my liver function was also high. Given metfromin, omeprazole and did a round of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole because the theory was it was probably diverticulitis (but was not). Ultimately, I improved but I still feel sick.
Since then: I have had a CT scan (normal) Scoped both top and bottom (normal). Found small amount of blood in urine so did a urogram and got scoped there too. Minor swelling of prostate likely cause, but otherwise all that checks out. As of XXXXXXX 1, my liver numbers are normal. I've stopped taking blood sugar meds completely A1C is 5.9 but my morning (fasting) blood sugar will be 90 and the next day with same diet over 150. Just completely exhausted all the time. Ulcer seems to have subsided but my small intestine is "sensitive". Carbs really make it worse. Have also had a lot of blood work except nobody has done endocrine study yet. All blood work is normal and WBC is only ever so slightly elevated.
Last Wed: I finally felt well enough to go on a one-day marketing trip where I was running all over XXXXXXX for the day. Then, I spent three days in bed, stomach is worse, tongue turned white again, side started hurting again. Left side has a patch that is just painful to even touch and I hurt all over and I'm freezing.
I am seeing a GP and GI specialist. I feel like the two of them don't want to get in each other's way but neither is getting the larger picture. I'm only working 5-6 hours a day and napping 2 hours a day, can't sleep at night. Going nuts and loosing my business because I can't get anything done. Both these guys tell me to wait it out, I'm getting better but they don't understand how BAD I really feel. I'm getting desperate for a solution.
Brief Answer:
I have made a few observations; celiac disease sounds most likely
Detailed Answer:
Hello sir and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and all the details mentioned by you and should let you know that I am here to help. Here are my views on each of the observations made from your query sir:
+Exhaustion and lethargy and feeling cold in my opinion is related to the intestinal problem you have. Let me explain:-
In conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, (IBS) diverticulosis, celiac disease, diverticulitis, etc. the intestine is usually inflamed and cannot function well enough. The function of the intestines is to absorb iron and vitamin B12, and when they cannot function well they are unable to absorb the above mentioned nutrients. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes lethargy, weakness, oral ulcers, soreness in the mouth, and numbness in hands and feet
+The whitish tongue is called oral leukoplakia and in my opinion is most probably caused by either diabetes (increase in blood glucose levels) or due to a deficiency in vitamin B12 levels due to an intestinal abnormality. I would recommend a check on your:
-Serum vitamin B12 levels
-Oral scrapings of the cheek or tongue to confirm or rule out thrush which is commonly seen with diabetes
+With all intestinal conditions that I have listed above there are certain triggering factors and I would like to list all of these factors to you so you can try to avoid them:
-Stress: One of the major triggering factors and needs to be avoided
-Caffeine and all caffeine containing products
-Tea
-Popcorn
-Fried/oily/fatty food
-Spicy food
-Chocolates
-Smoking
-Alcohol
-Sugar
-Carbonated drinks
-All dairy products
-Gluten and all products containing gluten
I would also like to ask you if you have observed any sensitivity or aggravation of your symptoms after eating any of the above listed items, please do write back to me about this, thank you.
+The patches of skin along with abdominal pain are consistent with conditions like:
-Celiac disease
-Chemical poisoning : Eating packed or take out food, heating it in microwaves, eating food out of plastic boxes, living in areas where the water is not being well filtered, etc; are common causes for chemical poisoning
and a few other conditions
+I would also like to point out sir that conditions like IBS, celiac disease, diverticulosis, etc; will all only be detectable on scopes (tests) when the symptoms are present and the condition is aggravated. So I hope you can go about a repeat colonoscopy when you have your symptoms actively present
+Carbs making your condition worse clearly is an indication of a a possible gluten insensitivity and this could be causing celiac disease which is one of the conditions I am strongly suspecting
I have listed all my suspicions and the most likely one seems to be celiac disease, if you wish to have more information on the same then please write back to me and I shall explain things in detail on this particular topic sir.
I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help.
Best wishes.
I have made a few observations; celiac disease sounds most likely
Detailed Answer:
Hello sir and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and all the details mentioned by you and should let you know that I am here to help. Here are my views on each of the observations made from your query sir:
+Exhaustion and lethargy and feeling cold in my opinion is related to the intestinal problem you have. Let me explain:-
In conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, (IBS) diverticulosis, celiac disease, diverticulitis, etc. the intestine is usually inflamed and cannot function well enough. The function of the intestines is to absorb iron and vitamin B12, and when they cannot function well they are unable to absorb the above mentioned nutrients. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes lethargy, weakness, oral ulcers, soreness in the mouth, and numbness in hands and feet
+The whitish tongue is called oral leukoplakia and in my opinion is most probably caused by either diabetes (increase in blood glucose levels) or due to a deficiency in vitamin B12 levels due to an intestinal abnormality. I would recommend a check on your:
-Serum vitamin B12 levels
-Oral scrapings of the cheek or tongue to confirm or rule out thrush which is commonly seen with diabetes
+With all intestinal conditions that I have listed above there are certain triggering factors and I would like to list all of these factors to you so you can try to avoid them:
-Stress: One of the major triggering factors and needs to be avoided
-Caffeine and all caffeine containing products
-Tea
-Popcorn
-Fried/oily/fatty food
-Spicy food
-Chocolates
-Smoking
-Alcohol
-Sugar
-Carbonated drinks
-All dairy products
-Gluten and all products containing gluten
I would also like to ask you if you have observed any sensitivity or aggravation of your symptoms after eating any of the above listed items, please do write back to me about this, thank you.
+The patches of skin along with abdominal pain are consistent with conditions like:
-Celiac disease
-Chemical poisoning : Eating packed or take out food, heating it in microwaves, eating food out of plastic boxes, living in areas where the water is not being well filtered, etc; are common causes for chemical poisoning
and a few other conditions
+I would also like to point out sir that conditions like IBS, celiac disease, diverticulosis, etc; will all only be detectable on scopes (tests) when the symptoms are present and the condition is aggravated. So I hope you can go about a repeat colonoscopy when you have your symptoms actively present
+Carbs making your condition worse clearly is an indication of a a possible gluten insensitivity and this could be causing celiac disease which is one of the conditions I am strongly suspecting
I have listed all my suspicions and the most likely one seems to be celiac disease, if you wish to have more information on the same then please write back to me and I shall explain things in detail on this particular topic sir.
I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help.
Best wishes.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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