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Suggest Treatment For Persistent High Fever, Severe Headaches And Lack Of Appetite
Posted on
Sun, 26 Jun 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 26 Jun 2016
Answered on
Sat, 16 Jul 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : Beginning Tuesday, I had a fever of 100.6.
Wednesday night it spiked to 103.
Thursday, it was 103 until about 11:00 a.m., and saw my doctor at 1:15 (by which time, it had gone down to 99). He said that it was most likely a virus, and I should feel better in 3 - 4 days.
Thursday night it was 103 again, and resumed the pattern of going down in the midday (101.6 ish), and rising at night.
Friday night I felt better, and was around 99. By 4:30 a.m., it resumed the pattern of rising, but to a lesser degree (101.6), and I felt as if I was improving. The first day I took aspirin, but have since been taking EX St. Tylenol, as I did this morning at 7:00. By this afternoon, I expected it to be lower, but to my dismay, it was back up to 102.6.
Other symptoms include: moderate to severe headache (severe during highest temps), headache "behind the eyes" and/or top of head, chills, lack of appetite (although yesterday and today, I have had some intake), weak and lethargic.
Should I wait this out, or seek ER attention?
Wednesday night it spiked to 103.
Thursday, it was 103 until about 11:00 a.m., and saw my doctor at 1:15 (by which time, it had gone down to 99). He said that it was most likely a virus, and I should feel better in 3 - 4 days.
Thursday night it was 103 again, and resumed the pattern of going down in the midday (101.6 ish), and rising at night.
Friday night I felt better, and was around 99. By 4:30 a.m., it resumed the pattern of rising, but to a lesser degree (101.6), and I felt as if I was improving. The first day I took aspirin, but have since been taking EX St. Tylenol, as I did this morning at 7:00. By this afternoon, I expected it to be lower, but to my dismay, it was back up to 102.6.
Other symptoms include: moderate to severe headache (severe during highest temps), headache "behind the eyes" and/or top of head, chills, lack of appetite (although yesterday and today, I have had some intake), weak and lethargic.
Should I wait this out, or seek ER attention?
Brief Answer:
Yes, do go in to be seen.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Influenza and some other viruses can give symptoms like this, but it isn't flu season (although sometimes that doesn't matter) and you don't have a cough or cold symptoms. Some gastroenteric (gut) viruses can cause fever and headache too.
But I am concerned about the duration of high fevers. And for that reason, I think it best to go in to either a quality urgent care clinic or an ER. They should definitely draw blood for a CBC (complete blood count) and especially if any cough (and maybe even without one) get a chest Xray (to look for pneumonia). If you have a sore throat, that should be swabbed and cultured.
About the mid day dip in your fever and rise at night: our cortisol has a daily pattern wherein it drops in pm hours. Our natural cortisol serves as an antiinflammatory and gives us some energy so any infection or pain we might have is sometimes worse when our cortisol drops. Fevers often rise when the cortisol goes down.
Increase your fluid intake, even if you aren't eating food, as dehydration can happen quickly with a fever and make you feel worse.
I hope you are feeling better soon!
Yes, do go in to be seen.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Influenza and some other viruses can give symptoms like this, but it isn't flu season (although sometimes that doesn't matter) and you don't have a cough or cold symptoms. Some gastroenteric (gut) viruses can cause fever and headache too.
But I am concerned about the duration of high fevers. And for that reason, I think it best to go in to either a quality urgent care clinic or an ER. They should definitely draw blood for a CBC (complete blood count) and especially if any cough (and maybe even without one) get a chest Xray (to look for pneumonia). If you have a sore throat, that should be swabbed and cultured.
About the mid day dip in your fever and rise at night: our cortisol has a daily pattern wherein it drops in pm hours. Our natural cortisol serves as an antiinflammatory and gives us some energy so any infection or pain we might have is sometimes worse when our cortisol drops. Fevers often rise when the cortisol goes down.
Increase your fluid intake, even if you aren't eating food, as dehydration can happen quickly with a fever and make you feel worse.
I hope you are feeling better soon!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for the response! I appreciate it.
I agree with your concern about the prolonged fever. However, I have felt considerably better for the first half of the day, and have been drinking tons of fluids and managing the fever.
My girlfriend has been staying with me the entire time since Tuesday, and has shown no signs or symptoms whatsoever. My girlfriend is concerned that some of my symptoms are associated with meningitis, although this seems alarmist. My thoughts are in line with the rogue virus or possibly related to diagnosis of Lyme Disease of 1 year ago. I had a severe migraine (only one I ever had), and was treated with a month's worth of antibiotics, which seemed to set me straight (I understand that it's not ever "cured").
After taking Tylenol this afternoon, my fever is currently 99.8. My plan is to wait until tomorrow, and see if my symptoms subside. Would you be concerned with this plan?
I agree with your concern about the prolonged fever. However, I have felt considerably better for the first half of the day, and have been drinking tons of fluids and managing the fever.
My girlfriend has been staying with me the entire time since Tuesday, and has shown no signs or symptoms whatsoever. My girlfriend is concerned that some of my symptoms are associated with meningitis, although this seems alarmist. My thoughts are in line with the rogue virus or possibly related to diagnosis of Lyme Disease of 1 year ago. I had a severe migraine (only one I ever had), and was treated with a month's worth of antibiotics, which seemed to set me straight (I understand that it's not ever "cured").
After taking Tylenol this afternoon, my fever is currently 99.8. My plan is to wait until tomorrow, and see if my symptoms subside. Would you be concerned with this plan?
Brief Answer:
Plan:
Detailed Answer:
I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back to you sooner.
If you are overall feeling better and as your fever is lower now, it is safe to wait and see how you are tomorrow.
Some of your symptoms can go with meningitis (fever, headache), however, most of your symptoms are byproducts of having a high fever, regardless of the cause of the fever. Usually with meningitis, the headache is severe, and there is considerable pain with bending the head forward (when lowering chin down to the chest) and often a stiff neck. If however, your headache gets worse, then do go in to be seen quickly.
I'm not sure what to make of the possible relationship between Lyme disease and your symptoms. When you go in, you might ask them to do a Lyme titer to see if it can show whether the problem is active right now, but these aren't always accurate at correlating with disease symptoms. What I do know about Lyme is that enough isn't known about it, and there is controversy between patient advocacy groups that say it can reoccur or be chronic, vs what the infectious disease literature states. It's worth looking into though.
Plan:
Detailed Answer:
I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back to you sooner.
If you are overall feeling better and as your fever is lower now, it is safe to wait and see how you are tomorrow.
Some of your symptoms can go with meningitis (fever, headache), however, most of your symptoms are byproducts of having a high fever, regardless of the cause of the fever. Usually with meningitis, the headache is severe, and there is considerable pain with bending the head forward (when lowering chin down to the chest) and often a stiff neck. If however, your headache gets worse, then do go in to be seen quickly.
I'm not sure what to make of the possible relationship between Lyme disease and your symptoms. When you go in, you might ask them to do a Lyme titer to see if it can show whether the problem is active right now, but these aren't always accurate at correlating with disease symptoms. What I do know about Lyme is that enough isn't known about it, and there is controversy between patient advocacy groups that say it can reoccur or be chronic, vs what the infectious disease literature states. It's worth looking into though.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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