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Doctors have not been able to figure out what is wrong

Hello! In March of 2017, I traveled to Curacao and came back with stomach pains and diarrhea. That pain was very bad so I went to the ER and was told that I had travelers diarrhea. The pain did not subside, so I went back to the ER and was told that I had appendicitis. I got an appendectomy, but the pain in the stomach continued. I went to a GI doctor at Penn, and had numerous tests done - Upper tract with small intestine follow through, colonoscopy, endoscopy, small camera swallowing test, nuclear medicine x-ray, etc. The doctors concluded that I had GERD. This was over a 6 month span. At times, the pain was so bad that I would not be able to move - with movement, it was a sharp pain in the middle of the stomach area. Again, I went to the ER and was told it was endometriosis. I had a follow up with GYN and was told that was incorrect. The stomach issues somehow resolved itself and subsided. March of 2018, I was back in the emergency room with a swollen nose (under the bridge of the nose) and unable to open my eye. CT scan showed chronic sinusitis and I was sent to Wills Eye for my right eye. IT was bright red, tearing, and in incredible amounts of pain. I was diagnosed with scleritis. They started me on flurbiprofen and drops in the eyes, but it was not going away, so I was put on 60 mg of prednisone. I was on this for about three months (tappered off). In the midst of this, I went to rheumatology and was put on methotrexate. I had a horrible reaction so then put on imuran. I am now off of prednisone, my eye is okay, and taking imuran.

I now how horrible pains that move around in my hands, sometimes two fingers on left hand, other days, the whole right hand. It feels like my fingers are broken and I have trouble washing myself, dressing myself, etc. Most recently, it moved to my ankles, causing me to have to stay in bed and unable to walk. I have been on imuran, and was told to just take 2400mg of ibuprofen (3 times a day, 800mg) when I was having these 'flare-ups'. The ibuprofen helps, but then the pain will come back.

I am 24 years old, do not drink or take recreational drugs. I was in great health and very active prior to the March 2017 Curacao trip. It feels since then, my health has been deteriorating and my quality of life has significantly gone down. I've been to numerous specialist, gotten many labs done, but the doctors are unable to figure out what is wrong. Hoping to see if anyone else is able to recommend anything or shed some light onto what may be happening!
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Avatar universal
Find a rheumatoligist who will help. I too went through a similar journey. Turns out some doctor wrote i was drug seeking in my permanent record and everyone who read it followed suit! After learning of this i went to another doctor and witheld ny records. He found that i had reactive arthritis due to a super germ in the setting of ulcerative cholitis. My scopes werr negative but i responded to remicade and it was day and nite in difference. My energy started coming back just being able to eat! I did not eat because of the stomach pain and my body grew weak and more and more ill. I too couldnt tolerate methotrexate. After this dr left the new dictor went back to telling me its in my head! I went back to the first doctor with diagnosis in hand. I asked to try methotrexate again now that im a bit better as the other dr took away my remicade even though it was well documented i responded to it. I now am toleratung methotrexate. I even am back to work part time! Keeo looking for someone who wants to help. Its worth it. You kniw how you feel so dont takeno for an answer. A doctor should not acuse a patient of drug seeking just because they do not have a clue whats wrong! One doctor told my mom and sister i was just an addict! I was a 45 year old oncology nurse! Hippa violate much! Because of this i was also shut out by my family and spen many nites in jail after having a stroke on suspicion of dui. I was so ill i felt near death. I was dehydrated to the point of stroke and incarcerated instead of hospitalized! My family now sees me bearky myself again and this doctor has caused my dad to bleed out and have a stroke due to negligence! We need to start a movement to get doctors to listen to theirr patients and no one should wrute derogatory things in a pts chart! Its completely unethical amd a dangerous practice! Keep going to new doctors until one listrbs! And periodically obtain records to maje them take out stuff that is opinion related. I nearly dued many times from doctors not doing their job correctly and i was supposedly one of them! Cannot imagine whatbwould have gappened if i believed them and gave up on myself as they had!
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1756321 tn?1547095325
"Symptoms and signs of Zika virus infection

Approximately one person in five who becomes infected with Zika virus is likely to have symptoms.20 For cases with a clinical illness, symptoms may include one or more of:

Low-grade fever
Maculopapular rash
Arthralgia, notably of small joints of hands and feet, with possible swollen joints
Myalgia
Headache, retro-ocular headaches
Conjunctivitis
Post-infection fatigue

More rarely observed symptoms include digestive problems (abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and constipation), mucous membrane ulcerations (aphthae), and pruritus."
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