My friend is gravely ill and no diagnosis...anyone know these symptoms?

Question

Hi,
My friend has been hospitalized in 2 dif hospitals for 3 weeks now. She has had multiple MRI's, CAT scans, Spinal taps, blood work, you name it, and they CANNOT get a diagnosis.

One team of doctors thinks cancer. She has a nodule in one lung, a mass on her spine and something in her brain that they can't tell what it is. However, all the tests show "inconclusive".

The other team thinks TB, but her TB test is neg and her lungs show no TB..They think it settled in her spine instead of lungs. I've never heard of this...STILL there is NO diagnosis.

She is wasting away, weak, lost over 20 pounds. Her symptoms started w/severe headache and vomiting. She's been sick 6 weeks or more. It's affecting her short term memory BADLY. No fever. It just doesn't make sense.

They thought maybe a fungal infect. in her brain, but they dont know. This is getting SCARY. PLEASE, if you have been through this or know anyone who has, I'd really appreciate a response.

THANK YOU

Answer 1

I am praying for her. May god make her better quickly and bless her for all the love that surrounds her. I wish for her to get up off the bed and go home to her normal life. I wish for her to stay healthy and live a long and happy life. I wish god for the hard times she is going through to vanish and put them on me. Take all my good deeds I have done and put on to her. I wish god for you to take all her bad deeds and put them on to me. I will take the punishment for any of her miss fortunes. Please god, by your grace I wish for her to get better soon. Please protect her from any bad eyes.

Answer 2

You should get your friend to the biggest university hospital you can find. If this was something standard as in metastatic cancer then a diagnosis should have been fairly straight forward.

Big university hospitals such as Johns Hopkins, The Cleveland Clinic, UCLA, UCSC, Barnes, etc., etc. would be the place to go. These places see all the really odd stuff and are usually very good at figuring out tough cases. Do it soon. Time is wasting.

Answer 3

I'm no doctor, so bear with me. It seems like encephalitis or meningitis somewhat fits. Meningitis is a viral/bacterial infection that causes inflammation in the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include: severe headache with stiff neck, fever, nausea, and vomiting, drowsiness, lack of energy, confusion, memory problems, and unusual behavior.

I don't know about the nodule in her lung, and I don't know why they would have missed this if it is what the problem is, but I'm just trying to help! Good luck.

I should have said this before, but I hope you update this sometime if they figure out what it was!

Answer 4

If they have found nodules in the lung, spine and brain, it sounds to me as if she has cancer that has matastasized. In other words, it began in her brain, for example and now has moved to the other organ and spine. Why haven't they done a biopsy? That would tell them what the nodules are, they can biopsy the lung easier than the spine or brain. I would suggest a specialist in cancer.

Answer 5

I just want to say that my prayers are with you and your friend. I have not heard of this before but I would say if it's effecting her memory I would think there is some pressure or something on her brain. Keep pushing the doctors to find out what's wrong. Request specialists if needed just don't stop bugging them. Good luck and I'll hope for the best.

Answer 6

I'll give you an example of a family member who was diagnosed with a severe angina. My sister who's passed away now for 28 years now died of a heart attack at age nine. It started as a common cold that went to her anginas and the bacteria attacked her little body badly and ended up with a heart attack, that's what the death certificate said. Bacteria of certain diseases can not always grow in the "normal" "typical" places of the human body where they're most commonly diagnosed. They can move and find another comfort spot of the body where they grow fast. I hate to say this to you but it sounds like it's too late for your friend. Medicine now on these days is well advanced but there's always room for learning of new diseases and learning from them. Anyhow, we will all die somehow someway and it's unfortunate, I strongly suggest for your friend to donate her body for further medical research since no answer has been found to her illness. I send you lots of hughs and time will heal this harsh times you're going thru.

Answer 7

Wow this sounds like something that happened to my cousin. He had a brain tumor years ago but a couple of weeks ago had these extreme pains, like a migraine times 25... anyway short story long they couldn't figure out what it was after numerous tests and several hospital stays until finally they did something to correct a spinal tap that he had. Something like it wasn't properly closed up.... as soon as they went to fix it the pain immediately went away....

Answer 8

I am not a doctor. From what you say it sounds like cancer to me. Maybe the masses or nodules are benign .My mother died of cancer last year and a few people close to me are being treated for it now. At any rate I hope they determine what it is and how to treat it. God bless.

Answer 9

My teacher back in high school had symptoms close to this and his was found to be spiral minigitis. He was out for a long time. Talking almost a year that he was bed ridden. There is viral and bacterial menegitis so you might wanna look into that. Sorry and I hope for the best.

Answer 10

Go to Web MD and start asking questions. They will direct you in the right direction. We will be praying for her and you. If you are not getting the right answers you may have to go to a different DR or hospital. Good luck and God bless you both.

Answer 11

Wow. Could be cancer...have they said anything about multiple sclerosis? Maybe a type of meningitis?
Those are the only serious diseases I can think of.
I wish you friend the best of luck, and a full recovery.