Liver problems...should I talk to onc?
I have been through the ringer the past 4 days, seen 3 doctors (including 1 ER visit), and no one seems to know what's going on. Well, they each have their own separate theory, and none of them is the same. Anyways, I doubt this is liver mets, but could it be? Is this something I should bring up with my onc? I have already come to her with so many concerns, and she has ordered me so many scans since my DX a year and a half ago that I hesitate to bring it up with her unless it seems absolutely warranted.
The story: it started 4 days ago with abdominal+pelvic pain & what I thought was a vaginal discharge (that had been going on for about 4 days prior to this). I scheduled an appt with my gyne, and she took a look. All looked pretty good from her standpoint (i..e., she was seeing no alarming discharge...so perhaps the discharge was urinary tract and not vaginal?), but by the time I saw her, the pain had settled in what she told me was my kidneys, and I was sent home with instructions to go to ER if I developed a fever.
Went home. Temperature 101.6. Went to the ER. Spent 6 hours there. Clean abdominal CT, clean abdominal u/s. Slightly elevated AST/ALT (liver) enzymes. Possible UTI based on urine sample. Sent home with cipro (antibiotic) and told to return if things got worse.
Next day. HELL. Fever, nausea, body-wracking chills, severe abdominal pain all day long. Vomited once. Fever bounced between 101 and 104 most of the day, and then finally spiked to 105.2 mid-afternoon before coming slowly back down and settling around 102 for the rest of the evening.
Next day. New symptoms: Yellow eyes, dark urine, yellow skin, itching. Visit after-hours doctor (it's Saturday). Turns out I'm slightly jaundiced. Could be a side effect of the antibiotic, so antibiotic is stopped.
Today. Fever gone, increased energy, but still so nauseated, and jaundice seems to be worsening (sooo itchy and skin & eyes are getting yellower and urine is very dark). Plan is to do follow-up bloodwork in a few days to see if bilirubin is trending in the right direction after stopping cipro.
So, not sure what's going on. One theory is detox effect from an herbal supplement I was on and recently stopped. Another theory is viral hepatitis (but from what and where?). My own theory is that I had a kidney infection (even though urine test indicated I did NOT have a UTI) and that the cipro made me jaundiced. But I also want to be sure I'm not overlooking anything more serious. I guess the best course is ride this out and see if it resolves on its own. If not, follow up with oncologist. Right? Or would you talk to oncologist sooner? I've had so many medical issues since my cancer dx, I just don't trust myself with these decisions anymore. Argh!
Comments
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Adelaide, it sounds like viral hepatitis to me. Now, please realize I'm not a doc but I did have hepatitis once. Hepatitis A is highly contagious and makes you very sick but usually leaves no lasting liver damage. From what and where? Who knows?
Feel better soon.
Leah
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Thank you, Leah. I did eat some raw sushi a few weeks ago. Perhaps that's the culprit. My hep panel came back negative, but according to one of the docs I saw, there are other causes to acute hepatitis besides just the well-known AB&D. No more raw fish for me if this is what it is!
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What herbs were in this detox supplement? I saw a post the other day from someone who had taken milk thistle and ended up with screwy liver numbers.
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Right, Momine. That was on my post about elevated liver enzymes...on this thread. The poster was using milk thistle but I think was also taking a lot of other drugs with it. A good reminder to remember that natural supplements in and of themselves might be helpful but they can interact with all the other stuff we have to take.
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