Calling all DIS doctors....UPDATE POST 26

[Mellie2162]

First let me say, Im taking my daughter to the pediatrician tomorrow, but wanted to get a little insight from other moms over what may be going on with her before I go.

My poor DD16 has been sick with viral-like symptoms at least 3 times or more in the last one month. She missed 4 days of school on 3 seperate occasions last month due to vomiting and diarrhea, once being sent to the ER where they did a CAT scan and told her it was a nasty virus.

This morning when she left for school she was very tired (she had gone to bed at 9 last night, an hour early for her) and very cranky. She is almost to her cycle so I chalked it up to that. Anyway, I pick her up from school this afternoon and she's practically in tears because she's sick again. I asked her why she didnt call me to come get her and she said she wanted to try and finish the day. Apparently she has been having belly cramping all day, so she figured it was menstrual cramps. About an hour after we get home que the vomiting and diarrhea. I went in to check on her and now she says her throat is really swollen and hurts bad. I gave a sublingual Zofran to calm down the vomiting and now she is sleeping. She has had a bad headache on and off, but she is being treated for those so I dont know if its anything contributing or not.

Anyway, I guess I could chalk it up to virus, except (knock on wood) no one else here has had it each time she has. I did notice she had a runny nose this weekend as well. So, what do you think? Is she just having a run of bad luck and the school needs disinfecting or could she have something else.

Also, want to add when she was in the ER last month the cat scan showed enlarged spleen and swollen intestines. They were going to keep her, but the surgeon thought she could go if she could keep food down, which she did. Pediatrician felt it was due to dehydration. She did get better after that, but now this again. Im just baffled. She has never been this sick in her life, is it just a bad year maybe? We are all pretty diligent with hand washing and have been wiping the bathroom down with clorox clean ups after she's in there, but still this makes her 4th bout of a virus in a month????

Anyway, would appreciate your thoughts on this.

 

[golfgal]

MONO???? Did they test her for that? It is going around here-was before Christmas. DD had several friends with it.

 

[Mellie2162]

MONO???? Did they test her for that? It is going around here-was before Christmas. DD had several friends with it.

Nope. The only testing they did was the cat scan to rule out appendicitis. Can they feel better and get sick again with mono?

 

[golfgal]

Nope. The only testing they did was the cat scan to rule out appendicitis. Can they feel better and get sick again with mono?

Yes, that is one thing that makes Mono so difficult, they may feel better for a few days, go back to school, get sick again, out for a few days, etc. It's best to wait it out if it is mono.

 

[krcit]

Did they test for strep? My oldest dd used to vomit non-stop with strep to the point where she had to have the antibiotic shot in her butt because she couldn't keep the meds down. I bet it's that or mono. I hope you get answers tomorrow. Please keep us posted.

 

[Mellie2162]

Yes, that is one thing that makes Mono so difficult, they may feel better for a few days, go back to school, get sick again, out for a few days, etc. It's best to wait it out if it is mono.

So there is no specific treatment then? How long does it take for them to get over that?

 

[Mellie2162]

Did they test for strep? My oldest dd used to vomit non-stop with strep to the point where she had to have the antibiotic shot in her butt because she couldn't keep the meds down. I bet it's that or mono. I hope you get answers tomorrow. Please keep us posted.

Nope, like I said they did the ct to rule out appendicitis and then chalked it up to virus. The other 3 times i didnt take her in because she felt better the next day and I figured they would tell me its virus and send her home anyway.

 

[golfgal]

So there is no specific treatment then? How long does it take for them to get over that?

Time. It could be a week, it could be 3 months. DD's best friend had Mono before Christmas. She missed about 4 weeks of school and then went 1/2 days for a week or so. She was back in school for a couple days and ended up with influenza so was out for another week with that.

 

[Mellie2162]

Time. It could be a week, it could be 3 months. DD's best friend had Mono before Christmas. She missed about 4 weeks of school and then went 1/2 days for a week or so. She was back in school for a couple days and ended up with influenza so was out for another week with that.

So then they have to stay out with it? Oh dear she will absolutely die. School is her thing and she currently has the lead in a school play that shows the end of this month.

 

[golfgal]

So then they have to stay out with it? Oh dear she will absolutely die. School is her thing and she currently has the lead in a school play that shows the end of this month.

It depends on how they feel. If she can handle school and not be sick no reason not to go-just don't swap saliva with her friends. If it is mono, it's nothing to mess around with either. DD's friend was pretty much on the couch doing nothing and still ended up in the hospital twice for complications (severe vomiting once and dehydration the other time).

 

[nancycg56]

My son had mono in college and I have never seen him as sick as he was then. It took a good month before he felt like himself again. He came home for a week and spent it in bed then went back to school, went to class when he could and spent lots of time sleeping. Mono can be awful!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

When DD was about that age she was sick for a month, vomiting every morning. And no, not pregnant. The ped was baffled and did lots of blood work. Finally did a urinalysis and she had a very bad UTI.

 

[Jex]

Does sound like mono, have her avoid physical activities until you are sure its not.

 

[Mellie2162]

You know, she is always tired. Usually has to take a nap after school each day, but I figured just tired from play rehearsal and such. On the weekends she seems a little bit better but usually always just lays around anyway.

 

[Tiger926]

Totally sounds like mono. I had that, amongst other things, due to a congenital liver issue I was born with - enormous fatigue, swollen liver/spleen/lymph nodes, etc.

I would be very delicate with her, and then like others have said, insist on a mono test.

Best of health to your girl, Tiger

 

[mckryan]

Mono was going to be my guess as soon as I got to the swollen throat and then was really sure it was mono when you said her spleen was enlarged. DD went through a bad bout of mono last year, and she had a lot of the same symptoms. Definitely make sure they do a mono blood test on her tomorrow, and tell her to feel better soon. Drink lots of fluids, get lots of rest and hopefully she'll be feeling better soon.

 

[Mellie2162]

Ok, well taking her to the ped tomorrow morning and not leaving until they do a mono and strep test. Hopefully she will feel better soon.

 

[vettechick99]

I can't imagine being sick for a month with a bug. Hope she gets better soon!!

 

[JessicaR]

MONO???? Did they test her for that? It is going around here-was before Christmas. DD had several friends with it.

My first thought too.

I hope your daughter gets better quick!

I had mono at 16 and it was uneventful. My sister had it when she was 17 and was very very sick for months.

 

[Beachbumpirates]

There is a new rapid mono test they have (similar to the 5 minute strep test) -however it has a tendency to run false negatives and they dont tell you that part. Make sure they do a blood test as well. Good luck