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Anonymous

My experience began with periodic fever spikes up to 103-104 F in mid-2014. We went to ER and they could not find anything significant with blood tests and urine tests except high white cell count. There were three episodes over a period of 6 weeks that were treated by my family doctor with antibiotics. The same symptoms continued - fever would spike for 8-24 hours and then subside.
I spent four days in the hospital while they ran multiple tests on ball bladder, kidneys, systemic infections, CT scans, radioactive traces, etc. Nothing conclusive was found except that I might have a bad gall bladder. I rejected the surgery on my gall bladder and went home. Two weeks later the fever returned and I began to have shortness of breath. My new doctor sent me for a CT scan of the lungs just before Labor Day weekend and subsequently sent me directly to the hospital for admission since the lungs looked like they were full of broken glass. Breathing deteriorated over the next three days and became critical with constant delirium and fighting to breathe even with masks. Oxygen levels went as low as 75 at times. More CT scans and open lung biopsy were inconclusive as to cause. Treatment with prednisone and morphine saved my life. After two weeks in ICU, my condition improved dramatically and prednisone dosage was reduced over the next four months. One year later my ling CT scan was clear, I am back on the tennis court, and jogging on the treadmill.
My biggest fear - it could happen again since after all the testing there was no cause defined for what my doctors and family described as a life threatening event. Were the fever spikes a sign of the problem? Were the antibiotics for the fever appropriate? What might have happened if I had elected to go through with the gall bladder removal?

December 3, 2015 - 6:50am

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