Why don't the fevers go away?

I've been having fevers every day....for  many hours....I take ibprophen and tylenol and it doesn't make them go away....why?  Is there anything that can be done?

Hello Alicia!!! Welcome to the forum sis.

More important than the fever is what is causing it. Lupus can cause chronic fevers, but your doc really should be part of determining what is causing the fever and how to manage it and other symptoms.

If you have reason to think you have lupus, you will probably be best to see a rheumatologist because lupus can be difficult to diagnose and most pcp's are not trained to do the sleuthing required to dx this one.

Tell us a little more about your symptoms and your progress with your current doctors.

There is lots of information in the links at the end of my signature if you want to click on those and check out those links.

Welcome to the forum!!!

Blessings!

I am from California and I go to college in Virginia. I'm 19 years old. While I am at college I don't go to the doctor because our insurance isn't taken over here. My PCP set me up with a Rheumatologist for December 23rd when I am home for Christmas break. I've had these "Lupus-like symptoms" since the Spring semester of my Freshman year. I am now a Sophomore in college. I've read that Lupus can sometimes be worse during the warmer months but then go away in the Winter months. Does this mean when I go to the Rheumatologist in December that they won't be able to figure out if I have Lupus or not? Over the summer they did blood work and found that I have a positive ANA.

My sytoms have been extreme tiredness and fatigue, frequent headaches, a sudden eczema on my eyelids (which prevents me from being able to wear any eyeshadow or else my eyes will form pus inside of them and my eyelids will become really red, dry, itchy and swollen) the only eye make up I've been able to wear is a little bit of mascara for sensitive eyes as long as it is only on the tips of my eyelashes. Also I've been having these random fevers which have been getting progressively worse (they are lasting longer and they are more extreme and more frequent). I've also been having a cloudy/foggy feeling in my head at times and have been having more than usual mood swings...I'm very much more easily agitated and angered and I have a difficulty concentrating at times.

I'm a straight A student and it has made studying difficult but it hasn't affected my grades thus far. It is just annoying and bothersome...and I don't like feeling as tired as an old lady despite getting adequate rest....when I'm only 19 years old! I used to love hiking with my boyfriend on the weekends and he's disapointed that I haven't been feeling well enough or energetic enough to want to hike with him....I feel like he thinks I am being a bit selfish or a hyperchondriac....but I really just don't feel like I have the energy and I know if I try to do what my body isn't feeling strong enough to do that I'll just end up in a really bad mood.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

It does sound like lupus symptoms, especially if yr fever get worsen. I would suggest u call yr PCP in CA, and see what he/she can do for you. This is important, as u dun wanna wait till it gets worse. If he can set u up an earlier appt, go for it. Your health is more important. I am no doc, but I think u need to take med. to control yr symptoms.

I really don't know what to do.

I woke up this morning with a slight fever it was 100.7 Within a few hours it jumped to 105.6 then slowly went down to 104.4 and then increased a little and then went down to between 99-100.9 which is where I am now. I am feeling extremely exhausted. I also woke up with a sore throat and ear ache pain and I have some chest pain/shortness of breath (but maybe this is because I'm worried?) I am wondering if perhaps I've caught some sort of sickness due to the fact that my immune system has been down and that maybe is bringing the Lupus symtoms out more?

I called my grandma (she's the one I live with when I'm home in California) and she was worried about my high fever but since it has gone done I dont think I have to go anywhere. She doens't think I have Lupus (or at least doesn't want to believe that) she just thinks I'm "sick". Is this anything to worry about?? Will it go away eventually? I've been having these high fevers for about 4 days now....this weekend I'm going to Pittsburg for a concert on Saturday....I feel horrible but we paid 70 dollars for the tickets so....I guess I'm going to go still....I'm just so upset and frustrated....

I am sorry that you are going through so much frustration. Sometimes it is hard for others to u/stand us at all.
I suggest that you start record your temp every day. You can temp yourself three times a day (morning, afternoon, night), and write down yr temp. Also, write down a list of your symptoms.
Chk w/yr insurance company n see where is the closest city to where u live right now that will take the insurance.
Can u afford to pay for yr school's insurance? If yes, u might as well give it a try.

Alicia I just wanted to say that if you have fever of 104 or 105, you really need to be seen, even in an urgent care setting. They can take your blood and check your white cell count to see if you have some sort of infection going on. That is really a pretty high fever.

Did it come down on its own or did it come down after you took ibuprofen or tylenol?

I really hope you are feeling better soon sweetie and you'll be in my thoughts and prayers. My son is about your age, and he suffers from chronic fatigue. I watch him and know how hard it is, for a young kid to be so tired he cannot move.

Keep us posted on how you are doing, because here, we do understand and we do care. For a lot of us, its the only place we can come to where we know we will be understood.

Hugs,

Darlene

Hi Alicia, IMHO . . . If you are sick now, you need a pcp who can help you with your "every day" stuff and keep the rheumy for your lupus things. Problem is, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference. Do keep the December appt, but get in to see a primary care doc right away. Blessings!

Most colleges require you to sign up for the student health center as part of tuition and so you might as well use the facilities they have since you have already paid for them. If you go there they will help you deal with the fever and help you find someone to deal with the ear stuff if they don't have the facilities for it. A fever that is remaining high like that can do permanent brain damage, so please check with the school health center or a walk-in clinic asap. Your current fatigue may be related to your fever, or it may need further attention. I urge you to take care of it as soon as possible -- otherwise you get more & more tired and it's really, really hard to catch up. Hang in there,

Keep us posted Alicia . . . I'm sorry you are still having trouble. Blessings!

No hay fever for me...is this your first year at school? Sometimes 'hay fever' occurs if we aren't used to the pollens/etc in a new area. I didn't think that sort of think would ramp your temp up as high as you've noticed though... hang in there...

Yeah I told him about the fevers...but he didn't seem to really say much about the fevers...and when I looked up hay fever online it said it usually isn't accompanied with a fever....but it did say that:


In children, hay fever often is a contributing factor to middle ear infection (otitis media), which causes pain, fever and fluid buildup in the middle ear. (I'm not a child though...but I guess it can happen to young adults too??)

This was on a Mayoclinc website...


This is my second year of college and I told him that and he said that sometimes these things take two seasons to really "show up"?

Also when I went into the doctor today my temp was 97.8 degrees...which is what is normally is when I'm okay....but earlier just morning my temperature was 101 and I told him that...and I told him about the 105 temperature on Friday that spiked down quickly....but he still seemed to think it was hay fever.

Yeah....I do too! And I will...I just hope that maybe he is right and that maybe I do have hay fever....and that this medicine will help with my ear pain and such....and that the fevers stop.... I hope I get more answers in December when they do more Lupus specific blood work on me at home...

This doctor knew nothing about my ANA test result and I didn't tell him because I am not yet diagnosed with Lupus and I didn't figure he would know much about it anyway...