What could this be?

[kimmyc24]

I'm starting to get a bit worried about my boyfriend. Almost exactly a year ago, (after travelling to Belize with the army) he got quite sick for a week, with a fever, shakes, very sore throat, coughand bad diarrhoea. After the week, everything else cleared up but the diarrhoea lasted another month. He still had the D*when weflew to Cape Town and were on holiday there with my family, and he woke up one morning needing to V*. He then proceeded to V* every half hour for about 4 hrs. I got him to the docs and they gave him an anti-emet injection which stopped the V*ing in its tracks. At the time they did suggest that it might be a tropical disease or malaria..but werent too concerned and did no tests.


It is now just over 1 year since that, and he has got the D* again. But NO other symptoms. He has had it since last week Thursday - stomach pain, LOTS of gas, and the D* after every meal. I'm worried because how long can someone go with D* before it starts affecting their kidneys etc? Also, he is starting to feel quite lethargic as he isn't absorbing any nutrients from his meals. He also can't keep taking Imodium, its not good for him! My other worry is that we are flying to Cape Town AGAIN on 10th Octoberto see my family, and I would hate for him to get sick again while we are there.


Does anyone know of anything that can cause sickness like this regularly at certain times of the year? If he goes to the docs they're just going to tell him to 'ride it out' or eat dry foods, 'avoid dairy' etc. Any suggestions or advice would be great!

[jennyleigh1975]

I really think he needs to go see a doctor. He could have anything from IBS to Colitis or something else. The fact that it has been a year from the first attack to this one is odd though. My husband was in the Marines and was in Desert Storm and my brother in law was just in Iraq two years ago, and there are lots of millitary personel that come back with all sorts of things. My husband was lucky and didnt have too many problems, but my BIL had some problems with his lungs after he got home, he was back and forth to the doctor for a year after he got home. Finally everything cleared up. I would make him go to the doctor.


Let us know what happens, my thoughts are with you both!!!!

[kate1966]

Yeah, i think he def. needs to see a gastro doc...he could have easily picked up some kind of parasite there or something. I know it has to be scary though. I have ibs, and boy does it give me a fit...all the time...so just insist he get checked out.

[arialmina]

Malaria can come back with symtoms every year. He must go and see a docter for blood tests. Are your family from Cape town. I live in south africa!

[asher]

He should have received malaria vaccines for the army.

Maybe just a new stomach bug. Good luck!