Ds, 19, what are these symptoms??

[medianewbie]

Violent vomiting for hours overnight so thought just bad dose of D&V. But very sore chest. Sore neck (glands like 2 hardboiled eggs). No temp but shivery.
Pale, clammy, massive headache not resolving with ibuprofen / paracetamol. Any ideas what it might be (covid?)
We are due on hols in 12 days (1st flight ever) & would really like him well.

A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are two different things.

There should be an MRI to diagnose and another at three or six months to be clear to return to activity, if it is myocarditis. Follow up MRIs until inflammation has gone.

Best wishes and good luck. You are in the right place. It is really dangerous if not diagnosed and the person then does sport.

Reddit forum for people with myocarditis. If this is diagnosed you may be able to get some additional advise and specialist contacts here:

A friend and colleague got breathless, asthma, allergies diagnosed. She went to Morocco desert climate. I just said you must have felt so much better. She hadn't. I said it's not asthma then.

She went back to GP was admitted immediately. Cardio myopathy heart working at 25% this was pre COVID. Just a simple virus had damaged her heart.

It does happen to young people.

Hmmm. Ultrasound 'may be today' & 'no need' to repeat Tryponin bloods (3,200 at 7am, up from 2.5k at 3am) until tomorrow. If there's no progress by teatime I might push for some.

have you at least got antibiotics??

He's had 1x 'low level beta blocker'. 2 x Paracetamol dose. 1 x NSaids dose.

You keep pushing. My DIL did she's a solicitor specialty suing the NHS when they mess up. She saved my sons life.

Keep pushing and don’t leave him if at all possible. You are right not to mention his anxiety and don’t let them use that as an excuse. My 22years old ( with asd/adhd and anxiety) has had a heart attack in past so it certainly does happen ( I know many others via charity too). Make sure he gets a full screening and ask for second opinion if needed.

Our Irish side of the family have brugada syndrome. Going back a century youngsters would just die. It was only in this century we were identified. So teenagers are now tested. As were their parents, grandparents.

For what? They've not suggested there's any bacterial infection, as far as I can see.

There are a lot of people who think that antibiotics cure everything, or at least "can't do any harm". Ironically, such attitudes are part of what got us to the present position of having diseases that are becoming resistant to antibiotics.

There has been a rise in myocarditis and heart issues following the Covid vaccine, which you probably know, OP. If he has received the vaccine, I would push further for investigation.

As a former patient I would want the ultrasound asap as they can look at the LVEF among other things. Also countinuous ECG to watch for any arrhythmia. The troponin test in my case was a few hours apart in a and e when they realized it was rising. Then every 24 hours once things were more stable. Troponin is often called the ‘heart attack test’, but it is a substance released with any damage e.g. inflammation.

There has been a much higher rise in myocarditis and heart issues following Covid infection.

We've had 4 Dr's. 1st said: viral & damage to heart muscle. Needs blood thinners, nsaids, pain meds, ultrasound & cholesterol. 2nd said bloods showed damage to heart muscle due to virus. 3rd said 'infection around heart & scan of heart, CT scan if lungs. 4th said: no need for CT scan, have you been a abroad?

My daughter had very similar symptoms and it was TB. It isn't usually picked up in blood tests, and therefore her diagnosis was quite lengthy. I think eventually we must have dropped on a doctor who thought it might be an option - he was the one who asked "have you been abroad recently?".

Yes this runs in my son's dad's side of the family too.

Keep us update OP. Sounds like a very challenging situation with all the doctors saying something different.

Sorry you and your DS are in this situation, OP. It must be extremely worrying. It sounds like your DS is being cared for, although there is the typical difference of opinion on which tests are most appropriate. If at any point you think your DS's condition worsens and you feel the Drs aren't acting on it, check whether the hospital you are in is one of those trialling Martha's Rule.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/05/nhs-announces-143-hospitals-to-roll-out-marthas-rule/

Even if it's not, if you think that your son is deteriorating, the matter must be escalated.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/11/new-nhs-warning-system-to-spot-deterioration-in-childrens-health-faster/

He's not been abroad (we were asked). In fact we were due to go abroad for the 1st time ever in 10 days (not most important thing, ,& I have insurance).
I'm going to ask for the ultrasound again. I need to get back to Dd soon, & I'd like to know what's going on with Ds.

Given the severe vomiting for a few days the initial trigger for the raised T could also be a gastro infection like salmonella, campylobacter, e coli. Rare but it does happen, more so in males and most often they make a very good recovery so hoping this will be so for you. If he still has any D I'd see if they will do a stool test.

Defo nothing left to do a stool test with. Not even passed urine for 12 hrs. No likely ultrasound now - they stop at 4.

How scary, your poor DS (and you!)

I have a son with ASD and the thought of him getting ill like this fills me with such dread.

How is he doing?

No ultrasound today. 'Hopefully tomorrow'. They dont want to do a blood test to see if marker still rising either (which would have put my mind at rest). Sorry to go on just feel frustrated.