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caretaker1369

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2019
Messages
3
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
04/2018
Country
US
State
CO
City
Kremmling
Hubby was diagnosed in Apr 2018. Had an accident in December and is no longer walking. Got the flu right after Christmas and was sicker than anything for 2 weeks. Took him to Dr. on Monday no fever, no HBP, said he was feeling good. Got him home from Dr. (we live almost 150 miles from VA) said he was tired and went to bed. Everything went sideways from there. He has been running very high temps and chills so bad he almost shakes himself out of the bed. Started giving him Tylenol and the fevers are down but still shaking like crazy and says he is freezing. Question I have is this: Is the flu back with a vengeance or is this a part of the ALS? Maybe someone with a little more experience can help with an answer.
 
Sounds like the flu to me.
 
Could be a secondary bacterial infection like sinusitis or pneumonia. Given that he has fevers and shaking chills, I’d get him in to see a doctor again. If the VA is too far, then maybe a local urgent care center.
 
Re: Marine in Crisis

[Note: merged these duplicate threads. Please don't cross-post -- one post per issue makes it easier for everyone to respond.]

Intermittent fevers up to 104 over a month or so don't sound like the flu, nor ALS-related.

My first thought would be an infection of some kind. I would try to get him to a doc or if he completely refuses, at least set up a televisit/home blood draw/urine sample as a starting point. I'm assuming he doesn't have any skin lesions since you didn't mention any. I would also start to record data like pulse and BP during the feverish episodes, along with notes about any skin color changes, sweating, breathing, etc.

Remember to phrase this as "I statements" and let him save face by asking that he do it as a favor to you and any other family that he cares about. As in "Since infections that aren't treated right can cause organ and tissue damage, can we just make sure that you don't have one so that is one less thing I have to worry about?"

Sorry to welcome you here.

Best,
Laurie
 
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Re: Marine in Crisis

Second everything Laurie said. Just an added thought, when I was taking care of my PALS I had reoccurring high fevers for about three weeks at which time I remembered I had had a tick bite. Went to the Dr, had the full tick panel done, had anaplasmosis. I thought I had the flu. Hope you get it figured out, Kate
 
Re: Marine in Crisis

Thanks, he probably would be more receptive to that then me saying just fricken do it please.
 
Re: Marine in Crisis

Thanks, talked to his ALS team nurse today and she also talked to him and let him know that he really needed to get to the Dr if the fever spiked again and he agreed that he would do it. Fever is down and he is resting peacefully. Will see what happens in next few hours.
 
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