Any advice? 17 year old daughter went to ER last night with abdominal pain. She had been in pain on and off for almost 2 days but it all came to a head last night very quickly. After barfing on the way there and some diarhea after arrival, her pain was mostly gone (pressure relief it seemed).
White count and urine sample indicated infection. She was diagnosed with a severe UTI. They were worried about her appendix as she is prime age and all for that (we actually have a friend whose teen daughter had HERS removed this morning ! )
My daughter had no fever all day yesterday (with Tylenol all day for the pain she was in, so that could have masked it I suppose?). She had a dose of antibiotic before we left the ER at midnight, then woke this morning with 101.5 temp! She did another dose of antibiotics and I called the ER number and they said to alternate Tylonol and Ibuprofen every 3 hours and we ahve done that like clockwork all day. The lowest her temp has gone all day was briefly to 99.5. Now its at 103.5! We have been taking her temp about every 2 hours all day. Shes only eaten a little bit, but is NOT having any other tummy pain, just a bad headache at this point. Lots and lots of water.
If she were in pain, I would take her back in (weekend and holiday makes this so much better..UGH, poor thing), but the fever she did NOT have yesterday (or Tylenol took care of and now the every 3 hours stuff is NOT taking care of), is worrying me. Is this a normal expectation with a severe UTI in a teen girl? Or should I be calling the ER again in the morning? They were very nice, answered on the first ring, etc when I called this morning, but did seem to be telling me I am a worrying mom??
So am I?
ETA~She has not had any pain or burning when urinating and when the doc asked if she had the urgency issue..feeling she needed to go alot without producing more than a few drips..she said not really, but maybe? So this tells me shes really not had those typical UTI symptoms. She had tummy discomfort all of Wed night and it kept her up, then the bulk of the day Thurs she was "ok" and just slightly uncomfortable, but again by evening was not the best, then all day Friday it just got worse and worse, she hate nothing, but no fever then.
Thanks for the input!! Its so hard to see her not herself!
NEW ETA~ Sunday~ Still fever until about 3pm. Maintaining her Cipro antibiotic at regular intervals, and doing the ibupr/tylenol at 3 hour intervals. She eaten a roll all day (no appetite). SHes finally registering a almost normal temp. Still no pain in belly (since we left the hospital). I will keep checking her temp, but we already decided if she still has a fever Monday she will go in to the Peds (she still sees a Ped).
NEW NEW ETA~ Monday afternoon.
Spent 6 hours at the ER again last night. Her infection is strong bad one and moved into her kidneys. She was barfing and her fever, which had spent 4 solid hours under 99*, went back up to 101 and she was barfing a ton. They pumped her full of IV fluids and added an IV strong antibiotic, nausea meds, morphne for the head pain she had raging, along with pill antibiotics and ibuprophen.
Today she is under 99* and eating popsicles. She is going to attempt part of a baked potato! Tomorrow we go to our peds for a vitals check (at the ER she was high and when we left still higher than they liked), and our waiting on some cultures and other bloodwork they did, but hopeful its all fine and we are on the mend.
With teens and adults... 103 ON meds = ER. Period.
So go, and go now.
((it may be a UTI. It may be a kidney infection. It may be that she has sepsis. GO.))
my 17yo cousin just went thru something similar. She ended up at the ER for a 2nd visit & was kept for almost a week.
Please, please contact the ER again. :)
I think she should be in hospital having intravenous antibiotics until the infection clears up.
I would fly like the WIND and get her back to the hospital. Her appendix may have burst. She would feel BETTER after the burst, but her fever would shoot up. I PRAY that this has not happened, but it's the first thing I thought when I was reading your post.
Appedicitis is very hard to diagnose sometimes. PLEASE take her back in.
Saying prayers for her,
Dawn
hospital visit, it does NOT Sound like a UTI at all, with utis it burns and you can hardly pee and just plain out hurts out there, it really sounds like something more serious especially with the fever not going down with the medicine, its best to take her back in better safe then sorry
103.5 is dangerous in teen and adults. I would at least call the ER tonight and ask if you need to bring her back in. Actually, I know the way I am, and I would be at the ER now no matter what! I hate fevers and they scare me! I hope she gets better soon!!!
I had a kidney infection not that long ago (few months) and was given Cipro to knock it out. I had flank pain (mid side/back pain), extremely tired, chills and high fever of 102.8. It is very important to get on antibiotics and stay on them. After they run labs on your urine, they know what type of antibiotic to prescribe. I had another kidney infection 7 years ago and was given another hardcore antibiotic/Levaquin. Don't wait and see, and BE a worrying Mom...sheesh, what do they expect :)
Good luck!!!
Take her back. It could be an ovary that ruptured. I had similar symptons and went in for emergency appendectomy to have an ovary removed.
Do not take this lightly.
Keep us updated.
The other S.
My stepdaughter has had many UTIs.
If the fever is still there in the morning, I would call them again for sure. In the meantime, the symptom I would be on the watch for is pain in the kidney area (lower back/side) and/or blood in the urine. A UTI can become a kidney infection, and since she's had vomiting/diarhea, I would be on the lookout for that.
Appendicitis would cause pain in the front, lower right side of her abdomen. It also would not cause pain on urination.
I trust the Mayo Clinic site for accurate symptom descriptions:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/urinary-tract-infection/...
Your update makes me a little more concerned. Whenever something doesn't follow standard symptoms, I worry that the doctors may not be sure. Did they do a urine test that was conclusive? I've not ever heard of a UTI with no pain, burning, or urgency in urination. If anything changes for the worse, be sure to call! Hang in there and I hope she's better soon!
A UTI burns when you pee.
Vomiting, fever could be UTI, but abdominal pain and diarrhea seem more like appendicitis - but the pain would build and get worse.
But - there has been a nasty stomach/intestinal bug going around.
Water's ok, but Pedialyte or Gatorade are better to keep her electrolytes balanced.
Sipping ginger ale (warm or cold) or chicken broth is good, too.
That she's having a headache might be a dehydration symptom but it could be fever related.
Our Dr didn't think 103 was an excessively high temp.
104 or over and they would have you come into the office.
Continue to monitor symptoms.
If she still has a high fever after 24 hours of antibiotic it makes sense to follow up with another visit.
Hmmm does not sound like a UTI. I had a severe one and I could barely pee but felt like I had to go worse than ever. When I did go it was a trickle. God it was horrible. I could not leave the bathroom. I did not feel nauseous and did not have diarrhea.
Did they give her the pills that turn your urine red?
Sounds more like kidney issues to me. My sisters valve closed in her kidneys and she had stomach pain, vomiting etc.. More you DD's symptoms.
Did they do a CT scan of her appendix? My 17 year old son had his out a couple of weeks ago, after staying up all night in alot of pain. He didn't run a fever at first, nor did he throw up or have diahrea (sp?).
We went to our ped first and he sent us to the ER. The CT scan showed inflammation so they recommended he have his appendix out..
Good luck - I hope you guys get this figured out. Keep us posted.
Bring her back to the ER right away. If the main problem is a UTI, the antibiotic may not be the right one. It also could be something else. I would not wait.
Give the antibiotics at near precise intervals-and don't even think of missing a dose. It may take a few days for the antibiotics to work-remember what's at stake here-her kidneys-not to mention her bladder. I don't think it is senseless to worry and err on the side of caution.Did they give her "Pyridium"? That is a good medication to take with the antibiotic-it is not, by any means, a substitute. If her fever goes above 104-I would take her to the ER. Take care!
No, I don't think it is normal to have a fever from a UTI however I guess that is why they said "severe." Infection is infection, and the fever is her body trying to fight it. The antibiotics may take 48 hrs to kick in. I have heard from friends who suffer from UTIs that these 48 hrs can be really rough, although I haven't ever heard of a fever from it before. I hope she is drinking a ton of water. Poor thing! Hope she gets better fast. I would say that if she's still having a fever tomorrow night, take her back. Good luck!
I hope you took her back. It could be her kidneys. It could be anything. A high fever on meds indicates something is going on even if she's not in pain. Trust your gut and take her in.
Let us know what happens!
