When Your Doctor Has No Idea What’s Wrong With You
I learned a few things when I developed a rare condition
It’s been happening for a couple of years. My doctor doesn’t believe it’s anything serious and thinks there isn’t any risk to my greater health, yet he can’t tell me what’s causing the problem. I have a low-grade fever that pops up occasionally and lasts a day or two. There are no other symptoms, just that one. Because fevers are common, they could be caused by one of a million different things.
It’s not the first time I’ve had something difficult to diagnose, but the last time, it turned out to be a somewhat rare condition. In 2018, I developed a Cranial Spinal Fluid leak or CSF leak. It’s where there is a hole in the sack of fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord. It causes your brain to sag and feel like a 100-lb bag of potatoes is on your head, and it can cause your vision to blur. It usually occurs in two kinds of people: anyone who’s had back surgery and the doctor nicked the sack or in women who get an epidural in childbirth. I fit in neither of those categories, so my doctor dismissed the idea of a CSF leak fairly quickly.
My doctor started looking for other answers. At first, he treated me for migraine headaches, but there was no relief. He also thought it might be stress-related and suggested a…
