My brother had this when he was very young, that was over 50 years ago. I remember he was in bed a lot, and everything hurt. Don't remember much else, except he was ill a long time and he eventually did get better. You know medicine today is so much more advanced. He had mild heart problems for a short time, but was still able to serve over 30 years in the US Army with 3 overseas tours. Prayers for a speedy recovery-

Dear Sooz- I'm sorry to hear of the issues you are facing. Perhaps I am off base but let me pose something to you. Some years ago I had an accute sinus infection. For months after treatment I couldn't make it from one room to the next without crawling and lying down. Eventually I had enough energy to get to the store for a refill on Synthroid for hypothyroidism. I asked the pharmastist if there had been a recall on synthroid because of the extreme fatigue. He looked in the system and asked how many of the steroids I'd taken to decrease the swelling of the sinuses. I told him the 10 days worth just like the doctor said- he said- Dear God woman it's amazing you're standing. Steroids take down the whole system and I should have only had 2 pills at the most So all that said- if they are giving her a steroid check with them. Also talk to your pharmastist. We have found over the years we get more help from them then the doctor- they know the meds much better.
If it hadn't been for a pharmastist we called to ask about a med given to my father-in law after a fall from a tree stand resulting in broken ribs- he would have died from a reaction between his liver meds and the pain killer had the pharmasist who was totally unrelated to his case hadn't caught the mistake by the doctor and the pharmacy that issued the med. Can also ask the pharmasist about meds that may be used so you can be armed when you see the doctor.

I had it when I was 12 years old (that is 57 years ago so things were different back then) I had to stay in bed for a month, could only get up to go to the bathroom. It was summer time and all my friends and siblings were out having fun. No tv to watch so I read, read, read and listened to the radio. The DR came to my house every day( I told you things were different back then) and gave me a shot of penicillin(sp), the new wonder drug. I never did, thanks goodness, have heart trouble. The pain was all in my legs and all I had to take was asprin It didn't help much. Leg massages from my mom helped a lot & so did Grandma's chicken soup(I think it was the attention). Please let her know it is going to get better. My love and prayers go out to her.

Read about Rheumatic fever on the Mayo clinic web site. They are always a good source.

I think the doctor may not have signed the school paper because he wanted her on full REST. He probably thought he didn't want her Stressing about her school work.

I had it when i was 12 yrs old....dr thought i was having growing pains til they ran some test after i passed out @ school. Sorry to hear your daughter has it and yes time will heal eventually. I have mitral valve prolaspe as a result and can't quite remember exactly how long the pain lasted but my legs really was so painful that it hurt to lay/sit still for a few minutes. Please get an 2nd opinion, couldn't hurt.

Actually TWO different drs. said "school is almost out so it isn't worth bothering about." when I asked them to sign the papers for home hospital. There was 2 months of school left at that point. :x

We will do the internet High School. Utah has a great system and it is free and she can work at her own pace. I've signed her up now we just need to pick the classes. (I am working with the school counselor on this.)

It is a cardiologist that we are seeing. I've researched and he is doing exactly what is recommended in everything I've read online and off. I was just hoping to get a feel for how long this will take and if the pain will ever stop.

Second opinion sounds like a good idea, diet could be worth considering as well, continue to seek help when you don't feel things are right, sometimes speaking out as you have here is where you will find the ultimate answer, I pray your help comes soon.

Sending prayers for rapid healing, and a peaceful heart for you and your daughter. It never hurts to get second opinions. I hope your doctor is a good, compassionate one, but remember that all doctors do not graduate in the top 50% of their class. God bless....

I haven't ever heard of this. I do pray she gets better soon. Sending gentle hugs your way.

Angie

(1) See another physician.
(2) Get your daughter back in school. School districts are required to provide the most appropriate instruction for students and that includes sending certified teachers to the homes of ailing students. I cannot imagine why the school district allowed your daughter to drop out. Even if they weren't interested in her as a person, most get some pretty big bucks for every special needs student and they like those bucks.
(3) Don't let them intimidate you. You can look up what the law is and you can get a copy of the district policy book and be ready to quote chapter and verse to whomever you talk. Look up "homebound" instruction. froggyintexas (retired teacher and a school district's worst nightmare when it comes to taking care of kids)

I had rheumatic back in 1943 The only thing back then was they use heat on my legs I still have legs aches and it left me with a weak heart but I am 73 and I have had 5 children they might have some other way to treat in to day back when I had it they used heat and also aspirns

I'm so sorry to hear of your daughter's illness and hope she's better soon!
My father and his sister both had Rheumatic Fever in their teens. They both were diagnosed with heart valve impairment in their 50's that their MDs thought might be related to the RF. Dad had mitral valve replacement at 60. His sister died of some sort of circulatory problems in her 60's, not sure of exactly what as they had lost contact over the years. We do know that she suffered from severe varicose veins. Related to the RA??
Had they known of the possible connection, could the valve problems have been prevented? I certainly don't want to scare you, but please ask your daughter's doctor, perhaps confer with a cardiologist?

I want to add that my Dad is now 89, and his heart will still be going loooong after the rest of him gives up!! It's now the healthiest part of him!

Discover magazine, May 2011 issue, has a two-page "Vital Signs" case report on a patient with rheumatic fever (pages 20-21). Apparently it has become extremely rare in the U.S., so the article says there were just 112 cases in 1994, the last year the U.S. tracked rheumatic fever cases.

What impressed me from this article is that your dd will need to be very vigilant about getting any future sore throat checked for strep. The woman in the case report had had RF as a child and got it again in her 50's. The doctors were very slow to correctly diagnose it and, as a result, it did some damage to her valves the second time around.

Poor kid! I hope her pain can be alleviated. Both my husband and my sister had rheumatic fever in the 40's and I remember going to visit my sister at the hospital...from the outside, waving to her through the window. They both were left with heart murmers which seem to have resolved themselves and both are 74 and in good health now.

God Bless her and you. Praying she heals soon and completely.

Trying to get her into a rheumatologist. Called to set up the appointment and they won't do it until they talk to the cardiologist. So, this may take awhile. But hopefully it will be worth it. Meanwhile she is in terrible pain. It is so hard to see your kids suffer.

Now my poor kid has 16 cavities and needs a root canal! I'm wondering if Rf affects your teeth too. The dentist didn't really think so. She just doesn't take care of her teeth right. Probably feeling horrible played a part.

I did find out that the Arthritis clinic has contacted the cardiologist for her records so that is good news.

After the rheumatologist and dentist I'm going to get her to an endocrinologist and probably an opthamologist to check her eyes. I think the RF is affecting her eyes too. My cousin that RF wound up nearly blind after her bout with it.

Any of you end up with bad vision afterwards?

when i had RF i had bad teeth to. and they said the also added to it. i remember mom had to take me to the dentist to get my teeth fix. later in life when i had to have my teeth fixed they would always put me on anitbiotics, before working on my teeth. they dont do it any more , dont know why. the dentist dont even ask any more if i had it or not.

it did not bother my eyes. but i would think each case is dirferent.

umm... well. I always finding a woman selling her ancestral prescription for rheumatic fever in the market, and she said she won't be paid if one can't recover.. but I don't know if it's ture. and I know a friend's mom can also cure it, but it takes lot of time.

how is your daughter doing??

Thanks for asking! She is not doing well at all. She feels like she is getting worse. The rheumatologist still hasn't called to set up the appointment so tomorrow I'm going to call them. If she isn't getting an appointment soon I'm considering the ER. I don't know what else to do. The pain in her hands is so bad now that she can't even bend her fingers.

I'm worried because on Wednesday she gets a root canal done and I'm afraid it will really set her back. She is so weak she can't do much of anything. And her eyes are getting progressively worse. And I just don't have access to the money needed for all the copays for all these doctors. So frustrating....

when i go to the doctors i tell them to just bill me the copays, than i just send them a payment every month.

Can the root canal be postponed? It seems to me it would be too stressful for her present condition.

Here is a link to a topical cream that might help with the hand pain:
http://www.amazon.com/Mobisyl-Reliev...dp/B00008WFLP/