Vida Maya Ko has posted on her blog, and emailed me this letter:
My niece Kaisha, 4, was brought to the hospital several times here in Davao–medical check-up at Brokenshire Hospital and confinement at San Pedro Hospital to be exact. Lab tests and observations were inconclusive until finally her sharp stomach pains and vomiting were dismissed as mere dyspepsia.
When they thought she was well enough to travel, they flew back to Manila. However, the stomach pains recurred, but this time with purplish rashes on the legs. She was brought to St. Luke’s hospital, and after several visits and a confinement, she was diagnosed for Henoch-Schonlein Purpura, a form of blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis) syndrome affecting the kidneys, though intestinal in nature. The irritation of her stomach due to rashes/swellings in the intestines causes her to vomit. The swelling also causes displacement of her kidneys, thus affecting excretory functions, which also causes arthritis of her legs (edema or pagmamanas) and hypertension.
Aspirin is the only medication at the moment that she can take to relieve the pain and swelling.
Complications could be cardiac overload, respiratory arrest, and hemorrhage if long term treatment of aspirin is used.
A serious long-term complication of this disease would be kidney problems.
Please help us source information regarding this illness as well as alternative medications that will not have the negative side effects of these anti-inflammatory and antibiotic treatments (i.e. aspirin, corticosteroids).
For information, please comment on this entry or send to riajose@gmail.com.
Hi, Ria. I’ve sent you an email. I hope she gets well soon.
Hi
I do not have a solution to your problem, on the contrary, as I am living with the same problem. I am 65 years old, and the inflamed intestinal system as well as the purpura in the small vessels mainly on my legs have bothered me since 2001. I have consulted the best doctors in Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark – I have consulted so many doctors at Makati Medical Center in Manila, where I live – the only thing that has helped me so far is prednisolone, which I now take every day to give me a bearable life.
Presently I am seeing a homeopat and a ciropractor here in Denmark, and they advise me to eat very gentle food to help my stomac heal – no meat from 4-legged animals (pork, beef and so on).
I wish your little daughter all the best, how sad that a little girl has to struggle with such a problem.
Best wishes
Tove
I don’t know if Red Juice would help cure the illness. It’s available in Mercury Drug Store. I watched it on TV but i forgot the place where it was used.
The cause of the disease is unknown nor is there a cure, but typically after 3-4 weeks it spontaneously resolves itself. What you should be worried about are her kidneys that can be damaged in the process. There is also a chance of relapse. I hope your niece gets better soon.
I understand the fustration you are going through because I was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura 30 yrs. ago when I was 17yrs. old. In my situation, after 2 weeks of nausea, vomiting, urinating blood, and daily visits to the doctor to determine what was going on with me the doctor’s told my mom that this condition was brought on by a strong strain of Strep Throat. Although this happened 30 yrs. ago I am not able to take anything with asprin since then because I had suffered internal bleeding. My immune system was weakened so I do get sick more than a normal person and have reoccuring bouts from time to time, the key is getting immediate medical attention when you get sick to stop any infection that would trigger an episode. Last, but not least I am to see a nephrologist every 6 months to check my kindneys because I produce way to much protein in my urine (since my first incident with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura I have blood in my urine that is only visible when tested). The good news is that I am still able to lead a normal life. I learned to listen to my body and know when to go to the doctor, but for the most part I am normal. I hope this helps.