For the umpteenth time, don't Google your symptoms

A few days ago, I metaphorically died, only to metaphorically come back to life this morning. This might sound like an exaggeration, but let me share my story.

If you've been following my blog, you're already aware of my struggle with a suspected stomach ulcer. Despite taking prescribed medications like omeprazole and antibiotics twice, there hasn't been any significant improvement in my condition. In fact, things took a turn for the worse last week.

My nights were filled with sleepless agony due to stomach pains. Regardless of the sleeping position I adopted - right-side, left-side, or back-side - the result was always the same. The only position I didn't try was sleeping on my stomach, for obvious reasons. The situation escalated when I visited my sister and casually mentioned my sleepless nights due to ulcer pain. She asked where exactly I felt the pain, and I pointed to the left-hand side of my stomach. She suggested that I visit a hospital for a proper check-up, as ulcer pains are typically felt in the middle of the stomach, just above the abdomen. She was the second person to make this observation.

That's when I decided it was time to seek proper medical diagnosis and treatment. But before doing so, I decided to investigate the possible causes of left-hand-side stomach pains. If I wouldn't have an opportunity to understand what's actually happening with me until Monday (since government hospitals don't operate during weekends unless it's an emergency), I thought I might as well do some research through Google or ChatGPT.

That's when my metaphorical death began.

My search returned a variety of options. One particular option that caught my attention was an enlarged spleen. I'm not sure why I decided to explore this option. Perhaps it was fate?

^{The antiacid, a piece that seems to have been missing in my puzzle to get relieved from stomach ulcer all these while.}

According to my research, pain at the top left-hand-side of the abdomen that radiates to the back and shoulder is likely due to an enlarged spleen. The symptoms matched perfectly with how I was feeling. In fact, I was almost 99% convinced that my condition was due to an enlarged spleen. So, I decided to delve deeper into the spleen, its functions, and the possible solutions to an enlarged spleen. What I discovered next was what metaphorically killed me.

The spleen primarily plays a role in the body's defense system. An enlarged spleen, medically known as splenomegaly, can result from various causes, including infections due to bacteria, viruses or parasites, liver diseases, blood disorders, inflammatory conditions, metabolic disorders, trauma, cirrhosis, certain cancers, storage diseases, and infiltrative diseases.

Wouldn't you feel metaphorically dead if you were in my shoes?

But it gets worse.

An enlarged spleen can rupture, either spontaneously or due to an impact. A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency that requires surgery. To treat an enlarged spleen, it's necessary to determine and treat the underlying condition. The enlargement can progress over time.

What intrigued me the most was the fact that an enlarged spleen can be caused by a parasite - malaria was specifically mentioned. As a person with AA blood genotype who's highly susceptible to malaria every 3 to 4 months, all the pieces seemed to fit together for a conclusive diagnosis.

Is it possible for me to prevent malaria in a malaria-endemic zone to halt the progression of my spleen enlargement? The answer is a resounding NO.

What if I have the spleen removed to eliminate the risk of it bursting in my body and causing a life-threatening medical emergency? Of course, it's possible to live without a spleen. However, doing so would compromise my immune system, limiting my body's ability to fight infections and foreign attacks.

In essence, it's strongly advised not to reside in a malaria-endemic zone if your spleen has been surgically removed.

My investigation into this matter began on a Saturday. By evening, I was already feeling the effects of what I believed to be an enlarged spleen and contemplating all possible outcomes. I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was suffering from an enlarged spleen and was merely waiting for confirmation on Monday. The nights of Saturday and Sunday were the longest of my life. On Monday morning, I was among the first to arrive at the general outpatient department of a nearby teaching hospital.

To cut a long story short, I was attended to by a doctor a few hours later, after completing the necessary paperwork. I made my symptom descriptions as detailed as possible. Even though I knew she wouldn't immediately conclude about my condition, I was expecting the presumptive diagnosis to be an enlarged spleen. She asked me to lie down and palpated my stomach from all sides.

At the end of the day, not a single test was recommended. She instructed me to head over to the pharmacy section with my card to get the prescribed drugs.

"Take the omeprazole tablets and the antacid for two weeks. Come back for a review thereafter."

A part of me felt relieved, while another part remained skeptical. I took the drugs as recommended and had the best night's sleep in a long time.

I only started living again today.