In my gf’s case “it’s a virus” was the idea for the first week. Then they tested for Borrelia (not a virus, nor bacterium, but a spirochete).
Take care of yourself as best you can on the trip! I understand about having work responsibilities that just can’t be postponed or canceled, but if there is anything you can do to minimize your effort - leave a meeting early, have someone else carry the boxes, etc. - then DO IT.
I have no claim whatsoever to particular medical knowledge (my mother was a nurse who graduated from nursing school in the 1950s, does that count? 
) and I know nothing about diabetes, so consider this nothing more than a possible question to keep in mind when you are consulting the professionals who know your health profile: I’ve always thought that bringing down a fever with medication is a mixed bag. Sure, you don’t want to let it get so high that you have convulsions/permanent damage, but fevers are there for a reason: they are helping your body to fight off germs by making your body a place where they can’t survive and multiply.
So I would wonder if staving off the fever - though I know it is necessary and it seems like your PCP supports it - is possibly just prolonging your illness. When your business trip is over, if necessary can you cut back on the fever-reducing meds and see if that helps this mystery illness to run its course?
To reiterate, this is pure speculation and I’d be horrified if you changed any behavior other than what you might possibly talk to your doctor about because of this post. Take care!
I’ve already spoken to the team and I’ll be taking a back seat for most activities, and I’m not doing any of the usual dinners, cocktail receptions, etc.
There is something called the fever paradox, where fever reducers prolong the underlying issue, since fever is a response to help fight an infection.
Fever of Unknown Origin, which seems to be the case for you, is a genuine medical concern, though Doctor Google doesn’t suggest getting super worried until it’s gone on for 3 weeks, In your case it’s 10 days now, right?
Do you live alone? Or is there someone who can be around in case you get suddenly sicker? (e.g. a blood sugar crash).
As far as mixing ibuprofen and acetominophen - that was something suggested when my kids were young - though of course there’s the concern of mixing them up and overdosing on one or the other. When I had the flu, when the kids were young, I did that for them, and then for myself - otherwise I was basically shivering and praying for death.
You are diabetic.
A fever means infection, and absolutely YES your endocrinologist needs to be aware of what’s going on. Diabetes means you don’t function like a “normal” metabolism.
If it’s not your feet and your teeth are fine, I vote for kidneys.
@Beckdawrek is our expert on that topic.
Yes, there are doctors and hospitals in the city where you are going, but they don’t know your medical history. Keep your endo’s name and phone number in your wallet.
Please keep us updated.
~VOW
Well, I’m not an expert.
I have had some really dramatic things happen. After years of not having much more than a glycemic event that was very mild, fixed with sugar in juice.
It never stays that way forever.
I just worry @OldOlds you’re gonna get way out of your comfort zone and have a real problem. This, virus, infection, whatever you want to call it may foretell of something bad.
I, too am leaning toward kidneys.
Massive systemic infection caused from kidneys is very unpleasant and can really damage the kidneys.
My first one I was in the hospital 8 days.
Now I go to dialysis 3 times a week.
I do wish you very good luck.
I hope it’s all ok.
Make sure the people you’re with know about your diabetes and carry a glucose rescue pen and know someone who’s willing to use it if needed.
I hope you know that I genuinely value your concern. When I argue with you, it isn’t a “leave me alone” response- I’m just weighing all the factors and making a decision. That said, I believe in the power of an argument. Something not all my friends and family appreciate.
I just went back and re-reviewed the liver, kidney, and metabolic panels they did when I was in the ER. All were perfect. There’s no sign of anything going on there.
This thing sucks, and I don’t like it, but I think the reason they told me it’s probably a virus, will resolve, and they aren’t too worried about the trip might be that this is some virus.
I do want to get tested for Lyme- I’ve never had it but something about Lyme resonates with me. But I’ll probably have to wait to get back for that.
Keep in mind those tests are great, but give a snapshot look at function of the organ in some situations. For your kidneys, the BUN, Creatinine, and Phosphorus are elevated when the kidney isn’t doing its job, but you can have severe pyelonephritis (kidney infection) with normal numbers.
Ditto. They are dangerous to people who aren’t insulin dependant diabetics, too.
Ditto
That’s not a paradox. If you impair your immune system, it might not do it’s job as well. Sometimes the immune system overreacts and hurts you. But all those annoying symptoms are there for a reason.
Anyway, if you go to the meeting despite this, please wear a good face mask. It’s unlikely that what you have is still infectious, but it’s well within the range of possibility, and it would be nasty to give it to other people there.
Please keep us updated that you’re ok.
I suppose you’re right from a strict definition, but it’s what researchers call it.
Pay very close attention to your pee.
Changes in color, out put or odor. I know it’s gross. But it matters.
I don’t mean to be an alarmist and make you feel defensive. After all, it’s your body and you know it best.
Being forewarned is fore-armed.
Well, since there seems to be a lot of interest in this, I thought I’d let you know that I arrived yesterday and met with the team last night. I think I am starting to feel better, and last night the acetaminophen wearing off didn’t wake me up- that is, the fever didn’t rise accordingly and interrupt my sleep.
My appetite is still meh, so there’s that, but I think I’m feeling better.
Today and tomorrow are fairly easy. Saturday through Tuesday is where the rubber hits the road. I’ll let y’all know.
Update for today?
The concern is heartwarming. No sarcasm.
Yesterday AM I took a tylenol. Got to some meetings and lost track of time when it was time for my next one. Fever didn’t return. Now I’m >24h without acetaminophen and feeling fine. No fever. Just a tad tired. Blood sugars are behaving normally again too (to reiterate, it is totally normal for fever to f- with blood sugars. There’s a hormone response intended to increase blood sugar availability, but in my case I lack the insulin response).
I’m still slightly tired, and my appetite is weird- I’m hungry/not hungry. Hopefully that will right itself.
So looks like the docs were right. Something that just needed to run its course.
I never, ever want another 10 day fever though. That was F-ing awful.
I was lazy about the details before. I’m actually in NYC right now and this evening I fly to Canada; it’s a two step trip. So I have some open time today and it’s a beautiful day in NYC.
For about ten bucks (cost has probably gone up, like everything else) go to Amazon and buy a jar of urine test sticks. You want the kind that tests everything, not just glucose and ketones.
Test your urine whenever you feel “not right.” Those test sticks will let you know if you really do have something “not right.”
Until I had surgery that repaired or removed just about everything “from the belly button down,” those test sticks let me know if I really did need to go to the ER for yet another bladder infection.
~VOW
So happy to hear you’re better.
Update?
Still in Toronto and feeling fine. By Saturday everything but my appetite was back to normal and now even that’s back. Heading home tomorrow.
When they said it was a virus that would pass I thought they were being lazy. But maybe they were right.
Anyway, thanks everyone for the concern.