Suffering from incessant fevers, muscle pain, and mysterious nodules across his body for nine years, Chuck's hope was fading. No doctor could explain his sporadic flu-like symptoms. Then, he crossed paths with Dr. Daniel Kastner, an unconventional and brilliant physician with a unique approach to disease research. Together with his colleagues at the National Institutes of Health, their groundbreaking discovery might just hold the key to Chuck's medical mystery.

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

*

****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******

If you’re looking for more information on VEXAS and to learn about Dr. Kastner's work, go to the National Institutes of Health's website at NIH.gov. 

Suffering from incessant fevers, muscle pain, and mysterious nodules across his body for nine years, Chuck's hope was fading. No doctor could explain his sporadic flu-like symptoms. Then, he crossed paths with Dr. Daniel Kastner, an unconventional and brilliant physician with a unique approach to disease research. Together with his colleagues at the National Institutes of Health, their groundbreaking discovery might just hold the key to Chuck's medical mystery.
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
*
****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******
If you’re looking for more information on VEXAS and to learn about Dr. Kastner's work, go to the National Institutes of Health's website at <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">NIH.gov</a>.

How terrifying would it be to fight an unknown enemy? One you don’t recognize and didn’t see coming? What if that enemy was coming from within; a disease that even doctors couldn’t identify? Nearly half of all Americans suffer from some chronic illness and many struggle for an accurate diagnosis.

Every other week on Symptomatic, host Lauren Bright Pacheco unravels the medical mystery of a patient’s baffling symptoms and explores how their lives were turned upside down in search of answers. 

From the first signs of trouble, through a swirl of misdirection and failed treatment attempts, to the final relief at a confirmed diagnosis - these are their stories. This is Symptomatic.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think of the show or share your own medical mystery by emailing us at Symptomatic@iHeartMedia.com.

How terrifying would it be to fight an unknown enemy? One you don’t recognize and didn’t see coming? What if that enemy was coming from within; a disease that even doctors couldn’t identify? Nearly half of all Americans suffer from some chronic illness and many struggle for an accurate diagnosis.
Every other week on Symptomatic, host Lauren Bright Pacheco unravels the medical mystery of a patient’s baffling symptoms and explores how their lives were turned upside down in search of answers. 
From the first signs of trouble, through a swirl of misdirection and failed treatment attempts, to the final relief at a confirmed diagnosis - these are their stories. This is Symptomatic.
We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think of the show or share your own medical mystery by emailing us at <a href="mailto:SymptomaticPod@gmail.com">Symptomatic@iHeartMedia.com</a>.

Symptomatic: A Medical Mystery Podcast

Case #10: Chuck & Dr. Kastner

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/eb35090e-8528-459e-a663-b0920162a080/transcript

Grace Sullivan was only 17 when she was hit by unexplained bouts of uncontrollable vomiting that would last for days, even weeks. Countless trips to the ER, tests with no conclusive results, and no clear indicator for the root cause. After 19 hospitalizations in the span of two years - Grace believed she may never get better…especially when it became clear that the thing causing these episodes was something she had become completely reliant on.

 

We want to hear from you! Share your own medical mystery or tell us about the episode you connected with the most at Symptomatic@iheartmedia.com.

 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

*

****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******

 

You can learn more about Dr. Andrew Meltzer's work on CHS here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39985554/. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, you can find resources at usa.gov/substance-abuse.

Grace Sullivan was only 17 when she was hit by unexplained bouts of uncontrollable vomiting that would last for days, even weeks. Countless trips to the ER, tests with no conclusive results, and no clear indicator for the root cause. After 19 hospitalizations in the span of two years - Grace believed she may never get better&hellip;especially when it became clear that the thing causing these episodes was something she had become completely reliant on.
&nbsp;
We want to hear from you! Share your own medical mystery or tell us about the episode you connected with the most at <a href="mailto:Symptomatic@iheartmedia.com">Symptomatic@iheartmedia.com</a>.
&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*
****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******
&nbsp;
You can learn more about Dr. Andrew Meltzer's work on CHS here: <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39985554/">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39985554/</a>. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, you can find resources at <a href="http://usa.gov/substance-abuse">usa.gov/substance-abuse</a>.

Case #37: Grace

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a2d983a6-86d3-4ff1-af35-b4ef01062d4a/transcript

Travis Bolt was a charismatic kid with an old soul…and a natural talent for music. When Travis turns eight years old, he begins to experience uncontrollable muscle movements that continue to escalate in intensity. He starts getting in trouble in school, injuring himself inadvertently, and faces years of medical trial treatments that create new health problems. All the while, Travis endures relentless bullying at school—not only from fellow students, but from teachers as well, the result of ignorance and a lack of understanding about his condition—until he stumbles upon an unconventional treatment that changes everything.

 

We want to hear from you! Share your own medical mystery or tell us about the episode you connected with the most at Symptomatic@iheartmedia.com.

 

Travis's music was provided by Gravel Road Records and can be found on your favorite streaming platforms by searching Travis Bolt. His new album is called Burning Bridges.

 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

*

****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******

 

If you'd like to learn more about the Tourette's Association of America, you can find them at tourette.org. 

Travis Bolt was a charismatic kid with an old soul&hellip;and a natural talent for music. When Travis turns eight years old, he begins to experience uncontrollable muscle movements that continue to escalate in intensity. He starts getting in trouble in school, injuring himself inadvertently, and faces years of medical trial treatments that create new health problems. All the while, Travis endures relentless bullying at school&mdash;not only from fellow students, but from teachers as well, the result of ignorance and a lack of understanding about his condition&mdash;until he stumbles upon an unconventional treatment that changes everything.
&nbsp;
We want to hear from you! Share your own medical mystery or tell us about the episode you connected with the most at <a href="mailto:Symptomatic@iheartmedia.com">Symptomatic@iheartmedia.com</a>.
&nbsp;
Travis's music was provided by Gravel Road Records and can be found on your favorite streaming platforms by searching Travis Bolt. His new album is called Burning Bridges.
&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*
****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******
&nbsp;
If you'd like to learn more about the Tourette's Association of America, you can find them at tourette.org.&nbsp;

Case #36: Travis

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/53cf242b-036d-412e-aad6-b4e90002b0d0/transcript

Let's revisit one of our favorite episodes from Season 1. Zach was your average 11-year-old who loved pizza, sports, and going fishing with his Dad until an incident at a baseball game changed his life forever. As an illness quickly takes hold and wreaks havoc on his body, it’s a race against the clock to figure out what’s happening and save Zach’s life. All new medical mysteries are back next week!

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

*

****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******

To find out more information on Sepsis, visit Sepsis.org.

Let's revisit one of our favorite episodes from Season 1. Zach was your average 11-year-old who loved pizza, sports, and going fishing with his Dad until an incident at a baseball game changed his life forever. As an illness quickly takes hold and wreaks havoc on his body, it&rsquo;s a race against the clock to figure out what&rsquo;s happening and save Zach&rsquo;s life. All new medical mysteries are back next week!
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*&nbsp;
*
****** SPOILER ALERT BELOW ******
To find out more information on Sepsis, visit<a href="https://www.sepsis.org/sepsis-basics/what-is-sepsis/"> Sepsis.org</a>.

Case #03: Zach - Revisited

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a11ab90d-7f2a-4647-8ff7-b4e4014eca57/transcript

Case #10: Chuck & Dr. Kastner

In 1 playlist(s)

Symptomatic: A Medical Mystery Podcast

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips