What are the symptoms of Whipple Disease ?
Signs and symptoms of Whipple disease can vary widely from person to person. The most common symptoms of Whipple disease are
                
- diarrhea  - weight loss caused by malabsorption
                
A person may not have diarrhea. Instead, other signs and symptoms of Whipple disease may appear, such as
                
- abnormal yellow and white patches on the lining of the small intestine  - joint pain, with or without inflammation, that may appear off and on for years before other symptoms  - fatty or bloody stools  - abdominal cramps or bloating felt between the chest and groin  - enlarged lymph nodesthe small glands that make infection-fighting white blood cells  - loss of appetite  - fever  - fatigue, or feeling tired  - weakness  - darkening of the skin
                
People with a more advanced stage of Whipple disease may have neurologic symptomsthose related to the central nervous systemsuch as
                
- vision problems.  - memory problems or personality changes.  - facial numbness.  - headaches.  - muscle weakness or twitching.  - difficulty walking.  - hearing loss or ringing in the ears.  - dementiathe name for a group of symptoms caused by disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia may not be able to think well enough to do normal activities such as getting dressed or eating.
                
Less common symptoms of Whipple disease may include
                
- chronic cough.  - chest pain.  - pericarditisinflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart.  - heart failurea long-lasting condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the bodys needs. Heart failure does not mean the heart suddenly stops working.