Boy I feel like crap today

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Jer's Girl

Jer's Girl

Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
872
I have stomach pain, a headache, I have been throwing up and I have been so lightheaded and dizzy for weeks, that I constantly feel like I am going to pass out. I am also having trouble with my vision. I can't get into see my GI for another few weeks (already had the anointment set up, thank God). I feel really terrible. My stomach pain feels like i have rocks in my stomach, with periodic stabbing pains that radiate through my back.

I am also afraid that I have become a hypochondriac because of all of the medicinal problems I have had in the past. Would you worry about this set of medical problems, or just wait it out?
 
Headache, shaky and dizzy could be from not eating enough, due to the throwing up. They're probably all related. Is there any way they can move your appointment up?

I've worried about becoming a hypochondriac, too. I get a new mole and start thinking I've got melanoma (to be fair, I HAVE had melanoma twice, so it's a valid concern). Or I feel a weird lump and fear that it's cancer of some sort.
 
I don't think you're being a hypochondriac at all. Those symptoms sound pretty real to me. If you can't move your GI appointment up, maybe make a trip to the walk-in clinic and see what they say.
 
I would say this warrants a visit to a doc. Have you been trying liquids? I hope you feel better.
 
You are definitely not a hypochondriac, or over-reacting. You're symptoms are worrying me. It sounds like dehydration that may need some help (IV fluids). You have a serious chronic condition, so no decent medical professional should ever make you feel like you are a hypochondriac. Please take care of yourself, sweetie.

* You also mentioned a pain in your back. If you are having trouble urinating, you may have an advanced UTI, or even kidney stones. Kidney stones cause a lot of pain, and stomach upsets too.
 
Thanks everyone so much. I have been eating fine, until today since I have been throwing up. I might try a liquid diet, but that always makes me feel even weaker.

Andi, it might be dehydration, but I have been trying to drink a lot of water. I have been severely dehydrated before and needed to be hospitalized for it. How do you know if that is what is happening for sure though?

I'm going to try to at least see my GP if I can get in. Thanks again everyone for your concern and advice!
 
I wouldn't take any chances with dehydration. I had a terrible vomiting bout that lasted for about 12 hours. I felt miserable! When I saw my general doctor, he said that I was badly dehydrated, and it was a good thing that I came in. He pushed my skin and it stayed depressed for a while. He said my coloring was bad, he thought I looked grayish. After being hooked up to IV fluids, my headache and some of the nausea started to dissipate. My doctor also said that people with digestive problems, especially when it comes to absorption, tend to suffer the worst from bouts of vomiting. I guess we dehydrate quicker. I was so grateful for that IV. I tried to rehydrate myself, and I thought I was doing a good job. I guess my body needed more than I could provide by mouth. It might be worth it to pay your doctor or ER a visit.

** I forgot to mention that, that bout of vomiting was caused by the Norovirus, "Stomach Flu." It wasn't related to my CD, though it sure didn't help it much. LOL! If you are have CD symptoms, I'd go to the doctor right away.
 
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You don't have to try just liquids, but it might be worth supplementing whatever you're eating with some Ensure and Gatorade.

Also, just water may exacerbate your problem. Dehydration can lead to electrolyte imbalance. A sports drink might help you feel a bit better.
 
When I vomit, I vomit nearly a litre of fluid each go (I've had a handy litre-sized jug I've been using lately to get me to the toilet). Multiply that by even two or three, and that's a heck of a lot of liquid to be getting rid of in a 24-hour period.

Dehydration certainly can make your symptoms worse. I've found that the times I've gone to A&E when I've been really sick, the IV fluids alone helped with the cramping (not to mention they can give you some anti-emetics for the nausea/vomiting, if necessary).

In my experience, if my mouth feels really dry, my tongue is coated with white, and I start to get cramps in my legs/feet, it's time to get some help for the dehydration.

I hope you can get sorted out soon!
 
Hi Nicole - Sorry to hear you are feeling so poorly! I ditto all above and say you need to get to the walk-in or ER sooner rather than later. My bet is on dehydration, and I hope it's nothing more serious than that! In the menatime, try SmartWater - it has electrolytes and doesn't have all the crap that sports drinks have in them.

Keep us posted - hope you feel better soon! - Ames
 
I'm such a baby when it comes to vomiting. If I were in your position I would be in the emergency room already. But you know your body better than anyone, so do what you feel is right. Personally, I would go get some fluids, anti-nausea meds, and painkillers. Everytime I go to the hospital, I get admitted. I put it off for so long that by the time I get there I have no electrolytes, my bloodpressure is through the roof and I'm almost always tachycardic. So then they have to keep me in for however many days to make everything normal again.

It's always better to be safe than sorry. So maybe you should go in and see what they think. I would hate for anything to happen from this. I hope your feeling much better soon.
 
Thanks everyone. My GI called me back and said go to the ER, but they say that about everything! I don't feel like I am in enough pain for that yet. I don't know.
 
Man, what a bummer... Feel better soon!

When I am having bouts I like to drink a hot strong cup of "Lemon Ginger" Yogi tea.
Something about the lemon and ginger really calms me down intestinally.
It is so frustrating when you can't keep anything down, but the last few times I've managed to keep the tea down, and it was a good starting point to slowly get rehydrated after.
 
Just catching this now. How are you feeling, Nicole? Still debating a trip to the ER?

I hope this passes quickly for you, and you feel better soon.
 
Thanks for the advice Blake. I had some blueberry tea and it seems to be staying down just fine. Good suggestion.

Jill, I think i should go. Better to waste a few (okay, many) hours at the ER and have nothing come of it than to let it get out of control.

I am always amazed at how thoughtful and great you all are. Thanks everyone for the compassion and advice. it is always so helpful.
 
Horrible morning.

I went to the ER this morning because both my GI and my GP told me to, and when I got there, they said that I needed to see my GI or GP! They said that it is their new policy to not see anyone who does not appear to have something life threatening going on. They refused to do any tests at all, and just said I didn't look sick enough, and if I couldn't get in to see my Dr, I could go to urgent care and be admitted to the hospital through urgent care.

I said that I probably needed a CAT scan since I have been so constipated and this is how things started before i had my block and needed an ostomy for six months last year, and they said that they did not want to do one, and they wouldn't be able to at UC!

My Drs office told me strait out that they were sending me to the ER because I would get the tests I need a lot fastener than if I waited to be seen at their office.

I am so sick of being jerked around. I was crying at the ER and explaining that everywhere I go they just pawn me off on the next person unless I am literally screaming in pain and needing surgery. Why do I have to let it get to that point before anyone cares? The Dr said that he still didn't want to do any testing and if I was blocked I would be throwing up. I said, "I just told you that I have been throwing up!"

He said, "I'm not saying that you don't have a block. You might end up needing the tests you think you need. I'm just saying that you have to go to your Dr first." To which I again explained that I couldn't get in to see my Dr, and my Drs had sent me to the ER.

It was a terrible round about conversation. I feel so helpless and alone. I don't want to be in the kind of pain I was in last year, and I am trying to be proactive, but I can't get anyone to see me because I don't look sick enough!

I am going to urgent care later today. My pain is getting worse, and I will need someone to drive me because I am afraid i am going to black out if I try and drive myself. I just want to give up.

I am so sick of having people, Drs, act like it is okay that I am in pain because I have Crohns.

I feel so sad and helpless.
 
Wow, I can't believe you're getting such a run-around. I'm sorry you have to deal with that. I thought the ER had to see/treat every patient that came in. How horrible that they just sent you away. :(
 
Thanks guys. The ER was empty too, so it was not like I was taking someones bed.

We are so medically under staffed in our state, that now they are aloud to not see patients in the ER if they don't seem to have a life threatening disease. I got some papers in the mail explaining it a few months ago. It seems illegal, but what can you do? I thought they would at least do some tests before sending me home!
 
That is terrible!! Dehydration CAN be life threatening, and you don't have to be throwing up and having D to experience it. I was dehydrated from having a fever a couple of years ago and had to lie in the ER to get two bags of fluids before I even pee'd.

Ugh. I hate that people think it is okay to be sick and in pain when you have Crohn's, too. They ACT like you are a hypochondriac, even though you are really sick. When I had my blockage, everyone just kind of looked at me writhing in the bed and had a funny look on my face... Enough already!!!

Have you thoght about moving?? I can't imagine living where there is not good medical care while dealing with a serious, chronic, incurable disease. In fact, we are thinking about moving for that reason. We have doctors and hospitals and ER's that will take you in, but I have to drive an hour or more to see a specialist.

Good luck and stay in touch. I cannot imagine what you are going through. Well, maybe because I was sick and no one knew why - but at least they were willing to help.
 
Wow, unbelievable that the ER really would refuse to treat you.

Is any of your doctors affiliated with a hospital? That might help in getting you treatment.
I always only go where my GI is also with the hospital and it seems to help being taken seriously, even if I don't crawl in on my knees.
 
I used to live in New Mexico and I can say that I thank god i left. My first colonoscopy the doctor never followed up with me and said i had the "warning signs" or ib. What is that supposed to mean.He perscribed me ibs medication. I also went in with complaints of bad fissures and didn't even get any help with that. Never actually saw the doctor just his nurse at one appointment before my colonoscopy. Not to mention the horrible care i got with the birth of my first son. I can't believe the er can do that.
 
Oh honey! That's not acceptable (and it IS illegal)! Please keep trying to get treatment. I hope you find someone who will listen and gets you tested. Big hugs!
 
I am so upset to read this! I can't believe they refused to help you! I can only imagine how hard it was for you to make the choice to go to the ER, and then to be turned away. Shocking...
 
Thank you all so much. It is always really hard for me to go to the ER, and I feel so frustrated and sad about how I was treated.

I am going to UC now, but I don't really expect to be treated any better there.

I am so nauseous, I wish I could barf on their counter Blake! :)

Thanks everyone for your support. If anyone knows how it feels to be treated like you are over reacting or not as sick as you say, it is another Crohnie! I wish things would change for us all. :(
 
This is pathetic. You ARE sick! You deserve to get the treatment you NEED. But me bitching on your behalf isn't going to change anything.
I went years without being diagnosed, even though I had all the symptoms I do now. I never even had morphine until this year, even when I went in crying. So I know what you're going through. I always ended up giving up and dealing with it myself. Now that I think about it, I don't know how I dealt with that pain.

Try the urgent care center, and if that doesn't work, maybe call your GI and have them send a referral to the emergency room? That's all I can think of right now, I'm sorry. Take care of yourself though, keep hydrated, and do whatever you can to feel better. God, this sucks so bad.
 
25times said:
I'm such a baby when it comes to vomiting. If I were in your position I would be in the emergency room already. But you know your body better than anyone, so do what you feel is right. Personally, I would go get some fluids, anti-nausea meds, and painkillers. Everytime I go to the hospital, I get admitted. I put it off for so long that by the time I get there I have no electrolytes, my bloodpressure is through the roof and I'm almost always tachycardic. So then they have to keep me in for however many days to make everything normal again.

It's always better to be safe than sorry. So maybe you should go in and see what they think. I would hate for anything to happen from this. I hope your feeling much better soon.
Click to expand...

What she said, for sure! Hope you are feeling better real soon!
 
Thanks again everyone.

I sent several hours in the Urgent Care and got some blood work done and got an X-ray, only to have them find nothing, but at least they cared enough to look. Everyone there was appalled at how i was treated at the ER, which made me feel a bit better emotionally at least.

They sent me home saying that if I started feeling any worse, I should go back to the ER, and if they wouldn't see me, I should go back to the UC and they would refer me. Ahhhh!

Frankly, I give up. I have my GI appointment's coming up (finally) in two weeks, so maybe I can get some answers then. I guess for now, I'm going to try to rest and hope nothing gets worse.

All of your support and advice has meant so much. I hope you are all well, and I'll let you know if anything changes.
 
Thanks for the update, Nicole. I am glad the UC showed you the attention you deserve. I am glad they didn't find anything alarming, but I guess that didn't give you the answers you wanted. I hope you feel a little better day by day. Hang in there!
 
Unbelieveable! Wow! I can't believe the ER turned you away. You have Crohn's, you're vomiting, you're weak and dehydrated . . . outrageous that they wouldn't treat you. The ERs here (Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia) aren't always the fastest, but I've never heard of them turning anyone away, ever. Can your doctor give them a standing order that they have to treat you if you need it? I mean, if you have an obstruction, you could die, after all. Unreal.
 

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