Fiancee in extreme pain, hasn't been able to keep any food down really need some help

[kthibs]

My fiancee was diagnosed with crohns a few months ago and since that day it seems like the foods he can eat are narrower and narrower. He had had some cheddar cheese about two days ago and since then he's stomach (or intestines?) have been making really loud noises, so loud it is able to wake me up. For two days he's barely gotten any sleep between throwing up and other bathroom problems if you catch my drift. i'm very concerned he's not getting the nutrition he needs and has in the past 2 months has lost something like 30 or 40 pounds. I've gotten SCD cook books and other Crohns cook books but it seems that everything i try to make for him aside from plain baked chicken has resulted in the same sort of thing. He's clearly getting weaker and is having a hard time keeping even liquids down such as sugar free (and artificail sugar free) juices and crackers. This has been stressing me out to no end as it seems like I can't make anything that won't make him miserably ill. Besides the immediate concern for his health, I'm worried he will never be able mto hold down a job like this because he would have to call out constantly due to his amount of pain and fatigue and bathroom trips. I really need some suggestions. I wanted to bring him to the hospital because I really don't know what else to do at this point but he says they won't tell him anything he doesn't already know.

Someone please help me, I'm just about in tears trying to figure this out.

Thank you to anyone who responds :angry-banghead:

 

[StaceyQ]

it sound slike he is having a flare, Take him to the Er and they will take blood to see what is going on, Just becuase he has crohns does not mean they will not treat him to calm it down and get it under control, I would take him asap before it gets any worse.

Does he have a onsultant he can get an emergency appointment with if he doesnt want yo go to hospital?

 

[Susan2]

Kristy, when your fiancee was diagnosed with Crohn's, was he put on any treatment? Do you know any more about his condition - where the Crohn's is situated, how severe it is? It certainly sounds as though, if he is on any medication, it is not having the desired effect.

Some more details would enable people on the Forum to give more informed advice.

 

[kthibs]

i know he's on meds for acid refulx, he was on a steroid but I beleive he's through with that right now and gosh I know he's on one other but I honestly can't remember the name. They said he had a loose connection between his esophogus and his stomach, they found an ulcer in his small intestine. They didn't tell us how severe they thought it was but it seems as though it's pretty severe. I'm inclined to believe the crohns is situated around the end of his small intestine. It seems like these meds really don't do anything for him except for the steroid. I'm sorry I'm not very well informed, he's been very embarassed about it and I fear if he goes on the way he is he won't be far from surgery. they had done a upper and lower endoscopy and colonoscopy and I seem to recall there being scaring. I'm nervous that perhaps his ulcer is playing a part in this but he doesn't seem to think so.

thank you guys so much

 

[Aussie]

Hi Kristy, would agree with Susan, need more info - where is his Crohns (large bowel, small bowel, upper GI, etc), how was he diagnosed? What tests has he had? In particular, what small bowel imaging. What treatment is he on?

Severe pain with vomiting could well be a small bowel obstruction, or perhaps he has perforated - serious stuff. Should definitely get a review (at least an abdo Xray looking for obstruction at the very least).

Good luck.

 

[Aussie]

Hi Kristy, you must've answered Susan's post while I was typing... I would definitely want to rule out a small bowel obstruction, while waiting he could try EEN (exclusive enteral nutrition), good to induce remission, particularly good in the setting of obstructive symptoms.

 

[kthibs]

and no he doesn't have a consultant besides the doctor he was seeing for the colonoscopy. He also suffers from ADHD and I have a hard time getting him to focus on what he needs to do to get well. i was thinking about bringing him to a nutritionist maybe?

 

[2thFairy]

He needs a gastroenterologist (a GI) first to oversee his medication and make a further plan of action to treat his Crohn's, then maybe a nutritionist. Without a Gastro specialist, I would imagine his condition will just get worse. Sounds pretty scaring as it is now.

 

[kthibs]

he doesn't seem to think it's very serious and i don't know how to convince him it really is because i'm really worried

 

[Mia E]

hi! sounds really scary!
where in the world are you?
it would make a difference as to who you would need to call i would imagine! x

 

[Lisa]

If he has lost that much weight in a relatively short time, can't eat anything and is constantly vomiting - it is TIME for an urgent appointment either with a GI or a trip to the ER! That is a medical doctor, a nutritionist won't do ANYTHING for him if he can't eat!

Part of the issue right now MAY be that his electrolytes and other body chemicals are off and resulting in him not thinking clearly He really needs to be seen before he does permanent damage to himself.....

Don't want to scare you, but this really DOES sound SERIOUS.

 

[kthibs]

i feel comfort that everyone here seems to agree with me, his mom and him seem to think the nutritionist will clear everything up but i keep telling them that this is much more serious than they seem to recognize. all he ate yesterday was a piece of bread. they keep saying a week of feeling this way won't result in surgery but i feel like it doesn't take that long to do some heavy damage.

and Mia E -- I am in NY, USA

i'm just so worried especially since I am studying to be a medical editor and have a pretty good understanding of the body.... he's embarassed and quite angry that i keep trying to get him to go to the er. his family is saying he has to learn for himself but once again, i'm not sure they understand the apparent urgency of the situation.

today he's been pretty much between passing out and conciousness but he keeps saying he's just tired because he didn't sleep... i don't want him to learn the hard way.

 

[heisenberg]

he needs to go to his consultant (or if not A&E) straight away. It is pointless trying to soldier through the pain as it is very unlikely to get better by itself. Loss of appetite is a common symptom of crohn's and no matter what you do with his diet it won't fix it. I had a similar problem recently - I was hardly eating anything for about 2 weeks, then towards the end of that time I couldn't physically eat ANYTHING without being sick straight away (I lost 25lb in about 2 weeks as well). When I went to my consultant he said a few more days and I would have definitely had to be admitted to hospital, as it was I was just given a course of steroids, and I started to feel ok again after a day or two.

 

[kthibs]

i think i may try to get him to read this thread, maybe seeing it for himself will offer him some perspective, he's seems to think i'm being overly cautious but after speaking with you guys i'm confident that he should be listening to me and taking this more seriously.

 

[Lisachicago]

Tell him if he won't go to the ER for himself to do it for YOU as you are so worried about him and, 'are, getting sick yourself with concern about him.

 

[newlymarriedtocrohns]

If he's throwing up, sick in the bathroom, loosing weight, and in extreme pain then it definitely sounds serious, like he should go to a GI or the ER. Remind him that pushing through the pain could result in serious damage. My hubby tried to ignore the pain before he was diagnosed and he ended up in the hospital for surgery. If he's still hesitant, maybe he could call his family doctor for their opinion. They'll probably tell him to go to the hospital too.

In the meanwhile, maybe try meal options from a liquid diet to give him more nutrients. Chicken broth, juicing, protein shakes, or maybe smoothies (if he can handle higher fiber) are generally easier on the stomach and can help him eat more than just a slice of bread. Good luck!

 

[StaceyQ]

Has he been yet? x

 

[Lisachicago]

Also, hoping you can say he's been to the ER.

 

[Kip1]

ER visit definitely if he is passing out. He will do more damage to what's currently go on with his Crohn's & the rest of him if he doesn't get help soon. They may arrange for a GI to see him there.