How To Help Pain Before Official Diagnosis/Medication

[cmartin5970]

my fiance has been having horrible stomach pains and blood in her stool as well as loss of appetite, headaches and other symptoms of Crohns disease. She went to the doctor and had an X-ray done and we are waiting on the results. She was also told to have a colonoscopy, but we have to first wait and hear back from the doctor and radiologist with the X-ray. In the meantime she is still in almost constant pain and is always saying her stomach hurts or feels crampy and has had periods of hot flashes and weakness/fatigue. I know there is medicine to help treat this disease once she is officially diagnosed, if in fact she has it, but i was hoping that someobdy could give me some advice about what I can do to help her through the pain now, until we finish dealing with the doctors. She can't really hold food down and quickly looses her appetite as well. I really wish the doctor had given her pain medication because I hate for her to hurt, but there is nothing we can do until she goes back to the doctor next week. I bought some nutrition shakes and some gatorade, hoping those would be easy for her stomach...but what else can i do to help her cope with these symptoms while the doctors are running their tests. I would love to do something to help with the pain. would something even like tylenol or advil work?? any advice/experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Trysha]

hot water bottles and heating pads are my mainstay for the abdominal pain.
Sometimes regular tylenol may help.
If there is any suspicion of Crohn,s do not use Advil or Nsaids, they make things a lot worse.,and they are contra indicated in IBD.
It can be very hard to cope with symptoms while waiting for diagnosis.If it gets rally bad better to get it checked in emergency.
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[mickey]

Avoid the cold and cold drinks. That can sometimes cause spasms. Warm drinks, perhaps broths can help her get some nutrition and soothe her? good luck!

 

[imwood]

Cold drinks will make the cramping worse, go for room-temperature drinks and hot teas. Peppermint tea, as simple as it is, always comforts my daughter.
For gatorade, I learned while in the hospital with food poisoning.. buy the gatorade powder and mix it up at home, the pre-made gatorade juices out there now are pure junk nowadays, and won't give her the sugar/salt balance she needs.

 

[Ducey99]

Never knew that about the cold drinks, or the Gatorade! I'll definietly have to keep it in mind.
As for the stomach pain, I've found a heating pad to be very helpful, especially during the night. I'd recommend getting an electric one that has an automatic shut-off if you can. Tylenol is what I would take for the pain if there are no alternatives.

Michael

 

[cmartin5970]

Thanks for all the responses!

We hope to hear back from the radiologist this week about the X-Rays but all of the advice has helped her cope with the pain

 

[mickey]

Give her belly rubs (circle the navel from HER right to left side). That will help keep the blood circulating in the area and may help relieve the pain. It will also rub out any trapped air and reduce inflammation. A hot water bottle (or heating pad) may also help. Don't get it too hot, but warm temp will help soothe her belly. I was told laying on the right side is better for digestion purposes; if that may help! Good luck!