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Crohn's Disease Forum

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Joined
Jun 22, 2012
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Hello,

I NEED HELP IN THE FORM OF YOUR EXPERIENCE!

I know this is unusual. I do not have Crohn's.
My partner does. He's 39 & has had it since he was 14.
I've been with him 7 amazing years. He is the only man i've ever been in love with, my best friend, my confidant.

He has had 9 surgeries for the disease. Well - 5, and another 4 to clear up complications. These were all before i knew him.

He was fitted w/ an illeostomy in 2001 and has had no problems since... and no meds!!

Yesterday he ate something that made him uncomfortable. He soon realized there was a blockage.

They 1st did an X ray....then another X ray....then did a CT scan & it told the doctor there was a food blockage behind the stoma but no 'Crohn's' (GOOD news). Then the nurse said they were keeping him for 1 more day & doing ANOTHER Xray tomorrow & then maybe surgery (BAD news). I have no idea why another Xray would help after a CT scan, or why surgery would be needed when it's a food blockage.

Do they open you up when you're constipated? No.

Usually, from what we both know - the done thing is that they irrigate the area, clear it, & send you on your way.

The man has had NINE surgeries & we'd rather not have another. All this was especially annoying as the doctor wasn't actually there today...this was all being copied to us by a nurse who was not comfortable answering questions asked by someone who was knowledgeable about his own condition.
Eventually they gave in & gave my partner an enema to use on his stoma to irrigate the area. Things started moving, then stopped. He started to sweat & then vomited a bout 30ccs after not eating for more than 24hours.

Basically - I'm scared. here's a list explaining why!

- That hospital is a dump.
- This doctor seems very keen to operate.
- The place has ants. Lots of ants. SERIOUS.
- I've overheard at least 2 nurses say they were pulled off of breaks for emergency situations....this is after they've been working 9 hours.
- After hearing that the Dr wanted to operate, I asked what would happen if we asked for another doctor .....or discharged him & went to another hospital?
Answer: There's some 'doctor code' about refusing to treat a patient another doctor has already seen.... and chances are the 2nd hospital would send you back to the 1st & bill you for the ambulance ride.
- He admitted himself yesterday at 5.30pm. Today at 5.30pm he finally got a bed to lie in within the emerg ward (meaning he gets a curtain!) . He's lucky - there are people in beds all over the hallways, including the waiting room.

This is our wonderful Canadian socialist health care system right now!
 
I am a doctor by training (not GI and not surgery) in the U.S, and the mother of a teen who was recently diagnosed with Crohns.

I have never heard about a "'doctor code' about refusing to treat a patient another doctor has already seen.... and chances are the 2nd hospital would send you back to the 1st & bill you for the ambulance ride." It's hard to believe this is a real policy in Canada.

I do not know about treatment for blockages (medical vs surgical) but I do know that patients and family should speak up and do whatever they can to prevent doctors and hospitals from doing inappropriate or clearly incorrect tests or treatment. When someone has a chronic disease, s/he oftens know more about his/her body and disease than some doctors. In U.S. hospitals, there is often a patient representative or an ombudsman who can help a patient when there is a conflict or problem. Do Canadian hospitals have such a person?

Sending best wishes!
 
Greetings and welcome!

I'm so sorry to hear of what you and your partner are going through :( My heart goes out to you.

I agree with the above but otherwise have no answers. I did however copy your thread to our stoma subforum and named it "stoma blockage" there so maybe someone who has been through the same might be able to comment.

*hugs*
 
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