In the hospital, need advice

[fateful_one]

Hi everyone. I am in the hospital right now. This is the second time ever where I have had to be hospitalized for Crohn's.

This time it is because of an obstruction at my iliuem. I am on a clear liquid diet, steriods, pain meds, etc. The pain subsides when I am empty of fliuds, but about an hour after tea and broth it starts to hurt. My doc says I need to start remicade monday morning and get onto a tampering dose of prednisone after leaving the hospital tomorrow afternoon.

After this round though, I feel I am getting closer to the prospect of surgery. I do not want to have surgery though unless it is of the last resort.

How is that decision made though? My doc has never even mentioned it to me. Any advice is welcomed

Thanks!

 

[Lydia]

Wait and see how you respond to remicade. Its only been a few days and I am starting to improve.

 

[Crohn's 35]

I agree if you are adament about not having surgery til a last resort, I would wait for the remicade, but it takes some time to work. You will have to watch what you eat so you dont obstruct again. Painful to have those! So sorry you are there in the holidays, letting you know we are there for you! Hugs!

 

[Guest]

hi there, sorry to hear about you're troubles right now i hope things improve real soon, and you can get home and back to normality!

regarding surgery... i think i'd wait until your consultant/surgeon recommends it's time to consider it. there's no harm in bringing this up in conversation with him before that point though, just so you know what his opinion is regarding you and your particular issues.

 

[Tweaks]

Were they able to clear the obstruction? And if so how? Sorry but I've never had an obstruction and am curious about it..

Also you might see about talking to your doctor/surgery about pain meds. I myself took pain meds for a couple months while they first diagnosed me..

Whatever you end up doing I wish you a speedy recovery, hospital visits are never fun and can be a downer especially when you have uncontrolable pain..

 

[fateful_one]

update

Well, I think I will get to go home today. The obstruction was basically an area of edema (swelling) and inflammation. After strong doses of steriods it looks like things are getting through now, but I can only handle liquids. When I leave here I will have to continue the liquids for awhile and hope that the Remicade kicks in fast.

They have been giving me a morphine type med and they will send me home with norco.

I know I have had at least 5 close calls in regards to obstructions. Most times though I am able to catch it before it causes vomiting. I usually feel it coming on and start babying myself and eating mushy/liquids for a few days until I feel better. This time though, it came on too suddenly to try any preemptive measures.

The pain from a partial or total obstruction is really bad. It feels like your tummy is growing bigger and bigger, stretching until finally it feels like you will explode.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. I am going to take everything step by step and hope that I can postpone surgery for a couple of more years, though I am afraid it is most likely inevitability. Thanks again, everybody!

 

[alexandros8]

Good luck! I am with those who think of surgery as a last resort. Hopefully the meds can help you out.. if the doc thinks its not too late for meds, then I'd definitely give them a shot. Do you know if all your issues are in that one spot at the illieum?

 

[suzielouwhoo]

sorry to hear you are feeling so crappy! i spent a lot of time in the hospital and it is not fun. i eventually had to have a temporary colostomy performed in nov of 2006 and it was the best decision i ever made. i had a life again. so i am with you, surgery is always a last resort but if you have to have one just try to stay positive and keep smiling! it definitely helps. get better.

 

[acg101]

Hang in there

I agree that surgery is always a last resort but you should try remicade, humira or cimzia. short of having dysplasia, I would push surgery out. I was on remicade for 3 years, out of which 2 in almost full remission. I am now on Cimzia and waiting for my colonoscopy
hang in there