Obstruction? How long is too long?

[paddywack]

I was dx'd with crohn's around 5 years ago.

I talked to my GI a few weeks ago because I had been bouncing between constipation and diarrhea, with increased abdominal pain.

Eating was causing a lot of pain, so I cut way back on food.

Doc sent me for an MRI. They found soft tissue thickening at the IC valve, so he wants to do a colonoscopy. That's scheduled for Friday.

I was having diarrhea and pain last weekend. Last round was Sunday morning.

Since then I've passed nothing but gas. I'm having abdominal pain around my bellybutton. I took a single dose of miralax Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. And nothing.

I've been drinking a lot of water. The pain comes and goes, but it hasn't gotten higher than a 6 on my pain scale. 7 is when I head to the ER.

I don't have a fever. I have been nauseous off and on, but no vomiting.

I bought the dulcolax tabs for the prep next week and I'm tempted to try taking one or two now. But I haven't had any bowel strictures or obstruction before. I'm a bit concerned that if I take it, and there is some sort of blockage, that I'm going to make things very, very bad.

I understand that a post doesn't take the place of medical care, and if I had a fever or intense unrelenting pain, I would take myself to the ER.

I was hoping that someone with more experience may be willing to offer an opinion.

Is it a terrible idea to throw TNT down the hatch?

 

[my little penguin]

Have you called the on call Gi ?
They can tell you next steps since you have new symptoms
FWIW my kiddo takes miralax (has taken it daily for 9 years )
It must be taken daily for at least three days in a row to do anything and sometimes it takes longer
How long since your last bm ?
Definitely call your on call Gi and they can tell you what to do

Rule of thumb here
If your ask /thinking ER -enough to post here
It’s time to head to the ER

 

[paddywack]

Have you called the on call Gi ?
They can tell you next steps since you have new symptoms
FWIW my kiddo takes miralax (has taken it daily for 9 years )
It must be taken daily for at least three days in a row to do anything and sometimes it takes longer
How long since your last bm ?

Rule of thumb here
If your ask /thinking ER -enough to post here
It’s time to head to the ER

Almost 7 days.

The pain is not constant and does not require an ER.

I'm worried that if I take the dulcolax, it might put me at that level.

And I'm thinking now there isn't any way to know except to either try it. Or go in.

 

[my little penguin]

Call your Gi
7 days is a long time
Especially if they noted thickening

 

[paddywack]

Call your Gi
7 days is a long time
Especially if they noted thickening

That is sound reasoning. Thank you

 

[Jo-mom]

Paddywack, please let us know how you are doing. Good luck.

 

[paddywack]

I don't think my GI clinic has an on-call doctor via phone.

I live less than 10 minutes from the hospital.
So after discussing with a friend and DH, I took one tablet before bed and agreed that if didn't do anything, I would head to the ER in the morning.

I'm not in significant pain, so I'm going to shower first and head out within the hour. DH is coming with me. Probably in for a boring few hours. But just in case that's not how it goes.

 

[Jo-mom]

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck.

 

[my little penguin]

Glad your going in

 

[paddywack]

ER ordered a CT. Result shows no obstruction, so I can go home and take some meds to clear out.

So that's a relief.

 

[my little penguin]

Glad there is no obstruction
Good luck with the clean out

 

[paddywack]

Labs are all normal, too. The doc said the CT does show some inflammatory changes, but that's probably what they saw on the MRI and why my GI doc wants the colonoscopy.