Pain, nausea, diarrhea

[gillmc]

Hi all not posted for a while but thought I could maybe get some answers on here.

I have been off work since the start of October due to my Crohns symptoms which are pretty uncontrollable at the moment. I have terminal illeitus? (spelling)I started on Methotrexate injections 6 weeks ago but as yet am getting no relief from my symptoms which are intense pain in my upper left abdomen, this is almost constant and is not relieved by bm. I go around 8 or 9 times to the loo in the mornings, then another few times throughout the day/night. The nausea is a new thing for me, and have been prescribed Cyclazine for it. I have also been advised to take my folic acid every day apart from the day I inject as opposed to on the 3rd day afterwards. I am so over this pain and diarrhea, it's taking over my life. I can't go out for a walk for fear of having to run to the nearest loo (there are no loos in the countryside). I just don't know what else to do. I have been taking Spasmonal for the pain but to little effect. I have a GI appt in March but really want to see someone before this, my GP just keeps referring me back to my IBD nurse, and I can never get hold of her when I want her oo:

Does anyone else have these problems and what do you do to relieve them?

Sorry for the whinge but am feeling really sorry for myself just now

Ta x

 

[durwardian]

Been there and i have had some success with fasting it out. Stop eating for a few days and let things calm down. Sometimes narcotics help to slow it down also. Immodium if you can take it. To reintroduce food, use baby food or liquid nutrition.

 

[UnXmas]

Imodium (loperamide) can help with diarrhoea. Your GP should be able to prescribe it for you (cheaper than buying it, and you can get a much larger prescription than the small packs sold in chemists). Also ask your GP about Lomotil (co-phenotrope), which is only available on prescription but has few risks or side-effects, and I found it stronger than Imodium. Codeine can also help with diarrhoea, although it can result in you becoming tolerant or addicted, so if you've ever had problems of this nature, you may need to be careful with it. Another med that really slowed my bowel down (although I was actually prescribed it for a different purpose) is Amitriptyline. Again, this is only available on prescription, and this med does have a lot of potential side effects, but I found it more constipating than both Imodium and Lomotil. Amitriptyline can also help with some types of stomach pain.

These meds I've mentioned are really addressing symptoms - they won't tackle Crohn's or its inflammation, as you probably know you'll need specialist advice from a consultant if Methotrexate isn't working for you, and you may need tests to assess the severity of the Crohn's, whether it's changed location, or whatever else is going on, but sometimes controlling symptoms is the best that can be done in the short-term, and, if it allows you to get out of the house, then controlling symptoms is a good thing in itself.

As a last resort, have you considered incontinence pads? Before I had my ileostomy I did need them at times. For me, getting outside was more important to me than wearing the pads. It's a personal choice really, but it sounds miserable to be stuck at home. If all else fails, could you pack a bag with loo roll and anti-bacterial hand-gel, and go behind a hedge in the countryside? I guess this depends on how isolated the countryside where you live is. I love being outdoors and hate how disease can restrict us. The ileostomy has been a life-saver for me as my bathroom needs are now far more easier to deal with, and I only need incontinence pads for my bladder problems now.