Two ER visits later...

[sisen]

I've been having diarrhea nonstop since Sunday evening. I was coming home from a weekend away with friends. I haven't had much of an appetite since then. Tuesday I visited the ER because I knew I wasn't taking in enough fluids. They checked my labs gave me an IV, and sent me on my merry way. I didn't eat all of Tuesday. I tried after the visit but ended up vomiting.

Wednesday I managed to keep down some toast and crackers, plus Gatorade. However, later in the evening my stomach started to bloat. Knowing that wasn't a good sign, I brought a myself back to the ER. After waiting a couple hours I finally got in.

The doc hit me hard with bad news at the gates suspecting obstruction. They did a cat scan, loaded me up on some other meds for anti spasm, nausea, and another IV.

He finally returned with the results. My 6mp has been managing stuff, but my distal ileum is inflamed nearly shut. They gave me some steroids and said they're admitting me. I've had ER visits for crohns and flares before, but I've never needed to be admitted. They consulted my GI and he's supposed to pop in to see me.

My biggest worry is this is going to require surgery. I'm a natural worrier and it doesn't help matters at all.

Six hours in and I'm still waiting on my room to open up.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I'm sorry to hear you're suffering so. I hope things work out soon so you can finally relax in your room. Please keep us updated on how you're doing. In the meantime, am sending you lots of hugs!!!! :hug:

 

[sisen]

I'm sorry to hear you're suffering so. I hope things work out soon so you can finally relax in your room. Please keep us updated on how you're doing. In the meantime, am sending you lots of hugs!!!! :hug:

Thanks! I just saw my nurse practitioner. No clear liquids until tomorrow, and I'm due for another IV. Still waiting on my room too.

 

[Crohns08]

Blockages don't always require surgery, sometimes they can be fixed with IV steroids and fluids so cross your fingers and hopefully that'll keep them from wanting surgery!

 

[sisen]

I'm sorry to hear you're suffering so. I hope things work out soon so you can finally relax in your room. Please keep us updated on how you're doing. In the meantime, am sending you lots of hugs!!!! :hug:

Blockages don't always require surgery, sometimes they can be fixed with IV steroids and fluids so cross your fingers and hopefully that'll keep them from wanting surgery!

They're fixing me up with some more IVs. Plus steroids. I finally got to see my GI. The hospital tagged him for a consult but never actually contacted him. It was a relief just to have him pop up.

I'm only allowed ice chips tonight, which is better than nothing. Hopefully the IVs and steroids will be enough to fix-up the blockage.

I finally got placed in my room eight hours later.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

Wow. Glad to hear that you finally got into a room!!! Looks like things are getting taken care of now and that the ball is rolling. Take care!

 

[sisen]

Wow. Glad to hear that you finally got into a room!!! Looks like things are getting taken care of now and that the ball is rolling. Take care!

I finally got onto a clear fluid diet. My scans today looked better and the bloating is down. My GI is guns keep me here until Monday at least.

 

[CLCH87]

I've been admitted more times than I like to admit but I know when I can't control my flair at home anymore, being on the IV fluids and steroids always help. It's my safety net when all else fails. Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon and be out in no time!

 

[Kero]

I can imagine you must be terrified! Hoping the steroids help ((((hugs))))

 

[lgpcarter]

Hope things are improving for you and that you are able to avoid surgery!

 

[sisen]

My arm is so sore from having this IV in so long. Plus, I can't really do anything with this arm so its tired. Earlier it got all red and hot, I was worried about an allergic reaction. Then I realized, oh that's just from straining it.

What am I supposed to do to keep this arm active?

 

[UnXmas]

Where abouts does the IV go in? If it's in the inside of your elbow, you can clench and unclench your fist. But be careful doing that if it's in the back of your hand.

I would check with the nurses if it gets red and hot though. Is it itchy?

 

[sisen]

Where abouts does the IV go in? If it's in the inside of your elbow, you can clench and unclench your fist. But be careful doing that if it's in the back of your hand.

I would check with the nurses if it gets red and hot though. Is it itchy?

It's just in my elbow. It's only done iy once and it was not itchy. This happens occasionally if I carry something on the arm normally. I'll have them check if it does it again.


I'm more just stressed out about my family visiting. They keep making the situation about them and put additional stress on me.

 

[CLCH87]

When I get my infusions I always get Prednisone first and my arm gets red and painful for a while after. I was told by the infusion nurse it wasn't uncommon with steroids.

 

[sisen]

I got to a low residue diet yesterday and finally got food-food in me. Dinner and a nice solid breakfast this morning. I finally had a normal bowel movement again.

I have questions though. The doctor that is attending for the weekend while my main GI is out, asked about my treatments. I'm only on 6-MP as it is. He kept questioning if I was on humira or other drugs for treatment. I trust and stand by my main GI. I've had very few flares and his direction has always proved worthwhile. I'm usually on a medicine for a while before some random flare comes out of no where. Obviously it'll be my main GI's decision to put me on something else, give me steroids outside the hospital, etc. I was just curious about other people's experiences.

I might make another topic for this to, if it doesn't get answered. I recently started driving a few months ago. I never used to just because of the anxiety and nervousness it gave me. I worked through it and it doesn't make me as nervous now. However, at first I was getting really bad nervous sweats mainly in my underarms. Lately it's been happening more frequently though. I find it happening when I'm talking to people or just in random situations. Some people have recommended seeing a dermatologist for hyperhidrosis.

However, I feel like the anxiety, stress, getting a new job, family home life, going to be moving out. Everything is compiling and is part of the equation that led me to get this sick. Do I ask my GI about talking or getting something for nervousness, talk to my primary care giver? If I do that though, my family will insist on knowing about it, and be even more stressful especially if I start taking something for something else.

 

[UnXmas]

How old are you sisen? (I ask because it affects how much your family (parents) have to know about your treatment.)

Two points I would make:

1. If a mental health diagnosis gets put on your medical records - e.g. anxiety - you may find doctors are very quick to dismiss physical symptoms as psychological from then on. Antidepressants have helped me enormously, but the discrimination I've experienced from doctors for having mental illnesses has been soul destroying. I don't feel I can advise you either way on this or with how to handle your family's reactions to it. I can only tell you what I've found, and hopefully this can help when you're thinking about what you want to do.

2. There are limits to the physical effects that mental stress can have. Your current life difficulties didn't cause the blockage. Though the secondary effects have a bit more influence: e.g. if stress leads you to change your eating habits, that can affect your digestivee symptoms. What mental stress does do is make the physical symptoms so much harder to deal with! But to keep you physically well, you need to treat the Crohn's problems first and foremost.

 

[sisen]

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I'm replying to you directly via private message.




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My doctor for the weekend just stopped in. He's going to take me off the IVs since I'm well hydrated, and put me on pills. I'm going to be getting some entocort in addition to my 6-MP. I'm sorta glad it'll be that instead of prednisone and all the side-effects that typically come with it.

This doctor has a very different personality from my GI. He's also a GI doctor, but was surprised mine has never had me on any biologics. He called my doctor old fashioned, and followed up that it wasn't a bad thing. It just makes me question things though.