What happened to me today?!?! Please Help!!

[Nurse Nausea 2016]

I'm not sure I'm in the right place with this post, so I won't be surprised if it gets moved, and will probably be long...Any responses will be greatly appreciated!

So, I'm currently undiagnosed but GI suspects Crohn's. I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy this coming Tuesday. I've had diarrhea since November, amongst many other symptoms, but about two days ago it just went away. I noticed as the day passed I was starting to bloat. This happens sometimes where I won't have a BM one day and I'll bloat in place of the diarrhea. Usually, next morning I'll have a big mixed form BM and be back to diarrhea. This time the bloating lasted for two days. I was miserable. It hurt to sit, lay, walk, breathe! Somehow I managed to get some sleep last night. Woke up this morning and the bloating was finally gone. Go to get up from the bed and all of a sudden felt like I was being stabbed in the stomach and ripped from my ribs to my belly button! It was the worst abdominal pain I've felt EVER up to this point. I could barely even walk. Decided to go to the ER, threw up three times on the way to the car, and thought I would die bouncing in our SUV down our gravel driveway! Fast forward to ER outcome...

Had normal urinalysis, normal CBC, normal metabolic panels. The pain was sort of letting up by the time the doc finally showed up. He ordered a CT with contrast. Well, that contrast destroyed my belly! As soon as I started drinking it the pain came back with a vengeance. Halfway through drinking the stuff I felt like I needed to go have a BM. Got to the bathroom, hurting pretty bad by that point and to my surprise find myself constipated. I've barely had maybe 10 BMs in the last 6 months that were even formed and not just water. This was genuine, like rabbit pellets lol, and would NOT come out! I did what I could and went back to my bed to finish the contrast. Much more belly pain to come thanks to the contrast.

I had been given IV Zofran and IV Morphine not long after getting there, and had to ask the nurse for more of both by the time I was through the contrast and ready for my CT.

CT showed I have an ovarian cyst, which I had no clue was there, but I've had them in the past and had little to no trouble with them. CT also showed the whole top of my small intestine, the part that runs straight across, was full of stool. Not 10 minutes after getting back from the CT I needed to go to the bathroom again. Get to the toilet, in a fair amount of pain again, had a tiny bit of diarrhea and it just stopped all of a sudden. I still felt like I needed to go so I started pushing and out popped what felt like a dang baseball (lol) I passed a very large, heavy, chunk of stool. Once that was out it was like the flood gates had been opened and the diarrhea just took off. 5 more watery BMs later and the pain is finally gone, but I'm terribly nauseous and still having diarrhea.

I'm almost positive I have a stricture, up in the same area where all my pain was today. I'm wondering if CTs also show stricturing if it's present or is scope still the better option?

The goober of an ER doc gave me some disintegrating Zofran and some Norco for pain. Anyone have any idea what this could have been??

 

[afidz]

I think it is highly likely that you have a stricture/partial obstruction. I would call your GI in the morning and tell them what happened. A liquid diet might be a good idea, in case you do have an obstruction, its important to talk to your GI about that though.

 

[Nurse Nausea 2016]

Can strictures not show on CT? And with where the pain was im afraid its in an area they won't be able to see next Tuesday and I'll still be miserable.

 

[LinLee]

Yes, it sounds like strictures. The area you talked about w the most pain was the transverse bowel. Yes, on a scope, upper and lower they will see the strictures clear. Also they can dilate them to open up the strictures.
Good Luck Tues
Lin

 

[Nurse Nausea 2016]

So, I'm pretty sure the blockage or whatever that was is already coming back. I didn't eat at all yesterday and today I've had a few bites of a biscuit, some baked, skinless chicken, mashed potatoes and a cheese sandwich. I also had diarrhea all day until I ate. Once I ate the gas and bloating immediately started to come back. As the night goes on the bloating is still getting worse. Should I try and not eat atleast until I have a BM again? Once the bloating started back the diarrhea stopped. I keep feeling like I need to go and nothing happens...I'm a little nervous after the amount of pain I experienced yesterday...

 

[Trysha]

Might be better to keep to a fluid diet until you see th GI,which hopefully will be very soon.
Have you called your GI to let them know what is happening.
Feel better soon
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[Fed up with this]

I would drink plenty of water and stick to liquids till you get a dr to tell you what's happening. Good luck and I hope your ok.

 

[Daisy123]

I had a CT scan recently that showed strictures, but a sigmoidoscopy to dilate count not find them. So in the opposite position. I do believe that strictures can not show on a CT but be seen during a scope. Stay on low residue for the moment.

 

[Nurse Nausea 2016]

Thanks everyone! I'm feeling a little better today as far as the crazy bloating goes...atleast I'm able to move some air today lol I haven't had much luck with calling my GI in the past...takes days to hear back from them...so since my scopes are Tuesday I didn't even bother this time. I'm SO hoping those scopes finally gets me a diagnosis and some meds...I'm miserable!