Intestinal obstruction? Please help!
Hi everyone, I am extremely worried, I have been really really ill for almost 4 weeks now, I have lost 20lbs in weight, I can’t eat or drink without absolutely excruciating pain. I have been to the ER twice in 2wks for IV fluids and pain meds. I had an mri last Friday but the results are not available yet. I am diagnosed with IBD but still not sure if I have Crohns or UC, the mri should help with that. My pain is usually crampy and all the usual symptoms of diarrhoea with blood etc. but this last 4wks it’s been different, I started off with an extreme pain upper abdomen under ribs, straight through to the back and into my left shoulder blade, over the weeks it has settled into the middle and right, back and shoulder blades. It can come on out of the blue but it is absolutely triggered by eating and drinking and it’s only getting worse, I’m finding it hard to manage more than a sip of water or juice here and there. I am really nauseous and have been throwing up foam and bile. I am really worried there’s a blockage? Would these be symptoms? I don’t have a gallbladder so definitely not that, the ER think it could be pancreas related but my labs aren’t showing anything that way. I am really scared and desperate and don’t feel listened too. I’ve been chasing my mri results all week and the secretary has told me they’re on my doctors desk but he hasn’t looked at them yet! I would love some help and insight if anyone would be so kind. Thank you xx
So sorry you are feeling like this but from what you are describing, in my opinion, it sounds like a block. I have had the same experience too many times.
How long are you in the hospital each time you go for IV fluids? Is it just a few hours or a few days? My worst block, I went into the hospital for a few days on IV fluids to rest my intestines and that cleared the block (raw carrots) but the pain, nausea, vomiting, heaving, etc was relentless and I never want to experience that again. Did the attending physician in hospital not give you an x-ray or MRI if it is a suspected block? If they did, you would have gotten the answer right away.
Hopefully you will get your answers soon, I feel your pain, sorry.
Let us know how you get on.
Vern - IBD Team MemberHi Vern, thank you so much for the reply, I was in hospital for around 12hrs each time, needed 2 bags of fluid each time to get the lactate down, my inflammation markers were up in my bloods also, but nothing other than that showed up. I had an mri booked anyways for a few days after my first hospital trip so they told me to try and keep myself comfortable with pain relief etc until I got that and then try and rush the results through. I had my mri but because I was still super unwell I went back to the hospital who again rehydrated me and then said they really needed to wait for the mri results to really see what’s going on. My mri results still aren’t available but I am hoping with everything I hear back today. It’s annoying because my consultant and mri etc are done in one hospital but my ER is in a different hospital so they don’t have everything to hand. I had a terrible night trying to sleep last night again and have just had some yoghurt and the pain is starting to ramp up again. Only thing that’s making think that maybe it’s not a blockage is that I am still able to go to the toilet, I’m not going as much as usual but I’m assuming that’s down to less food, although it’s mostly liquid!x
I hope you get relief with the Humira. In the meantime, I'm sending you strength to get through until January So sorry you aren't feeling well. Big big hugs to you, Elizabeth (team member)
Wow that's a lot all at once, sorry, and I hope the Humira works for you as biologics have worked for my fistulising Crohn's. Let us know how you get on and hope you have a great Christmas and all the best for a happy and healthier 2023
Vern
So sorry I can so RELATE! I am praying for you!
sorry you’re having a tough time too, thinking of you xx
Oh Triona, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am bleeding so badly and I am in so much pain and I am spending four hours in the bathroom spending 4 hours in the bathroom! My GI surgeon for 18 years, just picked up and moved back to Israel without any notice so now I'm without a doctor! I hope this message finds you well happy and healthy holidays to you and all your loved ones two legs and four legs
