Yet another trip to the ER.

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Well by five Am. Monday I was in so much pain that I left work early and had my mom take me to the ER.
Again nothing was found.
Different labs were done that showed that some levels were all normal but some were high so they were noted for my appointment on Thursday.
Big thing is that the doctor at the ER when I explained everything said that I cannot work with the pain that I am in "BUT"...They cannot give me anything more than the Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen together without being under the supervision of a doctor because of my bowel surgery... I cannot get constipated at all. Problem is that Tylenol and Ibuprofen together can cause constipation so I have to space them out and I have been told to take more Mirilax to counteract it. But then I have bowel accidents. So it is be in pain. Drink enough coffee to keep NYC awake because it helps but caused loose bowel movements but not diarrhea all the time. And wait tell my Gastroenterology appointment.

I am out of work tell then and my HR lead gave me the paperwork for FMLA. I also with FMLA can still use my Short term disability insurance so I will still have income but it is not at 100% after a thirty day on it.

(100% 12hour-4weeks, 75% 4-6 weeks 60% 6weeks++ longer than 90days needs doctors follow up but it stays 60% as long as FMLA 480 hours in 12 months has not be used)

So now I am sitting home trying not to have accidents, in pain still and waiting on my GI appointment. And trying not to be pissed off that doctors cannot find out what is going on without sending me to a specialist.

O and That will be another $400 copay that I have no way of paying yet.

Dear 2020...Let me off, This ride sucks.

 

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Sorry to hear you are having a rough ride still. Try decaffinated coffee as the caffeine in regular coffee will aggravate your bladder and bowels. I can't think of anything else to recommend but say sorry and we all hear you.

 

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Sorry to hear you are having a rough ride still. Try decaffinated coffee as the caffeine in regular coffee will aggravate your bladder and bowels. I can't think of anything else to recommend but say sorry and we all hear you.

Decaff is for quitters. I need my caffeine. Truth is I gave up soda because of the gas and tea gets old quick. I grew up in a truck driving family so strong coffee is in my blood. Tell you the truth. I would almost rather have some diarrhea than be constipated as the pain is too much.. but then I get dehydrated and have trouble making it to the bathroom so Don't think it is a good trade off. I don't drink anywhere near as much coffee as I use to. Now I brew a pot and then turn it off and drink it with ice and non-dairy creamer. Does give me looser stool and some full on diarrhea.. But I only drink it on my days off so it is not so bad. When I have work I stick with tea and a lot of water.

 

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I think based on what you've been telling us, going to a specialist is warranted. If I were you, I would insist on going to one. When you see the doc tomorrow just ask point-blank "if the tests I've had showed nothing abnormal, then why am I having all these issues???!!!"
Your mention of not wanting to get constipated kind of reminds me of my own experience. I've had two inguinal hernia surgeries two years apart. They give you a pretty potent pain med (forgot what it is called) but the label on the bottle says it causes constipation. Well now, common sense would tell you that when you had stitches "down there" that constipation would be extremely undesirable! After all, you don't want to burst your stitches! And my question would be, "why give pain med that causes constipation?") The first surgeon (she did a laparoscopy on me) I had told me to drink magnesium citrate. That does work but it's horrendous to drink! I learned the hard way the only way to drink it is ice-cold. The second surgeon did an open reduction (incision and stitches) and there was quite a bit of pain. If I moved in a certain way, I would just about go through the roof! I tried ibuprofen and it didn't touch it. So it was back to the prescription and also back to the magnesium citrate!

 

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Wishing you a better 2nd half of 2020.

 

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I’ve never had much benefit from laxatives that go in the mouth. Over-the-counter Dulcolax suppositories work wonders. Buy name-brand; the results are more reliable and the suppository keeps its shape better at the time of insertion, than generics. Don’t hold them in your hand for too long, though; all suppositories can crumble and/or melt.

You barely have to insert the 3/4” suppository just into the butthole for it to work (about an inch inside, to the first knuckle), then your innards will suck up the suppository deeper inside you, just like how the butthole works after you pinch off a turd - it’s naturally designed to suck upward. For 15-30 minutes you’ll have moderate stomach grumbling and perhaps a bit of a pain, but what’s 15-30 minutes of discomfort in exchange for a predicable bowel movement with a chance for a couple more in the next 45 minutes? After an hour, you’re back to normal, with no constipation and no diarrhea. Soooooo predictable. The Royal Purge feels great.

By the way, even though you’ll feel like you need to fart while you’re waiting for the medication to work, don’t, or you can expel the medicine prematurely and then it won’t work. If you do give into the urge to fart, you’ll emit a foul grease. But you only have to hold the suppository (and farts) inside for 15-30 minutes. If you can make it to 30 minutes, the suppository works best. But don’t wait more than 45 minutes, or it doesn’t work at all and your body will just re-absorb stuff.

Yeah, it’s an odd sensation to put something up the ole’ ringer, but not nearly as tormenting as constant, crippling stomach pain, nor unpredictable diarrhea.

When I use a Dulcolax suppository, I wear a rubber glove, easy-peasy. It only takes one finger to push it in. I know gloves are expensive and hard to find during COVID times, even on Amazon, so put your hand in a Ziploc bag instead. Or take a few from an ER or doctor’s office next time you’re in a room alone. You can also buy “finger condoms” which work tightly on just one finger, or you could even use a penile condom.

Given your surgical history, and what you’ve had removed, I recommend first asking your specialist if it’s safe for you to take a product like Dulcolax.

Hey guys, did you know women get bloated and constipated for days during PMS/menstruation? We start dealing with that crap (I’m so punny!) about age 12. Part of why women are typically better than men at coping with pain is because we have to at such a young age.

Another thought, different subject: it’s highly unlikely you’ll be prescribed anything stronger for pain other than over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, et al. Your GI specialist probably won’t be able to solve everything tomorrow in one visit. While he determines and administers tests and procedures to help you in the longterm, for the short term, ask him for a referral to a pain clinic where they can prescribe you a real pain medication for your worst days so you can make it to the longterm real solution eventually.

We sure do talk about everything and anything on this forum!

Hope this helps, and good luck at your appointment tomorrow.

 

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Hi Snow, I'm not one to rely on laxatives, only when it's part of a routine the doctor prescribes. I've never done it with a suppository. I think it would be like flying blind. After all, you can't see that region of your body so everything has to be by feel. But if I ever did have to use a suppository I would just remember your description and advice! I think the tough part would be that half hour between insertion and when you go and holding it all in.
I have been to a pain specialist. The appointment was on a Sunday morning which is kind of an odd time to have a doctor appointment :O After my second hernia repair (the one with the incision) I was kind of achy at times in the left groin.Not entirely comfortable. I saw the surgeon and he quickly ascertained the hernia repair was still good and then he sent me to the pain specialist. The pain dr told me the type of pain I have didn't come from a poorly done surgery but with the set-up of the nerves in that area my complaint is quite common. A few minutes later he injected some medicine (don't remember the name) into the incision site and I walked out beginning to feel better. Hasn't bothered me since!
You're right! There is nothing here that is really too taboo for us to talk about! Good to know others have the same feelings and experiences.

 

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Hey there! Sorry about the late response I've been working late at work. I second @billliveshere; laxatives are reliable. My Gran has been having a problem almost her own life. Sorry again; lets all hope 2020 gets a reboot button soon

 

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Well everyone, I like that! If anything needs a reboot button now it is 2020! I know what FLGuy means, 2020 is not exactly a great year at this point! Let's just hope it gets better for all of us! So here's to a better rest of the year!

 

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I'm sorry you have all this thrown at you. It is to bad you cant stay with Mom till you feel better, I do know I cannot get constipated with all I have going on, so I'm on multi laxatives, and they do want to restart Linzess, but my PCP has it setup if I cannot go, and cant help that, I need to come in to the clinic and they take me into the hospital, and they give me lactulose enemas. Till I'm clear, they call it a "good result"

 

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@billliveshere my recommendations were intended for @ThatFLGuy in particular, lol. Guess I should have said so at the beginning of my post; whoops!

 

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I’ve never had much benefit from laxatives that go in the mouth. Over-the-counter Dulcolax suppositories work wonders. Buy name-brand; the results are more reliable and the suppository keeps its shape better at the time of insertion, than generics. Don’t hold them in your hand for too long, though; all suppositories can crumble and/or melt.

You barely have to insert the 3/4” suppository just into the butthole for it to work (about an inch inside, to the first knuckle), then your innards will suck up the suppository deeper inside you, just like how the butthole works after you pinch off a turd - it’s naturally designed to suck upward. For 15-30 minutes you’ll have moderate stomach grumbling and perhaps a bit of a pain, but what’s 15-30 minutes of discomfort in exchange for a predicable bowel movement with a chance for a couple more in the next 45 minutes? After an hour, you’re back to normal, with no constipation and no diarrhea. Soooooo predictable. The Royal Purge feels great.

By the way, even though you’ll feel like you need to fart while you’re waiting for the medication to work, don’t, or you can expel the medicine prematurely and then it won’t work. If you do give into the urge to fart, you’ll emit a foul grease. But you only have to hold the suppository (and farts) inside for 15-30 minutes. If you can make it to 30 minutes, the suppository works best. But don’t wait more than 45 minutes, or it doesn’t work at all and your body will just re-absorb stuff.

Yeah, it’s an odd sensation to put something up the ole’ ringer, but not nearly as tormenting as constant, crippling stomach pain, nor unpredictable diarrhea.

When I use a Dulcolax suppository, I wear a rubber glove, easy-peasy. It only takes one finger to push it in. I know gloves are expensive and hard to find during COVID times, even on Amazon, so put your hand in a Ziploc bag instead. Or take a few from an ER or doctor’s office next time you’re in a room alone. You can also buy “finger condoms” which work tightly on just one finger, or you could even use a penile condom.

Given your surgical history, and what you’ve had removed, I recommend first asking your specialist if it’s safe for you to take a product like Dulcolax.

Hey guys, did you know women get bloated and constipated for days during PMS/menstruation? We start dealing with that crap (I’m so punny!) about age 12. Part of why women are typically better than men at coping with pain is because we have to at such a young age.

Another thought, different subject: it’s highly unlikely you’ll be prescribed anything stronger for pain other than over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, et al. Your GI specialist probably won’t be able to solve everything tomorrow in one visit. While he determines and administers tests and procedures to help you in the longterm, for the short term, ask him for a referral to a pain clinic where they can prescribe you a real pain medication for your worst days so you can make it to the longterm real solution eventually.

We sure do talk about everything and anything on this forum!

Hope this helps, and good luck at your appointment tomorrow.

I cannot have suppositories or enema's due to surgery.

Wednesday was a better day but then the other problem I have was effecting me. I get were I have no energy all the time and then once the food gets to the Large intestine it is pure hell. Does not matter what I eat or drink. All I want to do is lay down and rest it off but I cannot sleep or even think once the food gets there.

I told the nurce that works with my GI doctor that my stools are like a hand full of pen caps or just diarrhea. There are times were they are different but that is not normal.

The thing with the incontinence side of it is that even if things are firm I am still getting were I am not able to make it to the bathroom all the time, (IE when I first wake up)

It had not been so bad while I have been home right now but I have not eaten like normal due to getting over the IV Fentanyl that I was given.. I sleep for like 16 hours after getting home and dealing with work and stuff. So Yea I am hungry now and I am going to eat and stay up some more before my appointment tomorrow.


Side note: Every time I go in for a doctor visit it is noted on my chart that I am hypertensive Bp 150/88 last time but it always comes back down after I am there for a while so I don't know if it is stress or what...

Can Stress make your BP go up like that??

 

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Hi FlGuy, yes, stress can definitely make your blood pressure go up. It's nothing unusual to have higher readings at the doctor's office. In fact they call it "white coat syndrome." The doctor wearing a white coat comes in and starts to wrap that cuff around your arm and then your pressure zooms up to the stratosphere. I think it's just human nature! And doctors are well aware of that. They can quickly determine if it's something other that "white coat syndrome." If it continues to be a concern, you can get a home blood pressure kit at Walmart. The ones available now give a digital read-out so you don't have to put a stethoscope in your ears and listen and hope you pick out the right sound. And it's considerably more convenient to read the numbers.

 

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For Snow, ! My bad!