I'm in a bit of a dilemma right now :/ been on enteral nutrition with fortisips for 4-5 weeks now to treat a flare up thats been going on for 3 months now, supposed to be drinking at least 8 per day, yet only getting through 2-4, usually only 3 because of pain, nausea, distended abdomen etc.. Anyway, I go from going to the toilet once a week at the most, to going 6 times a day (nothing compared to some, but in comparison to usually going once a week!!). My liquid diet hasn't been working obviously because I haven't been able to do it properly and drink the right amount. On top of that, i haven't been drinking water either, so I'm pretty dehydrated right now, my urine is badically orange. I feel like this has been going on for a long time now, and it's really taking its toll on me mentally and I can't cope with all the anxiety and constant feeling of depression it's brought on. I'm assuming I'm a bit malnourished from having lost 4-5kg when I was already underweight (my weight would now be around 45kg if not less, at 170cm tall), and obviously dehydrated, but I honestly have no clue what to do. I just want to curl into a ball and cry right now. I'm in a constant state of confusion, i feel like everything has become a daydream. I know this sounds stupid but I don't know anyone else with crohns, so does anyone here have any suggestions?
It's very tempting to go to hospital because it's too hard to handle all of this from home however, I feel like it's my own fault that I haven't gotten any better given that I have not been drinking anywhere near enough fortisips. I don't want to go to the hospital and have my GI be mad at me because I wasn't doing the liquid diet properly. But you see, I've just started to get over a very bad chest infection (still having a lot of chest pain etc. but ever so slightly better) that required 2 rounds of antibiotics. So I wasn't overly well and nutrition seemed like the least of my problems. That on top of all my Crohn's issues has made for a total disaster right now. I know if I go to the hospital I'll probably need TPN or a nasogastric tube, as I have in the past when I couldn't tolerate oral nutrition, but I don't know, I just feel like they'll look at me like I'm an idiot because a) I didn't drink enough fortisips for them to actually help me, even though I did have a good reason for it and b) because I haven't actually vomited during this flare, it's just the nausea and stomach distention, pain and bowel movement issues that have stopped me from having the right amount of nutrition and fluids.
As I've said, I know I haven't made the situation any better for myself, but when you're sick as a dog the last thing on your mind is eating and drinking. Like when you feel nauseous and in pain etc. the last thing that you want to think about is food and drink. Plus, stress is my biggest trigger for my Crohn's, and right now I'm under a great deal of stress.
It's very tempting to go to hospital because it's too hard to handle all of this from home however, I feel like it's my own fault that I haven't gotten any better given that I have not been drinking anywhere near enough fortisips. I don't want to go to the hospital and have my GI be mad at me because I wasn't doing the liquid diet properly. But you see, I've just started to get over a very bad chest infection (still having a lot of chest pain etc. but ever so slightly better) that required 2 rounds of antibiotics. So I wasn't overly well and nutrition seemed like the least of my problems. That on top of all my Crohn's issues has made for a total disaster right now. I know if I go to the hospital I'll probably need TPN or a nasogastric tube, as I have in the past when I couldn't tolerate oral nutrition, but I don't know, I just feel like they'll look at me like I'm an idiot because a) I didn't drink enough fortisips for them to actually help me, even though I did have a good reason for it and b) because I haven't actually vomited during this flare, it's just the nausea and stomach distention, pain and bowel movement issues that have stopped me from having the right amount of nutrition and fluids.
As I've said, I know I haven't made the situation any better for myself, but when you're sick as a dog the last thing on your mind is eating and drinking. Like when you feel nauseous and in pain etc. the last thing that you want to think about is food and drink. Plus, stress is my biggest trigger for my Crohn's, and right now I'm under a great deal of stress.