Should i go to the ER

should i go to the ER

Okay, i have crohns and for the past month i have been having an extreme amount of pain in my lower abdomen it is constant but gets exponentially worse when i eat food i have constant diarrhea. The pain keeps me up most nights and i dont sleep nearly as long as i would like to. I was just in the ER and got surgery for a rectal abscess and i am not currently on any meds. I am supposed to be but my doctor is a bit slow I'm supposed to be on pentasa and humira. The pain is nearly unbearable and i dont have a visit with my GI until the end of the month and i cant wait that long.

Hi there, welcome to the forum. :bigwave: I am so sorry you are in so much pain. I know that feeling and it is scary. You should of been on antibiotics after your surgery at the very least. You could be infected or just the Crohns acting up. It would help if we knew what country you are from, as all countries have different protocol and meds. You really need to get your doctor to move faster of your meds. If the pain gets too bad and you start to vomit I would go to the hospital. Dont wait to long there could be something seriously wrong. Sorry not much help, but if you are not on any meds or have something for pain you are going to suffer. Hope you get help very fast! Keep us updated ok? Welcome aboard!

I was put on antibiotics cipro and flagyl i am in Pennsylvania, USA. I am currently on nothing for pain my GI doesn't believe in giving narcotic pain medicine for Crohn's disease but if she was feeling the same way she might be singing a different tune. i don't know if my insurance even covers the new meds. Is she just going to wait for my next appointment to let me know at the least Ive been dealing with this pain to long and its to much pain to just deal with it. I don't want to have to go to the ER for pain from Crohn's but I'm at a cross roads where i don't know what other option i really have I'm sick of just having to deal with the pain and nothing is just getting better. And thank you for welcoming me Ive been reading on here for a while now this forums is a big help.

Yeah, FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR. My original GI was very gun shy about the pain pills too...I found a GP that completely understands the concept of pain management though. This guy is very prudent about prescribing narcs so he is not one of those where you just ask and you shall receive (that is just as bad as not receiving at all). As for going to the ER, take it from someone who avoids all doctors like the plague....IF YOU THINK YOU SHOULD OR ARE QUESTIONING YOURSELF MORE THAN ONCE THEN GET UP AND GO! At the very least they could tell you everything is ok. On the other hand they can catch something before it becomes worse than what it is now. I hope you get relief.

Some doctors are shy about narcotics because they can constipate you. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing if you have constant diarrheoa! You could try a paracetamol and codeine blend over the counter. Here it's called cocodamol, not sure about where you are.

I have been on narcotic pain killers many times never from my GI but other doctors when admitted and surgery and such etc. It seems like every time I'm in serious pain the only way to get relief is going to the emergency room but i hate doing it and when i ask doctors for something for pain they treat me like a drug addict or just run circles around it. I pay the doctors to make me better and so far i haven't gotten anything but more bills I'm sick of paying out for nothing i have no relief. i have barely any quality of life. I feel like the only way i will be feeling any better at this point is going to the ER which i may shortly do but I'm afraid they will just tell me "Your in flare there isn't much we can do. Schedule an appointment with your GI". Everyone gives me the run around and no one will listen. I'm sorry for ranting I'm just really upset and don't know what to do at this point i just want to be able to do the things i normally do not lay around until my doctor feels like getting back with me and i finally start my Humira which might i add i don't even know if my insurance covers.

In the US, we aren't lucky enough to get codeine over the counter.

Well over the counter cocodamol isn't great, it's only 8mg of codeine, but it's better than plain paracetamol! I thought Tylenol did something similar in the states? Or is that not OTC?

Go, I didn't and ended up I had a perforated bowel, it's better going and being told everything is ok than not, i've learnt from my mistake!! Have you any other symptoms i.e temperature, pale, nausea etc etc if so could be a sign of infection and definately go if you have rebound tenderness. Hope your ok.

We have just plain Tylenol or Tylenol Extra Strength over the counter..it's nothing but acetaminophen or paracetamol..no codeine at all. Anything with codeine in it requires a prescription.

kêkoa, your doctor shouldn't be prescribing you anything that isn't covered by your insurance. They have ways of checking what medicines are covered and which ones aren't. And if they aren't and that's the only thing you can take, there are ways around that too such as having your pharmacy and/or your doctor fill out a TAR (Treatment Authorization Request) form. And if it fails then you do it again and again (sometimes they will authorize it after a couple tries) or your doctor may have to prescribe something else.

As far as your pain goes, don't worry about the ER saying that you should make an appointment with your GI doc. You can tell them that you already have an appointment but you need treatment now as its affecting your life and who knows, there could be something really bad going on in there and the ER may be able to run some tests and find the cause (I know mine would always do a barium swallow if I came in for my Crohns and they also treated my pain).

Good luck! And welcome to the forum.

I'm in pretty much the same situation and I'm going to the emergency room tomorrow. I had to wait weeks for my Cobra gap insurance AP to go through, then a week to see my regular doctor, then finally get a referral for a new GI doc since my old one terminated his contract with blue shield. And now that doctor can't book me till november. All this time I've been very up and down with abdominal pain.

Vulgarity ahead:


Fuck waiting a month to see my GI
+
Fuck sitting around hoping I make it til then
+
Fuck feeling like I have no control
=
Fuck it! I'm just going to go to the ER, NOW, tell them whats up, get a CT scan or a scope, and get medication to fix this crap. Fuck my doctor if he can't see me for a whole month, I have to take care of myself and if the ER is my only immediate option I don't feel like that's really a bad thing. I have to take care of myself and sitting around wishin and hopin and eating nothing but fucking soup while I lose all the pounds I weight lifted five days a week to gain is pissing me off. I'm pissed the fuck off! So I'm going to the emergency room.

I don't know if that helped at all but I wish you luck and I hope you find some relief and answers sooner rather than later. Sometimes, the ER feels like the only way to get that.

Manimation nailed it...i think....
Kekoa I haven't dealt at all with the type of attitude that it seems you have gotten from some of the doctors and providers you have seen. I find it appalling that people would treat someone ...anyone with any type of chronic painful disease...in that way. I know throughout the country there are really bad hospitals and doctors and there are great hospitals and doctors...I only make this suggestion to you in your hopes of finding some sort of relief....you may want to search out a facility that is a "teaching hospital" that is coupled with an excellent university medical school. I know that that may be an impossibility due to distance, money, transportation etc. But in my experience (although this is limited) I have found more compassion at "teaching hospitals" than regular old hospitals...just a suggestion..I'm sorry you are dealing with all that BS that you are dealing with...that goes for manimation as well..and for anyone else suffering at the moment....I hope you guys do find relief soon...

I apologize for my last post..the feelings were honest though. It seems as though as soon as I decided on the ER i started feeling better...the day went on and it was as if my intestines said "please don't take us to the ER! We promise to behave."

So I'm feeling pretty normal right now and hopefully when I wake up tomorrow I'll be ok... maybe restricting my diet finally kicked in, I don't know. I have no answers. All I know is I'd look like a jackass walking into the ER feeling fine so I'm either going to the ER or the gym tomorrow.

Let us know how yer doin Kekoa. Hope yer fighting hard and its paying off..

I'm sorry i haven't been able to get back in a little while now I've just been in an incredible amount of pain and only want to lay on my side curled up in a ball. my stomach is so tender i cant even touch it i can't eat cause when i do it makes it so bad i can't stand it. i called my GI and she finally got back to me and she prescribed me Prednisone and said it will take the pain away until i start Humira i am only on my second day of it now but i think it's safe to say my pain just keeps increasing like going up a ladder i have been in some extreme pain in all my days but this is starting to be some of the worse pain Ive had sleep is getting even hard because now my acid reflux is really starting to act up it has been at ease for about 6 months now with no problem now. But wow i go and sit on the toilet and curl into a ball as i try to use the bathroom but it makes my stomach hurt worse and hardly anything comes out but what does come out is very soft. I keep getting hot and cold and it feels like i am kind of sweating I'm starting to get worried. I told my GI all this but she just told me to take prednisone i mentioned going to the ER but she didn't even acknowledge that i said it. Right now it feels like there is cold water running around my stomach and the pain is so intense i find it hard to write this and have to keep stopping. I can hardly walk because this makes the pain intensify also it seems like nearly everything i do just adds more pain even laying down or trying to sleep. I am in less pain when i just slouch over in my chair or reclined on my chair leaning to the side. I have come to the conclusion that tomorrow i will go to the ER or possibly tonight depends on how the night plays out. I need to go grocery shopping but it is a task i am not able to do. I feel as though i have no life and not able to do anything it sucks and it is very depressing. Most people disregard this disease like the common flu but anyone to walk in the shoes of any of us suffering from this disease will automatically know it is not laughing matter. To be able to cope with Crohn's and any IBD takes a strong person and I'm glad i have people like you guys to go to for help and don't know where i would be without this site even though i haven't been a subscribed posting member for more than 2 days i have been on here looking and reading for quite some time now and it has helped me in ways that no doctor could ever i absolutely praise this site and all the people on here that make it such a good atmosphere and fun place to be. Sorry for the rant i am just in SO much pain i don't know what to do with my self and i am also amazed but how awesome this community is.

ER sounds like your best bet then. You described waaaaaay too many symptoms to be sitting at home. You may end up on prednisone anyway but you need some available doctors to look at you. Prednisone should help with pain and give you a great boost in the right direction inspite of its other annoying and sometimes humiliating side effects. Still, all that? I'd be at the ER right now. You're quite a trooper for managing so much, but there's no need to be a hero. Get yourself to the ER!

Welcome Kekoa and I hate to hear how much pain your in. Is your GI working on prior auth for the Humira? Stick with the pred as it might help in a couple of days. I've never been on it, but there are many here who are. I agree that the ER may be your best option. I understand about paying bills with no relief. Please let us know how you are doing. Hang in there and my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Oops

Kekoa--Sorry to hear of your pain...But, get yourself to the ER....S

I say this because I am worried for you! I wish I could help.....

I hope you made it to the ER ok. Even if the Prednisone does wind up working, its going to take a few days to a week or two (at most) to feel its full benefits and going to the ER now will at least give you some relief while you wait for the Prednisone to kick in.