Stomach Swelling

[Donna F]

Hi all I havent been on in a while, I am not doin well, I had a intestinal prob a couple yrs ago that almost killed me, so i am afraid, The doc sent me to a surgeon last week cause he thinks i may have adhesions and it can rupture and kill u. Although i am curious if it is that or not, has anyone else had nausea with swelling and abd pain?? The surgeon orig said he would go in and do exploratory surg. but now since i was diag with this and my pressure is so unstable i cant find a doc to touch me, so should i lay down and be miserable or keep searchin for a doc, i am so depressed it is miserable, im living on pain killers and phenergan and it still isnt working. Anyone have any suggestions

Donna F

[Angelika_23]

Donna,

I am sorry you are feeling so poorly. Sending good vibes your way. Hopefully you can find a doctor who can help you.

Hang in there,

Angela

[MightyMouse]

Please try to find a doctor who will help you; pain killers wont solve the problem and may contribute to making things worse if your problem has anything to do with your gastric motility (pain killers slow the system further). What type of GI testing have you had done already?

Upper endoscopy? Biopsy? Colonoscopy? Full GI series? Sonogram? MRI? CAT scan? etc.?

Nina

[flop]

Yes please do keep pushing to find a GI doctor that can help you. If you are taking opiate based painkillers like codeine they can cause constipation which can really make bowel problems worse. If you are having trouble with partial obsrtuction of the bowel it may well be caused by adhesions from previous abdo surgery. I can understand why a surgeon would be hesitant to operate unless essential but there are investigations that can be done. Imaging such as a barium follow through / small bowel meal and barium enema might reveal any narrowings that are causing trouble.

Please be on the look out for warning symptoms such as not opening your bowels at all, not passing wind down below, worsening abdo pain and severe vomiting. They can be pointers to an acute bowel obstruction which would need treating urgently.

Hopefully your symptoms will settle down without needing intervention,

Flop

[juliegee]

Ditto to what Flop and Nina said. You need further testing, Donna. Get your Mom or a friend to advocate for you in finding someone while you are feeling so weak. Also, be checking for abdominal sounds. You should be hearing something down there, if you don't, it could point to an obstruction. If you have ANY symptoms of an obstruction, get to the ER. They'll find a GI for you.

Prayers and hugs-

Julie

[Donna F]

Thanks to everyone for ur thoughts, I am getting worse, things arent good here at all. I went to a gast doc, and they say they cant help me. As far as the testing, I had them all before and they showed clear in the er 2 days before the surgery i had and they have the records i would have died. But I dont know whats goin on, they agree that due to previous surgeries, i more likely do have and will have prb the rest of my life, however if i dont do anything i dont want to get to where it is ruptured and with my poor health right now i am not hardly able to go to the doc. And well as far as my family, i am on my own with 2 kids, they have pretty much left my existence. I guess it has been trying, ok I know Julie i told u my mom was there, and now well, i have had some prob in my life for one i was a alcoholic until 7 yrs ago, gave that up on my own, and but i seem to turn to some type of something not good when alone, as i am, despite my kids, but i had developed a little prb with gambling and went to my family and told them went to meetings etc, and had it ok for a while. The last couple wks i have been housebound too sick to even go outside, and have become angry and depressed well no one has wanted to listen and well i made a eve trip and spent pretty much what most make in a yr on disability, i imm called mom as i was suicidal as well as not wanting to face my kids, but they understood although hated it, but my family well i am 2 the point of i am gonna b alone if i get further down, but i am working on my prb, and prb need to see a psy, or someone. I am ashamed enough, but do u all understand that although one might get angry, 1 its my money, 2 i know 1 thing no matter what 1 of my kids do, as they do, i may not be happy but in a time of need im there, and deal with the rest later, my mom i guess needs counseling too everyone is telling her i am using this and manipulating her, and she dont even pay my bills, but anyways, its been real challenging for me lately, so please pray for me and my family we need some peace her as well as a doc who isnt scared of me!!

Donna F

[Sunfish]

hi donna -

i'm so sorry that you're having such a rough time right now, physically and otherwise. i really encourage you to not give up though on either front. just b/c there are doctors who have said they can't help doesn't mean there isn't someone out there who can. there are certainly some medical issues that can't be fixed/ solved, but that doesn't mean that things can't still be explored to help improve the situation to help symptoms, pain, etc. i myself have been told my MANY doctors and even a hospital that i was too complex for them to handle so i'm saying this from a point of understanding first-hand how frustrating & disheartening it can be. i know it is NOT easy to keep searching, especially when you don't have a team around you to help fight & advocate for you, but for your own sake it's something that sounds worth the effort.

additionally, there is also help available to help support you in regard to all you are dealing with emotionally, with addictions past & present, etc. both for yourself & for your children it sounds like this really should be a priority as well.

you & your family will definitely be in my thoughts & prayers. i know it's easier said than done at times, but hang in there the best you can.

~melissa

[juliegee]

Oh Donna-

I'm so sorry that things are so rough right now. YOU must make your health a priority. If there is a chance you are obstructed, etc; new X-rays need to be taken. Old ones will not show what your tum is doing now. If things worsen, head to the ER. They MUST help you, if only for liability reasons.

I agree with Melissa. There is a GI doc out there who can ensure that you're not in immediate danger and who can take steps to help you be more comfortable. You have to find the strength to make more phone calls and advocate for yourself and find that doc. Or....when my son and I were really ill, our insurance company called with a "health advocate" who offered to help us. You could sure benefit from someone like that. I wonder if you could request an advocate from your insurance co. who could help find a GI doc for you?

Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, Donna. I am praying that your health, relationships and spirit will heal. You are so important to your kids. Hang in there and keep us posted on your progress.

Hugs-

Julie

[Donna F]

Melissa and Julie

Thanks so much for ur thoughts and prayers. I greatly apprecitate u all!! I talked with 2 dff GI docs and they said they couldnt help me and i am going thurs to my 3rd surgeon, trying to get them to go in i guess, no one has any other answers but it will prb b another dead end rd. And u r right about it not showing on x-ray, i had severe prb couple yrs back and went to er and had ct and xray and they said i was fine, yea right, and 2 days later the doc did exploratory surg , suppose to b outpatient, well they had 2 call in 2 surgeons i was ina mess, and was told i would have died real soon. But i have had numerous stomach surgeries due to endemetriosis, etc before and aftermy hyst. But i thought after i had that all this would b over, wrong, but i also can c the docs scares, my pressure is unstable for 1, and they said more they go in more scarring, but if it is this bad again, dont we have no choice? I dont know i just dont want to end up in a emergency situation if surg is needed, as docs need to prepare for my pressure , etc. But pray this doc has answers, most just say they dont know what to tell me!! Scary, and as far as my family, well we are comin along slowly, i think i have let depression creep in on me and it can cause many former prb, so continue praying and all the best 2 u both. Oh just curious can either of u give me and input on sepsis or like i see lyme on here some?? I have had weird prob and need to be tested for things and need a start

thanks

Donna

[Sunfish]

hi donna -

a few things....

i do hope that the upcoming appt with the surgeon is helpful (i'll be at my surgeon's on thursday too...fun fun ). but it is definitely true that more surgery may make things worse rather than better...depending on what the problem is. so i am still curious as to what GI testing you've had done. any motility studies? i'm just wondering if options not involving surgery have been exhausted....

i can definitely appreciate your desire to have things dealt with in a setting other than an emergency. the context/ details are different, but i'm dealing with similar concerns in terms of wanting to deal with some issues before they become a crisis as they have multiple times in the past and having trouble finding people to help me do so.

regarding your question about sepsis & lyme, while they are both infectious disease issues, they are entirely different things in just about every way. i'm not the lyme expert but if you do a search - perhaps specifying "lyme" in the title rather than throughout the post - you'll find a lot of info. it's a pretty controversial issue at times in regard to diagnosis, treatment, etc. so keep in mind that you in reading about it you will likely read very different information depending on the source.

sepsis on the other hand is something i know all too well. essentially it's the body's reaction to a systemic infection in the bloodstream and can be life threatening, especially when it progresses to septic shock. sepsis is a very acute process and is not something you could have & not be VERY ill. without trying to sound crass, it would kill you in a short time without treatment. so it's not something that would have to be saught out as a diagnosis; if you had sepsis you'd be in the hospital. for me i've had it (as well as septic shock) multiple times due to bacteria that are supposed to be in the large intestine translocating into my bloodstream, likely related to my slow motility. those with any type of central line are also at a higher risk than the general population which has happened to several others on the forum.

hope this helps,

melissa