When to go to ER?

[ishy]

What makes you decide to go to the ER? How bad should it get?

[cindym]

You have to make your own decision about whether you need to go to ER or not. However, I was told by my doctor that if I developed a fever, had uncontrollable diarrhea (watery) and could not replace the amount of fluid I was losing the go to ER after calling his after hours service and letting them know. If you go to ER without calling in to your doc it can be horrendous what they put you through before being seen! The wait is outrageous in the area in which I live. If you do have watery diarrhea and very ill then put a call into your doctor and let him make the decision.

[ishy]

I am having less diarrhea, but lots and lots of pain. Some vomiting. I haven't taken my temp.

The hospital up the street is new and the first time I went there (for this, but before I knew what it was), I was the only person in the ER and had like 5 nurses hanging out in my room. Definitely an anomaly as far as ERs go.

[PJV1963]

I was with my Mom in the ER yesterday. It was a breeze..only 8 hours this time!! One time it was 14 hours and 11 the time before last. This time, her GI team came to see her and did what was supposed to be a direct admit. The hospital she is at is expanding, so hopefully, soon ,the wait time will be less, as all the new rooms will be private rooms. That was the hold up, waiting for a private room.
She is feeling a bit better today,but more BM's since they took her off of Florestor and Cholestymia(sp??).

[ishy]

The D has returned with a vengeance, and I do have a low fever now. The pain is consistent, which I don't think is what is common with IBS. So this does seem like a true relapse....

[feelinghopeful]

Hi Ishy,

I just read your story. You've never been on Vancocyn. Sounds like you never really got rid of the C-Diff. I'm not a doctor but with that kind of weight loss and your symptoms, I'd either go to emergency or call and see if your doctor will put you on Vanco since he or she knows you've had C-Diff and might prescribe it without the ER visit. I try to stay away from hospitals. Everything is lurking in them (though yours sounds nice and brandy new so maybe not so bad) but sometimes you have to. You've been suffering way too long. Time to stop the guessing game, though. The longer you wait, the more damage you do, among other things.

I think somebody else has written you this but, when I was really sick Kefir helped settle my guts down. Different things work for different people. It's worth a shot since it's little more of an investment than buying a quart of milk. It's not a cure but it's an ancient remedy for intestinal problems that's worked for people practically since the beginning of civilization. The effect is soothing. But do something medical. You sound pretty sick and everyone here knows what that feels like. Did I read you lost 40lbs? I lost 20 and started losing my hair at that point. I would be dead if I lost 40lbs.

[feelinghopeful]

P.S. Down some gatorade or pedialite if you can. Sorry if you wrote you did or if somebody else suggested it. I didn't read all your posts or every thread. You can't let your electrolites drop too far. Then you wind up with very serious issues. My friend wound up in the hospital for her heart and kidney problems because of electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. Don't want to dramatize the issue but it can be serious with that kind of weight loss and diarrhea.

On a lighter note, I read somebody's story not too long ago and they wrote, if you know how to spell diarrhea you already know too much about it - or something like that. So true, and very clever. It would be a shame to let that one get burried. I got a good chuckle.

[ishy]

I had some weight to lose, so I had room to spare I guess. I'm still not underweight. I had planned already to ask for the Vanco when I called the gastroenterologist tomorrow, and you're right, I don't want to go to the hospital unless absolutely necessary because this is the one thing where it seems to just get perpetuated in a hospital situation.

I have already been drinking kefir, and had someone get pedialyte this morning after reading things here. I'm allergic to corn syrup, so something like soda or gatorade isn't even an option for me, and I never thought of drinking pedialyte until I read it here. The kefir does seem to help, but a strange symptom I have is of things smelling off, which makes me nauseous, and I get a little of that with kefir/yogurt. I am drinking the pedialyte now and eating jello, which seems to be helping.

[cindym]

ishy- if you are running a fever and the diarrhea is watery and you are unable to keep drinking ALOT........call the doctor. Not to scare you but dehydration is very life threatening with cdiff as your heart reacts to low potassium. If you are able to keep up with your fluid intake fine but if not DO NOT WAIT and call doctor NOW.

[TheVike]

If you are hurting and you are really feeling VERY sick esp with a fever go to the ER NOW!

[PJV1963]

Last time,my mom was too dehydrated to keep a regular IV in place and they had to start a PICC line. If you are dehydrated,in pain and having D...a trip to the ER or to the GI is in order. If you are not able to keep fluids down,you throw off all of your electrolites and protein levels and that can lead to other problems, as has already been said. You are not being an alarmist or a baby,get the help you need!

[ishy]

I've been keeping liquids down so far today, and am not showing signs of being dehydrated. Once I got everything solid out of my stomach it seemed to calm down. Obviously I can't go long on a pure liquid diet, but I can last until tomorrow when I can call the doctor I think.