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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Shepparton *ugh*
    Age
    48
    Posts
    1,185

    Default Diverticulitis, and then some.

    Here's one for the sub-40's to look forward to

    About 3 weeks ago, after having a few drinky-poos the night before, I woke up from a rare solid night's sleep busting for a whizz. It felt like my bladder was stretched to capacity. Not uncommon after a big night and deep sleep, and the pain usually disappeared a few minutes after weelieving myself.

    Not this time. It got worse and worse throughout the day to the point where I could only shuffle around the house. It felt like my bladder was going to explode. So I headed into Emergency that night where eventually (the next morning) a CT scan showed I had Diverticulitis - and a perforation, not just a pocket...so basically I was farting inside myself

    And you reckon they're bad on the outside!



    All up I spent 6 days in hospital being pumped full of pain killers and antibiotics, and not being allowed or able to eat.

    Everything seemed relatively fine so I came home with another week's worth of Targin and antis. I took that week pretty easy (for me) and seemed to be healing. But almost as soon as I finished that medication, I started getting crook again with other things...ear ache, swollen nodes around my throat, a mouth chock full of horrifically painful ulcers and open wounds, prickly skin and a pain under my ribs. My guts weren't *too* bad, but they were starting to hurt more again, and in a different, less location specific way.

    It all started to come to a head on Saturday (typical...when I couldn't get to a Dr) and I shuffled back to ED in the arvo to make sure I was ok. The suggestion was that the ol' immune system had been hit pretty hard by all the antis and it wasn't an entirely uncommon response after such a "trauma". They were glad I came in, but there wasn't much more that I could do other than keep resting, eat pain killers and monitor myself, so I toddled back home and setup camp on the couch.

    Everything was getting worse and/or spreading over Sunday and standard painkillers weren't doing a thing. I couldn't keep warm and had ended up on a mattress infront of the fire covered in clothes and blankets. It was when I woke myself up from a brief nap with a "Pain Level: 10" scream from my ribs that I dragged my sorry butt back into ED for another overnight stay.


    Me entering ED: I think I'm dying (wry smile)
    Triage nurse: Cool!
    LOL...I can't help my morbid sense of humor (always with the jokes) but I love it when the serious people play along too


    All night there was talk of Chron's disease, appendix and gall bladder removal, and surgery in general to have a better look and maybe take some other bits out. I was going to ask if they could shave a few kg off my belly while they were in there

    It was all a bit confusing for the Drs...so many different symptoms all at once...and I can understand the problems they had when they couldn't get another CT scan done and the main surgical crew were off until the morning (and it wasn't urgent enough to call them in).

    I spent the night back on the IV and taking lots more of the good painkillers (mmm...opiates...), a disgusting oral anesthetic gel and repeatedly passing out and coming to a few minutes later from exhaustion. There was reasonable improvement and they were less worried about surgery now. A new Dr looked at my old CT scan and she was the one who told me I'd had a perforation (no mention of it before ). It all made more sense to me then that it was a different kind of injury to what I'd been told before and that bed rest was even more important than just taking it easy.

    Everything everywhere still hurts but having a short course of Endone at home now is very welcome, and I assume that *if* I need more, my GP might be able to help me out now during the week.

    I could have come out of this a lot worse and it's not over quite yet...I have to have a colonoscopy in about a month and need to stay as horizontal as I can. There's always the chance of another relapse or need for surgery later on, but for the moment I'm not dead yet...just horrendously bored



    So there you go...the Tale of Red's Guts. Or should that be "The Long Winded Tail"?
    Every time you make a typo, the errorists win.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Not far enough away from Melbourne
    Posts
    4,200

    Default

    Not good mate. At least you are getting treatment. I hope all goes well and you recover and get back to the shed soon.
    I got sick of sitting around doing nothing - so I took up meditation.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
    Age
    68
    Posts
    12,006

    Default

    Don't loose your sense of humor -- in terms of recovery, it's probably as important as the drugs
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  5. #4
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Peoples Republic of Bryn
    Posts
    393

    Default

    Make the most of the endone, they will most likely find something else as its a very additive drug, but really great for pain.

    hopefully they will provide something with a little more relief than panadol, rest up, and yes boredom is the the hardest thing.

    hopefully the final outcome is nothing too major and can be fixed

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Sutherland Shire, Sydney
    Age
    71
    Posts
    1,301

    Default

    Crikey, you really have been through the wringer. Commiserations, and hopefully you are well and truly on the mend now.

    Best wishes,
    Alan...

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    Sorry to hear of your woes RSG, Hope you continue to make progress and get well.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Townsville. Tropical Nth Qld.
    Posts
    1,243

    Default

    Well RSG, some stuff called Psyillium husk will now be your best friend. I have had a few bouts of DV, caused by holding in a cr#p too long working on live switchboards. 3 dessert spoons of it mixed in 600 ml of water for breakfast each day stops any recurrence. A dash of orange cordial takes the blandness off the mix.
    Hope you recover quickly,
    Rgds,
    Crocy.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    6,974

    Default

    Sorry to hear that mate.
    Hope your back covered in man glider soon.

    Cheers Matt


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    42
    Posts
    126

    Default

    I work with a guy that has the same condition. Late last year his went south rapidly and he passed out and woke up in hospital... they'd removed 1ft of his bowel and attached an ostomy bag... he's set to have the ostomy reversed next month and his bowel reattached. But it was a close call.

    Apparently the small infection grew rapidly, his bowel became perforate then severely ruptured, he ended up with a severe blood infection which is why he passed out.

    It can be managed, but you just need to be acutely aware of the symptoms and act quickly when they flare up.

    Hopefully yours is easily managed.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Shepparton *ugh*
    Age
    48
    Posts
    1,185

    Default

    Thank you all. Thought I'd share seeing as DV has only been mentioned a couple of times briefly before. All the extra crap that's happened just makes for a crazy side story

    Finally starting to feel a bit better today, but still taking it super easy.
    Every time you make a typo, the errorists win.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    5,124

    Default

    Spoze you'll now have time to catch up on a heap of Youtube videos, Netflix and reading

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Townsville. Tropical Nth Qld.
    Posts
    1,243

    Default

    One other thing I forgot to mention, the bum doctor said was to avoid eating peanuts. He said they were one of the things that when they get caught in the pockets, they will not digest, only lay there and cause infections.
    Rgds,
    Crocy.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

    Default

    I have Ulcerative Colitis and the wrong pain medication I was given to take a bit over a month ago has seen me unable to leave the house for the last month when it triggered the UC after being in remission for about five years. These bowel problems are not a lot of fun at all and I hope you get over it quickly. My last bout of UC before this lasted 20 years.
    CHRIS

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    3,277

    Default

    Sorry to hear of your woes. I had 2 heart attacks recently and spent a few days completely bed ridden, since surgery I'm still not allowed to do much so I can relate and fully sympathise with how frustrating and boring doing relatively nothing is.

    Best advice I can give is to not watch YouTube or read magazines etc related to woodwork as it just gets you inspired and enthused to make stuff and you can't do just get more frustrated.

    Speedy recovery mate.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    …..Live a Quiet Life & Work with your Hands

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