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alee_grrlI am bleh at the moment. I apparently have contracted the stomach bug from hell. On the bright side, it is not appendicitis or anything scary.
So Sunday afternoon I noticed a strange twinge of pain in my lower back (right side). I had also felt a bit gassy and blech, but figured it was one a reaction to meds or food. Biaxin does make me gassy. The pain migrated to the lower right side of my abdomen and stayed there. A dull, throbbing ache with occasional spikes. It was bad enough that it interrupted my sleep that night. I still hemmed and hawed throughout yesterday, went into work, gritted my teeth and pushed through.
I don't really know why I pushed through, or what I was putting it down to in my head. I told myself that I would call my Lyme doctor in the morning because it was probably a reaction to my iron supplements. I got home, mentioned that I wasn't feeling to great to my sister, and sat down to have dinner. The pain did not let up, and was getting harder to ignore. I've also been told that I need to work on acknowledging medical symptoms sooner, and that acknowledging them and asking for help does not make me an attention seeker or hypochondriac. I called one of my other family members, who happens to be a damn good triage nurse. At one point I told her that I would go to the ER if it got worse. Shortly after I got of the phone I realized it was already bad enough that I wanted to sit and cry, or maybe claw my way through a couch pillow or two. I'd just been pushing the pain off to try to be functional. I also realized that it would be much easier on my sister and her daughter to go to the ER at a time when we were all awake and could plan better than waiting until two in the morning.
So we trouped off to the local ER. It was a slow night thankfully so I got through registration and into a room pretty quickly. The staff was super kind and responsive. I've been brushed off for things before, but I'm guessing the amount of pain I was in was pretty evident. They decided to send me for a CAT scan as well as run some blood work, because the place that hurt the worst was right where my appendix is. I was pretty nervous cause I've never had a CAT scan, and the idea of it being something that required surgery to fix was terrifying.
They got me some morphine to help with the pain, after they managed to get an IV pic line in place the second try. The nurses, doc and lab techs explained what they were doing as we went and what I should expect. A lot of places don't do that, especially if they're busy, so I appreciated it. It is always so much easier to stay calm when you have some idea of what to expect.
Thankfully it was not my appendix or anything requiring surgery. Turns out my small intestine and stomach were inflamed (enteritis is the fancy term), most likely due to a wicked stomach bug that's been going around. I was a little thrown off because normally I get nausea with stomach bugs, and had no nausea this go round. They sent me home with prescriptions for nausea and pain and instructions to follow up with my PCP in two days.
I found it interesting that both the nurse and the doctor made sure to tell me that they were glad I came in, and that I was right to come in. I guess I'm not the only person who reacts to things like this with "I'm sorry for wasting your time; I guess I should have stayed home." Having them say something helps me squash the old tapes/brain demons that kick up with acute illness. I always feel like I'm making a big deal out of nothing. Or that I'm being a baby. And I'm always surprised when I go in to a doctor's office or emergency room, especially emergency rooms, and they take me seriously.
TL;DR--I am relatively okay. I am home. I am resting. This too shall pass. Right now I think I'm going to go curl up with my softest blanket and watch something on Netflix.
So Sunday afternoon I noticed a strange twinge of pain in my lower back (right side). I had also felt a bit gassy and blech, but figured it was one a reaction to meds or food. Biaxin does make me gassy. The pain migrated to the lower right side of my abdomen and stayed there. A dull, throbbing ache with occasional spikes. It was bad enough that it interrupted my sleep that night. I still hemmed and hawed throughout yesterday, went into work, gritted my teeth and pushed through.
I don't really know why I pushed through, or what I was putting it down to in my head. I told myself that I would call my Lyme doctor in the morning because it was probably a reaction to my iron supplements. I got home, mentioned that I wasn't feeling to great to my sister, and sat down to have dinner. The pain did not let up, and was getting harder to ignore. I've also been told that I need to work on acknowledging medical symptoms sooner, and that acknowledging them and asking for help does not make me an attention seeker or hypochondriac. I called one of my other family members, who happens to be a damn good triage nurse. At one point I told her that I would go to the ER if it got worse. Shortly after I got of the phone I realized it was already bad enough that I wanted to sit and cry, or maybe claw my way through a couch pillow or two. I'd just been pushing the pain off to try to be functional. I also realized that it would be much easier on my sister and her daughter to go to the ER at a time when we were all awake and could plan better than waiting until two in the morning.
So we trouped off to the local ER. It was a slow night thankfully so I got through registration and into a room pretty quickly. The staff was super kind and responsive. I've been brushed off for things before, but I'm guessing the amount of pain I was in was pretty evident. They decided to send me for a CAT scan as well as run some blood work, because the place that hurt the worst was right where my appendix is. I was pretty nervous cause I've never had a CAT scan, and the idea of it being something that required surgery to fix was terrifying.
They got me some morphine to help with the pain, after they managed to get an IV pic line in place the second try. The nurses, doc and lab techs explained what they were doing as we went and what I should expect. A lot of places don't do that, especially if they're busy, so I appreciated it. It is always so much easier to stay calm when you have some idea of what to expect.
Thankfully it was not my appendix or anything requiring surgery. Turns out my small intestine and stomach were inflamed (enteritis is the fancy term), most likely due to a wicked stomach bug that's been going around. I was a little thrown off because normally I get nausea with stomach bugs, and had no nausea this go round. They sent me home with prescriptions for nausea and pain and instructions to follow up with my PCP in two days.
I found it interesting that both the nurse and the doctor made sure to tell me that they were glad I came in, and that I was right to come in. I guess I'm not the only person who reacts to things like this with "I'm sorry for wasting your time; I guess I should have stayed home." Having them say something helps me squash the old tapes/brain demons that kick up with acute illness. I always feel like I'm making a big deal out of nothing. Or that I'm being a baby. And I'm always surprised when I go in to a doctor's office or emergency room, especially emergency rooms, and they take me seriously.
TL;DR--I am relatively okay. I am home. I am resting. This too shall pass. Right now I think I'm going to go curl up with my softest blanket and watch something on Netflix.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-24 11:35 pm (UTC)Like you, I don't like to go into an emergency room unless I can't stop bleeding from a severe cut, other injury or something like chest pains or very high fever that won't come down. I've had my PCP pretty much chew me out for not going, but I was raised that one does not go to the emergency room unless it's a bonafide emergency, so the habit is difficult to break.
In your case, with all of the antibiotics and such that you take, it would be a good idea to go in and have something like you're experiencing right now checked out than not and sooner rather than later, especially since there are bugs out there that are now immune to most antibiotics. After having taken antibiotics for such a long period of time, it is also possible that anything your body is carrying may have become immune to antibiotics as well, so it is a really good idea for you to stay on top of things like this. /Mother Henning
Sending lots of healing and positive, supportive vibes your way. Feel better soon!
no subject
Date: 2013-09-24 11:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 12:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 12:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 01:01 am (UTC)Also, I was having a hard time asking for help today and I was like, hey, these people told me to call them if I needed them, so I did. It was really hard to do. I think it's harder for women to do this than men. Damned socialization. So, good thing to work on, in sum.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:31 pm (UTC)Oh wow. That is very fast! Are you feeling better today? I hope you are at home, resting. I am at home not resting :D And yes, I hate to bother other people for my own comfort. It was very hard to jump that hurdle, but pain was an excellent motivator. Plus, they are being paid to help me. That was helpful too. Kudos for good growth skills! <3
no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:34 pm (UTC)Good plan! Enjoy the rest. It will help you heal faster. <3
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Date: 2013-09-25 02:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:23 pm (UTC)oh, those tapes. those tapes.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-25 03:30 pm (UTC)Thanks, hun. Old tapes are just *ugh*.