ER Visit

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DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Aug 01, 2018 2:42 pm

Monday night at 9pm I started having the same type of ischemic colitis symptoms I had at the end of 2015. I had horrible bloating and cramping. I was sweating so much that I had to take everything off. I had solid stool, then mushy and then explosive liquid diarrhea. I alternated between laying on the floor and going on the toilet. I was so nauseous that I felt like I was going to vomit. After I left the bathroom I had the chills for a couple of hours and couldn't get warm. Then my temperature rose to 100.9F. I went to the bathroom before I went to bed and noticed there was blood in the stool flecks left and blood when I wiped. I went to the ER at 3:30am in a lot of pain. The ER doctor ordered blood work which showed my white blood cell count was up. Later on that morning when the Ct department was open I had a ct scan after drinking gastrografin. I was only given toradol once for pain, and gravol and zophran for nausea. I was also on fluids. The ER doctor said that the ct scan showed fat stranding above my anastomosis site which showed that there had been inflammation which had resolved itself. He gave me no explanation for what had caused my symptoms. He gave me two tyelnol with codeine to bring home with me and said to stay on a liquid diet until I felt better. I slept 9 hours because I had been awake the entire time in the ER. I get really weak from doing fluids only so I am trying solid food. If I have symptoms again I will go back to liquids. The ER doctor said he was going to send a copy of my ER report to the GI doctor I have seen in the past. Here referrals are good for a year. If I haven't seen the doctor for over a year the referral runs out and has to be resubmitted. Since the GI's office doesn't have voicemail I haven't been able to get a hold of them and will keep trying. I believe that a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy should have been ordered like they were the last time in 2015. My boyfriend and I are going to Vancouver and Edmonton leaving on August 20th and returning August 31st.


Eating solid food didn't go well and I am now having the same pain as before therefore I am going back to liquids.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

stu
Posts: 1612
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: ER Visit

Postby stu » Wed Aug 01, 2018 5:15 pm

Oh that sounds rough . You are always so caring to everyone here . I really feel for you and hope you get it investigated and a solution found .
Take care,
Stu
supporter to my mum who lives a great life despite a difficult diagnosis
stage4 2009 significant spread to liver
2010 colon /liver resection
chemo following recurrence
73% of liver removed
enjoying life treatment free
2016 lung resection
Oct 2017 nice clear scan . Two lung nodules disappeared
Oct 2018. Another clear scan .

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Aug 01, 2018 5:22 pm

Yes it is tough. Thanks Stu. This is different than at the end of 2015 because I was hospitalized for a week and had a sigmoidoscopy and prednisone. I was on clear liquids, then liquids then solid food while in the hospital. I had prednisone after I came home. I hope I won't have more bleeding.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

WarriorSpouse
Posts: 220
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 9:02 pm

Re: ER Visit

Postby WarriorSpouse » Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:29 pm

I hope you are feeling better... Vacation time is stressful enough without having to worry about what you have described. I hope things get settled so that you and your boyfriend can still enjoy some time away.
Get better soon!
WS
D/H 47 years old, 10/2014, Stage IV M/CRC, nodes 12/15, para-aortic, 5 cm sigmoid resection, positive Virchow. KRAS mut, MSS, Highly Differentiated, Lynch Neg, 5FU/LV and Avastin 1 YR (Oxi for 5 months), Zeloda/Bev since 01/2016. 02/2019 recurrence para-nodes, back to 5FU/LV Oxy/Bev. It is working again. "...Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other."-Walter Elliot

boxhill
Posts: 789
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:40 am

Re: ER Visit

Postby boxhill » Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:27 am

What a horrible experience! I hope it is resolved in time for you to enjoy your vacation.

BTW, I can't believe that your GI doc doesn't have voicemail or any way for patients to leave a message! Not even an after hours answering service? What if the phone is busy when someone calls during the day? That's crazy. Maybe it's time to get a new doctor with a practice large enough to have decent service.
F, 64 at DX CRC Stage IV
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 LN,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 LNs in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/20 MRI stable/NED
6/20 Stop Key
All MRIs NED

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:01 am

Thanks, I hope so too! We already have the flights booked and one of the places where we'll be staying so we can't back out of the trip. There are only two GI's here both in the same office without voicemail. I called the GI's office today and asked if my referral had run out and told the receptionist and that the ER doctor was going to send the GI the ER report. She said the report would be sent to the GI's mailbox at the hospital. That if I was triaged as urgent I would be seen right away. If not then they are booking into December and that there is no way I would be able to see him before our vacation. Very frustrating to say the least! The ER doctor had asked if I had ever had ulcerative colitis and I said no. I asked about IBD and he said my age did fall within the peak ages so that it's possible this could be the start of it.


I'm cramping again today and don't have many options when it comes to liquid diets today. The humidex is already 90F and will hit 102F later today. It's too warm to walk to the grocery store to pick up other liquids such as broth, jello, ginger ale, etc.. Maybe my boyfriend will be able to pick up more when he's back home by 9:05pm. I hope I won't have bleeding again. I don't understand why at the ER the doctor didn't order a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy because that would have shown more.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

lovelife789
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:28 am

Re: ER Visit

Postby lovelife789 » Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:03 am

That sounds terrible :( :( hope you feel better very soon...
F/38 - Dx 8 Mar 17, CEA 189.5
Stage IV Sig. Colon, Liver mets, T3N0M1a, KRAS NRAS Wild
3/17- 6/17 - 6 x FOLFOX + Erbitux
7/17 - 1st & 2nd Liver resec
9-12/17' - 13 x FOLFOX
1-6/18 - NED
6/18 - PET SCAN showed a 0.8mm lung nodule, VATs
8/18 - 4/19 - NED
5/19 - recurrence 1 x PALN, 1x common iliac
FOLFIRI + Avastin x 12 - complete response, SBRT
12/19-5/20 - NED
5/20 - recurrence in LNs, tiny liver spots x 2, W n W due to COVID
8/20 - LNs very slightly increased, liver stable, one new liver spot

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:12 am

Thank you! I hope so too! Whenever I've had bleeding it was because of colon cancer or because of ischemic colitis. At the ER I was gassy and just passing small blood clots. My colon is empty so I haven't had a bm since being in the ER.


The cramping, nausea and lower left sided pain right feels like how I felt with the start of my symptoms Monday night. :(
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

crikklekay
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:47 am
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: ER Visit

Postby crikklekay » Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:19 pm

Ugh, that's awful! Did they test you for CDIFF? My husband had similar symptoms and he wound up in the ER like you, but his CT scan showed some colitis and because he was a colon cancer patient they had him admitted. The hospital doctor then ordered a CDIFF test to be safe and it came back positive. It can cause a lot of gas, cramping, and horrible diarrhea. He also had nausea, sweating, and a fever though those symptoms can be attributed to many other conditions.

I hope you get some answers and start to feel better!
Caring for DH John
Stage IIIC, Lymph nodes: 6/22
Chemo: FOLFOX (6)
12/17 ER and emergency surgery
02/18 Hospital w/MSSA infected port, PICC line inserted, chest CT scan showed septic emboli & blood clots
03/18 Hospital w/CDIFF
08/18 CT Scan Clear, NEMD
2018/2019/2021 Colonoscopy Clear
2019/2020/2021/2022 CT Scan Clear
2021 PET scan & MRI show one spot on liver
08/21 Liver surgery to remove spot, confirmed mCRC. Now Stage IV
09/21 Start Folfiri + Avastin
03/22 CEA Rise, continuing chemo

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:22 pm

They never tested for C diff. I had rectal bleeding and by the time I was at the ER there just stool flecks left with blood. After that only gas and blood. There wouldn't have been any stool to test for C diff. Thank you! :)
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

Jannine
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:46 am
Location: Maryland, USA

Re: ER Visit

Postby Jannine » Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:43 pm

DarknessEmbraced, if your tickets are with Southwest you can cancel the flight and keep the funds available for a future ticket purchase; you just have to use them within the next year. I had to do this for a visit we had planned that would have been only 2 weeks after my resection surgery. I did the cancellation 11 days before the flight.

I don't know if the other airlines are that flexible but I'd check to make sure, if you're not flying Southwest.

Most hotels will also let you cancel without penalty as long as you do it at least a few days ahead of time.

I hope you don't need to cancel the vacation, though!
DX: sigmoid colon cancer 5/2018. 48 F
laparoscopic sigmoid resection (24 cm removed); no stoma.
7.5cm adenocarcinoma -- mod. diff.
1 noncontiguous tumor deposit removed; 0/31 lymph nodes
T3 pN1c M0
5/18 before surgery, CEA 11.2
6/18 began FOLFOX
7/18: CEA 1.9; added neulasta post infusion
9/18: CEA 2.8
10/18: 25% chemo reduction
11/18: CEA 1.8
7/19 CT scan clear

dliu
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:16 am

Re: ER Visit

Postby dliu » Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:54 pm

That sounds terrible. Wishing for you to get better soon, and hope you are able to enjoy your vacation.
Caring for my mum, 65
Sigmoid resection, multiple liver mets
09/05/2018 Dx Stage IV, 6/11 LN - KRAS G12V
28/05/2018 First round of FOLFOX + Avastin

CEA down from 6000+ (05/2018) to 843 (08/2018) to 377 (11/2018)
9/10 rounds with Oxaliplatin
8/10 rounds with Bevacizumab

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:56 pm

Our tickets are with Air Canada and Westjet as far as I know we can't cancel without paying a lot to do so. The airbnb could be cancelled and we haven't booked the hotel for Edmonton yet. I would rather not have to cancel though. Thank you for the information. Sorry you had to cancel your trip!*hugs*


My cramping and pain is worse right now. :(
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

User avatar
CRguy
Posts: 10472
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: ER Visit

Postby CRguy » Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:12 pm

Westjet will give you a travel credit good for 1 year and is renewable for another $50 as I recall.
AC .... not my fave, but I would think they should also offer credits ( I know maybe not all fare rate classes :( )

Sorry you are having these issues, life is interesting enough without all this shit already !!!!!

Stay strong and keep pushing the Docs to DEAL WITH IT !!!!!!!

Best wishes and Harmony
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: ER Visit

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:17 pm

Thanks CRguy! We don't like Air Canada that much either since we had a bad experience after our flight was cancelled due to a thunderstorm. They were a necessary evil because they had the better times for two of the flights we needed. I should have refused to be discharged while still being in pain and having bleeding.
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)


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