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Original poster

Should we go to a and e?

539 replies

ChatterMonkey · 12/03/2022 07:49

Dp has been feeling rubbish for a week now, with pain caused by constipation. He hasnt had a bowel movement for a week now. The pain is constant, with waves of agonising pain.

Hes struggling to be able to medicate it, as hes not allowed to have anti inflammatory medication for seperate issues, and is wary about codeine based medicine as that causes constipation. Paracetomol isnt touching the sides of the pain.

The plan was to get a doctor appointment on monday, but the pain was really severe last night, im not sure we should wait till monday. He mentioned yesterday that the blockage is starting to affect his ability to pee properly which i think is worrying?

Hes alsp worrying now that the constipation is a side effect of something more serious, as theres nothing we can think thats triggered it. Hes worried about gallstones, or bowel cancer.

Is it worth going to a and e, are they likely going to he able to do anything, even if its just investigate and rule out some of the more scary possibilities thats worrying dp? Or would we likely be waiting ages and then sent away with a box of laxido?

OP posts:
MrsLargeEmbodied · 13/03/2022 12:37

i am sure he will be seen very soon

ItsDisneyBitch · 13/03/2022 12:41

The bowel prep for a colonoscopy is horrendous, but when I did mine the problem was constant diarrhoea so actually it wasn’t painful just extremely quick and violent.

Mumdiva99 · 13/03/2022 12:41

Hoe many grown women are waiting on tenterhooks for your husband to poo....Grin
He's in the right place. Although he may relax more at home....so hopefully he will be allowed out soon, and there will be a plan in place in case it doesn't move.

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JetTail · 13/03/2022 12:42

@MrsLargeEmbodied

i am sure he will be seen very soon
What makes you say that?
JetTail · 13/03/2022 12:42

I wonder could we all tell him to PUSH!!!

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 13/03/2022 12:43

Its just frustrating that they dont seem to be explaining anything to him though. Especially in a situation where people arent allowed someone in with them. Dp should be more assertive, but he is feeling in pain, uncomfortable, and vulnerable so perhaps isnt asking the questions he would in normal circumstances.

No one medical has told him he isnt allowed to eat abything, so he has no one to ask why not. The only person who has said it is the person with the food cart, so wouldnt know why. But its obviously on his notes/file but no one has told him that, or explained why. They must have something planned for that to be noted, but the patient is the one completely in the dark about it.

OP posts:
TheBareTree · 13/03/2022 12:43

@Mumdiva99

Hoe many grown women are waiting on tenterhooks for your husband to poo....Grin He's in the right place. Although he may relax more at home....so hopefully he will be allowed out soon, and there will be a plan in place in case it doesn't move.
^ this Grin

Sending Flowers to you both

JetTail · 13/03/2022 12:44

@ItsDisneyBitch

The bowel prep for a colonoscopy is horrendous, but when I did mine the problem was constant diarrhoea so actually it wasn’t painful just extremely quick and violent.
Weirdly, I had one about a year ago and that bowel prep thing cleared out my bowels entirely and just that clearing out, resolved all the issues I had!
TheQueenInTheNorth · 13/03/2022 12:46

I'm surprised they haven't given him a CT scan, I was admitted into hospital with similar symptoms. Originally they suspected Appendicitis but it turned out I had Diverticulitis, they found it in a CT scan

MrsLargeEmbodied · 13/03/2022 12:48

@JetTail
seen soon because they like to admit or discharge people within 4 hours, they have targets
when dh went to A &E they actually pushed him out of the door with seconds to spare before it hit the 4 hour target!

as this is a follow up appointment though it might be different
just hopeful of course for the op and her dh

JetTail · 13/03/2022 12:49

He needs to tell a nurse that he would like to speak to the doctor who is looking after him. I would refuse to leave without speaking to a doctor. Not a nurse. They should have taken a full history.

seastargirl · 13/03/2022 12:51

I'd ask them to make sure he's had a coeliac screen, these were my daughter's symptoms and we could have avoided a year of illness if they had tested for this properly. I would also ensure he chases his results to make sure they have been checked and evaluated. Hope he's on the mend soon

JinglingHellsBells · 13/03/2022 12:54

I suspect a lot of the delay some posters perceive, and lack of scans etc, are down to staffing as it's a weekend.

Yes, he's in A&E BUT we all know that being admitted to hospital at a weekend has worse outcomes or a delay owing to lack of staff.

They need to make sure somehow that the blockage is not a twisted bowel, perforated bowel, or anything else.

Mama1980 · 13/03/2022 12:59

I'm sorry to hear your dh is so poorly. I would tell him to really try to tell the next nurse he sees that he wants to speak to the dr and get the request put in writing on his notes.

Legalconundrums · 13/03/2022 13:05

Watch the protein shakes, they can add to the problem x

Original poster
ChatterMonkey · 13/03/2022 13:06

So the plot thickens.... A nurse has just been to put a cannula thingy in his arm. But still no explanation as to why. Apparentlt hes told the nurse she needs to go and get a doctor to tell him whats going on.

Just as i typed the above dp messaged saying that apparently hes going for a ct scan and the canula is for dye... What would this be looking for?

OP posts:
JinglingHellsBells · 13/03/2022 13:06

@Legalconundrums

Watch the protein shakes, they can add to the problem x
He's in hospital. He's not having any food at the moment.
Shuffleuplove · 13/03/2022 13:07

That’s to check if there’s a blockage and what it is.

JinglingHellsBells · 13/03/2022 13:07

@ChatterMonkey

So the plot thickens.... A nurse has just been to put a cannula thingy in his arm. But still no explanation as to why. Apparentlt hes told the nurse she needs to go and get a doctor to tell him whats going on.

Just as i typed the above dp messaged saying that apparently hes going for a ct scan and the canula is for dye... What would this be looking for?

well, it will be looking for what is causing the blockage.

This is good news that he is being investigated.

tulips27 · 13/03/2022 13:11

I think having no food is fairly common for abdominal things in case they suddenly need to operate (appendicitis), I wouldn't read anything into it.

sueelleker · 13/03/2022 13:13

@ChatterMonkey

Yes its a 100ml bottle which seems crazy! Doze on the prescription label is 2.5ml no more than 4 times a day, so given that he has to go back tomorrow, it seems an insane amount to have in the house! Its 10mg/5ml, no idea if thats a strong or weak dose...?
I worked in a hospital pharmacy, and 100ml is the smallest bottle it comes in; so it's obviously easier to give a whole bottle than to decant it into a smaller one.
WaterBottle123 · 13/03/2022 13:14

It's excellent they are scanning him and checking OP, you'll have answers and a plan soon

BeeandG · 13/03/2022 13:16

I had dye and a ct scan for suspected appendicitis 2 weeks ago. It was appendicitis and showed up clearly on the ct. I was nill by mouth due to potential op which I had the same day I was diagnosed. Key hole surgery.

Fantasea · 13/03/2022 13:17

As PPs have said, the CT is to check for a blockage. I've had several and the actual scan only takes about 5 minutes. It will need to be read which may cause some delay though.

BookwormButNoTime · 13/03/2022 13:18

The contrast dye helps certain tissues and blood vessels show up better on a scan. They do the scan without and then pop the dye in and then rescan.

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