# Hospital experience 6 days as a patient!



## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi all.I've just spent the last 6 days in hospital. Had ulrasound of abdomen which was normal. Bloods are all normal..chest e-ray (normal) and barium swallow whcich showed gastroparesis and duodenitis. They are quite happy to say i unfortunately suffer from gastroparesis and have put me on metoclopramide...they can't explain right upper quadrant pain or diarrhoea(WHICH I OCCASSIONALLY GET).I feel shocking but have managed to put a little weight back on..they say i'm suffering from malnutrition (no sh-T sherlock!)...i'm on three fortisips per day (1000cals) and have follow up next week.Whilst in hospital they had me on huge doses of metoclopramide intravenous (normally used for radio therapy patients!). I honestly feel i need a HIDA scan to rule out sluggish gallbladder and i'm pushing for this next week..i'm also going ahead with endoscopy under GA privately...i feel they have not got to the bottom of this sufficiently.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Glad to hear they found _something_ and are treating you for it. Gastroparesis can be chronic or transient and I'm hoping yours is transient. Interesting that both of these (gastroparesis & duodenitis) can be caused by viruses..... And yes I would ask about the HIDA scan stiil. Hopefully you will continue to gain some strength & weight back and begin to feel a bit better now. Continue with that balance of resting and going for short walks and such to build your strength and yeah... eat.. Keep us posted.BQ


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## Cathy in CA (Feb 5, 2009)

*I agree it's a hope for recovery that something was found that can be treated.It's not fun being hospitalized for a week. I've had to do that many times, in fact, once for 8 weeks. I got hooked on a soap opera and it took me years to get away from it-ha! And when you take those walks, go outside in the sun. Being malnourished and probably indoors while feeling unwell, you may have a Vit D deficiency. We don't get enough in our diets under normal circumstances so we need the sun on our skin to help us make it. I found out 3 mo ago my D was only 19... very low, we don't know for how long. That, with all the Prednisone years ago for UC, has now given me Osteopenia on top IBS and RA and orthopedic problems. I take so many potent meds now, I was grateful dr didn't just jump in and start me on Boniva or other drug with lots of possible side effects. For now, we are trying just a megadose of Vit D and daily 1/2 hour minimum time outside in sunshine, with no sunscreen on. I spent my childhood, teens and twenties at beaches and pools (California girl) so it's not a surprise I've now had 2 surgeries for skin cancer. So, my dermatologist won't be thrilled when she hears I'm stepping outside of my house without my high-number sunscreen on. It's kind of a dilemma. Labwork will be repeated soon. Anyway, on top of all you are going through, you don't need any preventable problems, so I thought I'd share this with you.Good luck on the tests ahead and on responding well to meds.Cathy (in California)*


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

BQHi mate, which viruses? (Just curious, im a bacterial biologist and training to be a virologist at present as well.)cheersIan


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi RiddickI though you havd been a bit quiet for a while! well at least you have an explanation and something to work on. did they say what caused the gastro paresis? cheersian


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## Kerrij34 (Mar 4, 2009)

I have IBS D and C, I did have a HIDDA scan because I have upper right quadrant pain also, but the hidda scan came out stating my gallbladder is working 30%. Now my sister's was only working 16% and they took it out. I work in healthcare field and I know that this URQ pain is not to do with IBS but my doctor insists it is not my gallbladder. I am on a probiotic, and I am on Bentyl and Desiperamine. Which they help but right now I am in the C stage and I am miserable. So both ways suck, hospitals can be frustrating and telling your doctor hey please just rule out that it is not my gallbladder is hard too. But I hope u get better.


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## Cathy in CA (Feb 5, 2009)

*about which bacteria.... I know of one; H pylori. It's a culprit of gastritis and ulcers. Treatment: an antibiotic, I forget the name of it.I have an interesting story about that bacteria. Way back in the 1970s, when patients were getting told their stomach ulcers were all from how they were handling stress, my brilliant gastroenterologist did not believe it. He reassured me that my reoccuring severe gastritis was not from my own personality. He said that someday, somebody would discover that a specific bacteria is the cause of nearly all cases. 30 years later, he was proven to be correct.Cathy*


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Ian I have no idea which ones. Wish I did. But I know I have read that sometimes some virals can leave behind rather nasty calling cards... including.. _some_times IBS or some damage to our GI tracts.Maybe after you are done training & have practiced a bit...you can educate us all on viruses. Is it me or does it seem like we (meaning science) seems to know much about bacteria and how to kill them...but not a whole lot about viruses or how to kill them? We need you Ian!!!!Riddick I think Cathy has a good idea.... if your weather allows... getting outside just might make you feel so much better.. if even for a short time.Hope you are feeling better today in any event.BQ


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

Saw my gp today who gave me another week off. I'm eating but not really enjoying the food at all and i'm staying well away from fats. The fortisips are giving me a 1000cals per day and any other food on top. I'm manging cereal for breakfast, sandwich at lunch and something really lte for tea such as soup or beans on toast..i'm also eating fruit throughout the day and taking plenty of fluids.....hopefully my appetite will come back eventually.


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

Well today i saw two gastro guys! One and NHS and one private. The private guy is going to try and arrange for me to have upper endoscopy done through NHS with a general anaesthetic...he basically says i should not be having to pay for it full stop...and he doesn't like charging me for something he feels i am entitled to (what a top bloke he is).NHS guy wouldn't do HIDA scan yet he says radiology dept would refuse point blank as my ultrasound was normal and my liver bloods and pancreatic bloods are all normal.....he was basically feeding me bullsh-it! and he knows i know (its and expensive test)...they are gonna see me again in 2 months...if my symptoms are still here and everything else comes back negative i will DEMAND the HIDA scan! and if i'm not given it i will seek legal advice.I am getting sick of the NHS and it's attitude towards denying diagnostics and anaesthetics on cost grounds..its a bloody scandal and i'll be writing to the chief exec if i don't get some joy soon.


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi MateI was forced to take me, my good lady , and my three children to bupa last year. it is blingdingly expensive, but sooooo worth it.i have done a bit of research and one person on the AAA plan (which covers absolutely everything you can think of will come in at about £30 per month. sadly they wont cover anything that is already a problem. the NHS where basically no help to me at all over the entire course of my 20 year illness. many times they where down right neglegent, and most of teh rest of the time they just didnt really care and tried to fob me off with all kinds of ####, the fact that i am a doctor myself (Not a MD but still in teh same line of work) and that i know that i am being treated like a mushroom (kept in teh dark and fed on s**t) diddnt make any difference to them.it was a joke. have a look at bupa or axa PPP mate and see what they can do for you.cheersIan


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

You are so right ian. I am joining BUPA from tomorrow..at least i'll be covered for any different #### that might happen in the future. NHS is ok if you're not poorly! When i was in hospital last week i was written up for IV fluids...it took them 8 hours to put them up!!! When i told the nurse i was written up for fluids she just said they were very busy...i pointed out that the whole point of my treatment was to get me rehydrated not make me worse...that was St James hospital in leeds (Jimmy's!).They were run off their feet on the admissions ward BUT i still felt they treated patients like numbers and not people...bloody horrible experience.


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

hi mateBUPA is a different world. immidiate care, a room with all mod cons, dedicated medical staff, no c-diff etc, private ambulances, actual food in hospital, wi-fi, the list is endless. but the best thing is they dont stop untill they find out what the problem is, and you will have access to ALL drugs, even experimental ones to treat the condition. NHS Direct? stuff that, bupa health at hand is nhs dirct on steroids with imidiate access to a gp, midwife, pharmacist or councillor 24/7 on the phone. no waiting for call backs.you made the right choice.cheersian


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## Cathy in CA (Feb 5, 2009)

*Hi guys.... just curious... what is BUPA? ...It sounds like it might be a sort of private health insurance plan.Cathy in California*


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Cathy it is in a way. Here is some info:http://www.bupa.co.uk/Riddick I hope you can try this and finally get the help you need!BQ


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

Well i've joined BUPA! They won't deal with any existing problems (fair enough)..but anything that crops up in the future and there won't be any NHS waiting lists or surly nurses to put up with...worth every penny in my view ...and it doesn't cost much believe me.


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

For the past week i have been ok, Then this evening WHAM! I had chicken, beans and chips for my evening meal (not a big portion). " hours afterwards i had a very very small amount of pain under my right ribs which lasted for no longer than a minute. Shortly after this i started with bowel movements which got progressively looser and now i've started to feel nauseous. This is my usual cycle of events...a few weks of remission then an episode like now.Any thoughts on what is wrong with me would be much appreciated. I've had colonoscopy (negative)...abdominal ultrasound (negative)..every blood test under the sun (negative)..bloods for lactoce/caeliacs (negative).......barium swallow (which showed gastroparesis)...what the heck is wrong with me? My gastroenterologist says it can't be my gallbladder as all my bloods are negative and i don't have symptoms in line with gallbladder problems.What do you guy and gals think?


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi MateIm running out of ideas, but i do have another one that is a bit of a long shot, look up CYCLIC VOMITING SYNDROME on google. like i said it is a long shot, but see what you think. it is not very well known in this country and most doctors dont know anything about it. But also, gastro pareesis can also work in cycles too.cheersIan


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi Iani've come to the conclusion i am a medical enigma and that i have every gastro-intestinal rareity known to mankind!I'm slowly coming to terms with it...i can deal with it through my army of fortisips (my fridge looks like some weirdo's...its stacked high with the blasted things..not a beer can in sight!).


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Could have been too heavy a meal for your gut maybe?? Just stay low fat and hope the episodes are fewer and farther between.All the best BQ


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

I don't vomit (thank the lord!)..i've heard of that syndrome before but it doesn't explain the diarrhoea.....i think i have a gallbladder that plays-up every few weeks! it's a long shot i admit but that's what i reckon it is...i'll put it to gastro=man when i see him in 2 months time.


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