Mom had a colonoscopy 2 weeks ago and she's having shooting pains on her left side from her rectum to her stomach. She made an appointment to see her primary care doctor but he's not available for 3 weeks. Her pain is getting worse everyday, her bowel movements are painful but no blood in her stool. She has to carefully sit down otherwise she gets a jolt of shooting pain throughout her left side.
I suggested she fast for a couple days & only drink water, gatorade & soup broth, but she's in her 60s & that may make her complications worse. She's not overweight & short (5'3") but she is a heavy cigarette smoker & coffee addict. The gastro doc who did the colonoscopy said she has diverticulitis & told her to eat more fiber - that was it & said he's a really shitty doctor & won't go through him anymore.
I feel bad for her because she's been texting me for over a week about how much pain she's in & I live 45mins away & busy with work. I'll see her Thanksgiving.
She lives by herself in a condo community (dad died a while back) & my sister cut ties with her so it's just me & her & sometimes my Uncle & cousin (her sister's husband -My aunt died of aggressive cancer 17 years ago).
We've been looking online for help about post colonoscopy pain but all it says is go to the doctor if pain persists.
Im sitting next to an ER doctor who says, "Go to urgent care."
These symptoms could indicate a serious issue such as a bowel obstruction or an infection related to her diverticulitis.
She should consider visiting the emergency room or an urgent care facility to seek immediate medical attention.
Advise her to quit smoking and reduce her coffee consumption to aid in her recovery and prevent further health issues.
Regarding the dietary suggestions, fasting for a couple of days may not be the ideal approach for her, especially considering her age and health condition. Instead, she should focus on consuming easily digestible and low-fiber foods such as broths, cooked vegetables, and lean proteins to give her digestive system a break without depriving her body of essential nutrients.
Encouraging her to take gentle walks and stay hydrated can also help alleviate some discomfort, but it's important to note that these are only short-term measures.
Lastly, it's essential to find a new gastroenterologist or specialist who can provide her with comprehensive care and support regarding her diverticulitis. Building a strong healthcare team is crucial in managing chronic conditions like diverticulitis.
Ultimately, the most important thing is for her to seek immediate medical help to address the intensity of her symptoms.
I work in a step down rehab facility. Those symptoms are red flags for a worsening situation. Ppl do not realize how bad things can get, very quickly, in situations like your mother's. This poster is spot on. That other doctor is a prick. You should file a complaint with the facility he works for/with and with the state board. But first go to the ER.
If you live 45mins away & can't make time to go take care of your mom, you need to re-evaluate your priorities. It's way too easy to get tunnel vision in your daily life.
Not saying this to be mean but because it hits home: I hope she's not dead on the floor when you knock at the door this Thanksgiving.
I'm gonna visit her as soon as I get off work tomorrow & spending the night for Thanksgiving. We don't have a meal planned - We're not doing it this year because of her complications but I need to make sure she's okay & help out around the house.
This ship has sailed but I’m never getting a colonoscopy. I’ve heard too many stories of people getting their intestines nicked and dying or having horrific complications.
One thing doctors look for in colonoscopies is growths that look like skin tags. They'll cut that right then and there to test for colon cancer and that is how the bleeding starts.
Doctors can be such useless fucking overpriced cunts.
It does sound kind of terrifyingly serious. Maybe take her to a lawyer who will then refer her to the correct doctor. Malpractice settlements pay pretty well, I hear.
Wouldn't be surprised if her gastro doc is a jew & purposely injured her to try to get more money from her & the insurance company. She said he had zero compassion for her and kept telling her that there's no way the pain is on her left side - it should be on the right.
Some advice you're unlikely to get from an ER visit and that may be helpful is to supplement with Magnesium (Magnesium Citrate is a good form to try first. Recommend Calms brand).
It also carries a ton of other benefits. Only real downside is that larger doses can lead to loose stools. That's a good signal to back off and reduce dosage for a while.
I am a heavy tea drinker and caffine user myself and have recently realized that the huge benefits I am seeing from my 2-3 day fasts is largely due to getting off caffine.
Even though everyone will agree that caffine is bad for you, as I already knew, I think everyone is still greatly underestimating how bad chronic caffine use is. I think it is probably responsible for fucking up her gut biome.
If I were her I would do everything I can to go 3 months with no caffine and see what that does for me.
Quitting a habbit, especially at her age, is going to be extremely hard. I would suggest replacing the caffine with weed. It will help the pain and she can use it every time she has a craving.
She stopped smoking weed a couple of years ago. Never was really into it but was only partaking because her boyfriend at the time was a boomer pothead.
Breaking a habbit is far easier when you can replace it with something else. Smokers who are trying to quite are often told to have something they can shake when they get cravings. That is why I suggested weed, and also the pain relief. But any small hobby that can be a distraction will work.
But you are just not going to start nitting when you catch yourself making a coffee or pulling into a dunken drive through. You can have a stash of eddibles next to your coffee maker.
That's what I thought. But I noticed that when I stay away from tea after a fast the benefits last a lot longer. Things like clarity, energy, focus, concentration, less stress, better mood, less gas/bloating, the feeling that my body just works better.
I think one thing leads to abother. Better sleep itslef has a lot of benefits. But I think the biggest factor is gut health and the caffine is fucking up the bacteria in our guts.
[ + ] MasterSuppressionTechnique
[ - ] MasterSuppressionTechnique 12 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:41:05 ago (+13/-1)
These symptoms could indicate a serious issue such as a bowel obstruction or an infection related to her diverticulitis.
She should consider visiting the emergency room or an urgent care facility to seek immediate medical attention.
Advise her to quit smoking and reduce her coffee consumption to aid in her recovery and prevent further health issues.
Regarding the dietary suggestions, fasting for a couple of days may not be the ideal approach for her, especially considering her age and health condition. Instead, she should focus on consuming easily digestible and low-fiber foods such as broths, cooked vegetables, and lean proteins to give her digestive system a break without depriving her body of essential nutrients.
Encouraging her to take gentle walks and stay hydrated can also help alleviate some discomfort, but it's important to note that these are only short-term measures.
Lastly, it's essential to find a new gastroenterologist or specialist who can provide her with comprehensive care and support regarding her diverticulitis. Building a strong healthcare team is crucial in managing chronic conditions like diverticulitis.
Ultimately, the most important thing is for her to seek immediate medical help to address the intensity of her symptoms.
[ + ] Cantaloupe
[ - ] Cantaloupe 7 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:58:45 ago (+7/-0)
get a second opinion from another GP or specialist without delay.
[ + ] Scyber
[ - ] Scyber [op] 4 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 18:11:16 ago (+4/-0)
[ + ] MynxiMe
[ - ] MynxiMe 2 points 5 monthsNov 22, 2023 03:14:28 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ] Rotteuxx
[ - ] Rotteuxx 5 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:00:29 ago (+6/-1)
Not saying this to be mean but because it hits home: I hope she's not dead on the floor when you knock at the door this Thanksgiving.
Family first, everything else comes after.
[ + ] Scyber
[ - ] Scyber [op] 2 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:26:09 ago (+2/-0)
We don't have a meal planned - We're not doing it this year because of her complications but I need to make sure she's okay & help out around the house.
[ + ] WNwoman
[ - ] WNwoman 4 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:10:39 ago (+4/-0)
This ship has sailed but I’m never getting a colonoscopy. I’ve heard too many stories of people getting their intestines nicked and dying or having horrific complications.
[ + ] TheYiddler
[ - ] TheYiddler 0 points 5 monthsNov 22, 2023 05:55:13 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] lord_nougat
[ - ] lord_nougat 4 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 18:40:30 ago (+4/-0)
It does sound kind of terrifyingly serious. Maybe take her to a lawyer who will then refer her to the correct doctor. Malpractice settlements pay pretty well, I hear.
[ + ] mikenigger
[ - ] mikenigger 4 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:51:44 ago (+4/-0)
[ + ] Scyber
[ - ] Scyber [op] 7 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 18:07:46 ago (+7/-0)
She said he had zero compassion for her and kept telling her that there's no way the pain is on her left side - it should be on the right.
[ + ] Anus_Expander
[ - ] Anus_Expander 3 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 18:34:20 ago (+3/-0)
[ + ] Fascinus
[ - ] Fascinus 3 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:51:40 ago (+3/-0)
Most people are deficient, especially heavy smokers. Magnesium can help pain signalling shut off, which might be useful in her circumstances.
It also carries a ton of other benefits. Only real downside is that larger doses can lead to loose stools. That's a good signal to back off and reduce dosage for a while.
[ + ] deleted
[ - ] deleted 4 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:54:00 ago (+4/-0)
[ + ] Fascinus
[ - ] Fascinus 1 point 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 22:14:24 ago (+1/-0)
No personal experience with glycinate and it seems to offer better absorption.
All in all, looks like it's worth a try.
Thanks for the response :)
[ + ] deleted
[ - ] deleted 1 point 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 23:57:56 ago (+1/-0)*
[ + ] Fascinus
[ - ] Fascinus 1 point 5 monthsNov 22, 2023 01:41:29 ago (+1/-0)
Every product I have used from that company has been legit.
[ + ]deleted
[ - ] deleted 3 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:33:01 ago (+3/-0)
[ + ] Anus_Expander
[ - ] Anus_Expander 3 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:28:26 ago (+3/-0)
[ + ] HonkyMcNiggerSpic
[ - ] HonkyMcNiggerSpic 1 point 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 18:51:51 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] Ragnar
[ - ] Ragnar 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 23:40:23 ago (+0/-0)
Fibre for diverticulitis is a disaster. She should be having low fibre easy to digest food, mostly broths.
Go to ER now.
[ + ] LiberalsAreMental
[ - ] LiberalsAreMental 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 22:14:04 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] canbot
[ - ] canbot 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:14:25 ago (+0/-0)
Even though everyone will agree that caffine is bad for you, as I already knew, I think everyone is still greatly underestimating how bad chronic caffine use is. I think it is probably responsible for fucking up her gut biome.
If I were her I would do everything I can to go 3 months with no caffine and see what that does for me.
Quitting a habbit, especially at her age, is going to be extremely hard. I would suggest replacing the caffine with weed. It will help the pain and she can use it every time she has a craving.
[ + ] Scyber
[ - ] Scyber [op] 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:27:57 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] canbot
[ - ] canbot 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 20:01:23 ago (+0/-0)
But you are just not going to start nitting when you catch yourself making a coffee or pulling into a dunken drive through. You can have a stash of eddibles next to your coffee maker.
[ + ] deleted
[ - ] deleted 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 19:55:15 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] canbot
[ - ] canbot 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 20:07:47 ago (+0/-0)
I think one thing leads to abother. Better sleep itslef has a lot of benefits. But I think the biggest factor is gut health and the caffine is fucking up the bacteria in our guts.
[ + ] deleted
[ - ] deleted 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 23:55:43 ago (+0/-0)*
[ + ] Spaceman84
[ - ] Spaceman84 0 points 5 monthsNov 21, 2023 17:57:40 ago (+0/-0)