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I an 54 yo woman and I was in the hospital for ischemic colitis for 6 days. It began with extremely sharp abdominal pains, nausea, and ultimately hemeraging diarrhea. The onset was very abrupt and I had SEVERE pain for 5 days. I have never felt pain like that. It literally felt like knives were carving up my belly. It was like have my kidney stone for 5 days. It was managed with either 4 cc of morphine of 2 - 4 cc of Dilauded. (sp?) Fortunately the biopsies cam back and indicate Ischemic Colitus - not ulcerative colitis or IBS.. They said I just need to rest and let my body heal.
I now know that it was precipitated by severe dehydration from 2 days of physically demanding gardening in 88* sunny weather. It totally caught me off guard! It seems hard to describe to people how excruciating it is.
Questions:
1)How long did it take you to heal enough to return to work?
2) How did you know you were well enough to return?
3) Have you had recurrences?
4) Did you dramatically change your diet like those with ulcerative colitis have to?
5) Can you drink alcohol when episode fully ends?
6) If I "do too much" could it stimulate a relapse?
I have never before posted on a blog. This experience has pushed me to do so.
Nancy
Replies to "I an 54 yo woman and I was in the hospital for ischemic colitis for 6..."
Hello @mo1216 and welcome to Mayo Connect! I'm so sorry to hear of your health issues and hospitalization. It sounds like a frightening experience. How long ago was your hospitalization? Are you doing better now? I hope that your recovery is going well. Keep in touch with Mayo Connect, we are a caring community that will "walk with you" in your journey of healing. I'd like to introduce you to @safetyshield and @dawn_giacabazi who are also mentors here at Mayo Connect.
Hi @mo1216,
Thank you for sharing your experience, especially in responding to @nkells; I moved your message to this existing discussion so that you, and hopefully other members can continue the conversation about Ischemic Colitis, here.
As @hopeful33250 said, it must have been a truly frightening experience!
@mo1216, when were you diagnosed with IBS? Did your doctors tell you what type of IBS you have (with constipation, or diarrhea, or both)?
Doctors seem to know very little about handling the problems of the digestive system. In one week I went to three ERs ad I had mucus and was bleeding very badly. All three had different opinions and not one was a correct diagnosis. The best physician you have is to get all the information you can about your symptoms. It turned out I had to fly to Boston, Dana Farber Cancer Institute ad one diagnosis was Pancytopenia. In the hotel room in Boston the symptoms cane back for me to diagnose CDIFF and take oral Vancouver on my own. I need an FMT. Nearly impossible to get in South FL, especially since you have to pay cash and there are no MDs that do it.
As far as IBS....IN MY OPINION I HAD BOTH, HOWEVER GO TO A GASTRO AND HAVE NUMEROUS TESTS. I DONT FEEL IT MATTERS IF ITS CONSTIPATION OR DIAREHEA. MY FEELING ITS BOTH OTHERWISE ITS NOT IBS
Oral vancomycin....phone has a spelling mind of its own.
I was diagnosed about 12 yrs.ago I have both constipation and diarrhea
I am very frightened about Ischaemic bowel and CDIFF, diverticulitis.....all are part of various colitis type ailments. Colitis, to me, is kind of an umbrella word for many ailments including IBS, IBSD, ETC.
Hi @mo1216,
We have so many members here, on connect who have IBS; I would encourage you to read the following discussions:
http://mayocl.in/2gl7ajC
http://mayocl.in/2hf5ohb
Please feel free to tag any of the members there; I'm confident they can help answer some of your questions.
Connect
I was hospitalized for 5 days I also had it happen abruptly,at first I had what they call a bursting headache then diarrhea,dr. sent me for blood work and a ct scan and I was hospitalized the same day ,my primary dr. tried to explain it to me by saying its like a stroke in the bowels,during the ct scan they found a pancreatic cyst which they were able to drain ,I also have ibs