back again with another question, super important

So, I'm still in London and I'm meant to be flying home on July 26. The only problem is that on Monday I went in to the ER (because it's free in the UK) and they ended up admitting me to the hospital. When I went in I knew I had been feeling like crap, but thought it was mostly probably an upper respiratory infection with a fever and whatnot. I started feeling sick last Thursday. By Friday it was just coughing and sneezing. But on top of all of this I was having an increase in D during the week. By Saturday my whole body ached and was in pain and I could tell I had a fever. My ears were so congested (and still are) that I can't really hear out of them that well. I ended up having 4+ episodes of D that day (which is unusual for me while I'm on Entocort), but it was also the day I got my period, and I have endometriosis which means super painful periods. I ended up throwing up the only solid food I had eaten that day. Then on Sunday I barely managed to finish one bottle of a smoothie drink, and still ended throwing up. But on Sunday I had no BM's whatsoever, and actually have had none until today.

On Monday I went to the ER and they said my CRP was over 100, and that the X-ray they took of my abdomen showed my intestines being inflamed. I also had the fever and all that which they were trying to lower and apparently my pulse was going really fast (135 when I came in) and then would be really "flighty" the rest of the time. After being admitted to the hospital they gave me two hydrocortisone shots and tramadol for pain (which I usually take for cramps anyways). Then they pretty much forgot about me on Tuesday. I bugged them by saying just let me go home since they had stopped giving me any medicine that I didn't already give myself at home. They took more blood and said that my CRP was down to around 70. They told me I had an upper respiratory infection and that it was probably NOT a Crohn's flare since I hadn't had any bowel movements since I had come in - I did tell them that it was quite unusual for me. But then again, I hadn't really been eating much solid food at all.

Since I was released I have still felt horrible. I have been taking my antibiotics that they gave me (amoxicillin and clarithromycin) but I still feel the same. I tried to go to class yesterday morning but I think the walk from my dorm to the class was too much and after eating a piece of toast I felt like I was going to throw up and faint. The two people in charge of my program are being super awesome and taking care of me. They've been getting me gatorade, crackers and cheese and soups. It's a bit hard to try and get better here since we only have a small refrigerator and a microwave. But they have told me they'll still let me take the exam no matter what, even if it's a make up exam later on.

My question is if I should just wait it out and see if I get better this weekend and try and get through the last week of class and exams before heading home, OR if I should just leave this weekend and try and get better back home and then take the exam. I'd feel silly if I flew home and was better by Monday, especially since I'm supposed to leave next Saturday anyways. So really I just need other people's opinions. I can't decide and my family has said it is really up to me. I found out it will be $200 to change my flight, but that I can do it. And it's a non-stop flight, so all I have to do is make it to the plane and then try and sleep. All I've really been doing is sleeping anyways. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!!

HI- If I were you I would try and wait out the week. I know from experience that traveling when you dont feel well can be the worse thing ever. I hope you feel better soon.

I am planning on studying in London starting in September. I was wondering how you liked it? I am a little nervous about traveling with Crohns, but I got to do it some time.

I hope you feel better soon. Let me know what you decide. Best of Luck.

Boy that is a tough decision. If you are still feeling so bad, maybe it is best to just go home. I can't imagine getting on a plane for 11 hours though. That alone would send me straight into anxietyville. I sure wish I could be of more help. It has to suck being so sick and so far from home. (((GENTLE HUGS)))

Please stay where you are and DO NOT FLY until your ears clear up. I was in Georgia once and had to get home to Mass. I had a sinus infection. I tried to change my ticket but they were going to charge me $200 to do so. I was a student and just did not have that kind of money. So I flew. And it was the WORST pain of my life. My ears couldn't handle the pressure changes and my head just felt like it was going to explode. I covered myself with a blanket and cried for the entire 2 and a half hour flight. I found out later that it was very dangerous to fly that way and I could have blown out an airdrum. You do NOT want that kind of pain for 11 hours. I know that it sucks being sick far from home but at least you have access to good care and people bringing you foods and stuff. If it is not a crohns flare it should probably clear up soon. If your scheduled flight home was this weekend I would tell you to postpone it. It is just too dangerous.

If you can get hold of some prednisone....

But they are right do not fly with infected ears you can permanently damage your eardrum and it is excruciatingly painful to fly when your sinuses or ears are congested.
Sj

Hi Hope by now your ears are feeling better hopefully the antibotics will help with the discomfort. Sounds like you got a great GI. Looking forward to you getting better and so glad your GI was able to help with your meds. Just hoping your Feeling better and more able to enjoy yo9ur flight home when your feeling better. If you need some extra support and caring you know we are all here for you and sending pleasant hopes and cares your way. lol gail

Another reason to stay put - you are very run down and don't need to pick up an extra "bug" or two on the plane or in the crowded airport. I like Benedryl (dipenhydramine) for stuffiness and clogged ears, it makes me sleepy. The psuedophedrine makes me too jumpy. Make sure you check with a pharmacist before you take anything because you are on prescription meds and sometimes they clash with OTC's.

Good luck on your test, hope you feel better soon. I hate being sick away from home.

Thanks for thinking of me! I'm feeling better each day, which is definitely good news. The only problem is that my ears are still so clogged. I went to the pharmacist over the weekend and got some Sudafed to try and help with it, but it hasn't done the trick yet and it makes my heart race. So I think I might go back to the pharmacist tomorrow and try to see if something else will work. All my Crohn's issues are still acting up, but I'll take what I can get at this point in order to just take my exams and head home on Saturday.

So hopefully I can get something figured out for my ears, because I do not want to pay for a private doctor - it's super expensive. That's why I went to the ER in the first place, because it's free in London. So I'll just see how it goes and hope things are better by Saturday.

Sudafed gives me the racing heart too. If your ears are still clogged I HIGHLY suggest finding a way to get them seen again before fly. I would just hate for you to have excrutiating pain on an 11 hour flight or even worse, blow an ear drum.

Get some over the counter benadryl and take some before your flight and again halfway through. It will dry up the fluids in your sinuses and ears and also help you sleep most of the way.