stricture

please help just left hospital they said i have a stricture and need surgary so scared have anxiety disorder in hospitals panic attacks cant handel it in there how am i going to cope when in 2wks have to have it any sugestions.x

Really feel for you. I have never had this problem with hospitals so can't put myself in your shoes. Try to focus on how much better you will be when you have had the surgery and give yourself a treat to aim for, something you have not been able to do before. Also make sure everyone you come into contact with knows how scared you are. I always want to know exactly what is going to happen to me, what I will be given and how I will feel - for me knowing all this takes away the fear of the unknown. I have always found in most situations the fear of whatever it is, interview, dentist, new job, is usually worse than when it actually happens. I will be thinking of you.

I'm wondering whether you have been undertreated. (Just saw your dosage in an earlier signature.)

With your symptoms, if you were still on 20 of pred then that is low...in fact, when it does induce symptom relief at, for instance, 45, and then the patient tapers slowly down, 20 is the first point of danger, when a full blown flare can recur.  50 of Imuran is low, too...many docs use 100 and I heard one doc say he uses at least 70 for every patient.  

Tramadol shouldn't be taken by anybody with Crohn's because, like ibuprofen, it can cause intestinal bleeding. (And did so in my mother.)  

Post Edited (njmom) : 7/29/2010 9:24:31 AM (GMT-6)

If you are really close to the time of having surgery, I can see why they don't want to up the dosage of your meds right now.

Am hoping your surgery gives you a nice, long remission! There are things you can do, for instance, breathing exercises, to help calm panic attacks. These exercises: a) get your mind off what is scaring you and b) stimulate the body's calming response. They would need to be practised in advance of your hospital stay.

A psychiatrist who believes in and helps patients with breathing exercises can help you learn how to do them - this person can also make a judgement call on whether you need anti-anxiety medication.

There are also self-help sites for breathing exercises like this one:

http://www.anxieties.com/panic-step4.php  

I too went to this drug's web site and read through the side effects -GI bleeding is not there.  The Brand name for this drug is Ultram and there is 4-6 hour dosing and 24 hour dosing in the extended version. Toradol then is an NSAID that is often given in ER's and/or prescribed which is included in the following list of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) and of course would be associated with GI bleeding. 

MedicineNet.com:   Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of drugs are used to treat inflammation, mild to moderate pain, and fever. Examples of the most common NSAIDs include: aspirin salsalate (Amigesic), diflunisal (Dolobid), ibuprofen (Motrin), ketoprofen (Orudis), nabumetone (Relafen), piroxicam (Feldene), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn,) diclofenac (Voltaren), indomethacin (Indocin), sulindac (Clinoril), tolmetin (Tolectin), etodolac (Lodine), ketorolac (Toradol), oxaprozin (Daypro), celecoxib (Celebrex).