What should I do?

Here's the scoop...I've been bleeding daily since August, and felt really unwell for about a month...felt better off and on since then.  Now since Friday I'm having a lot of pain...lower right, left, and the other night it hurt all over so much that I couldn't take full breaths.  Yesterday i went out to run a few errands, and had to come home...I had this overwhelming internal heat come over me, and I seems to be like that if I do much of anything?  The worst part of this is that we are leaving for Vegas on thursday night...I'm a little nervous about going, don't get me wrong I REALLY want to go, but I know that the way I'm feeling right now I won't be able to handle all of the things I want to see and do that and I've never been before!  Also I'm from Canada, and don't really want to end up in the hospital there, not because I'm scared of the care, it's more of the bill I'd receive  I have an appt to see a new GI on Nov 16th, and I did try calling there today, but you get a message board that says if it's urgent call your family doc or go  to emergency.  Should I go to emergency?  I've been wondering if I should since Sat....that's how new and different these symptoms are compared to ever before.  I can't really eat much it makes me hurt worse.  What could emergency do for me?  It's not like I'm dehydrated or throwing up (even though at times I feel like I could) Why do we feel that we have to justify and worry about how sick we are before we call Dr's or seek help!    Maybe it's me just being foolish?  I'm sure that I should get someone's opinion before I go?  HELP!!!

Thanks for listening!

Paula

 

Aren't you kind of setting yourself up, continuing your plans to go on a Vegas trip when you are not well? You are worried about the hospital bill, should you have an emergency in the states. First, do you have medical trravel insurance? If you don't, you should not travel in the condition you have described. If you do and you seek medical care before you leave then you may not be covered if you are sick while away. Really important that you check your policy

Many medical insurers say that if you have a medical condition (crohns) it has to have been stable for at least 90 days prior to departing on your trip or any expenses arising from that condition may not be covered.

I suspect this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime trips and I can certainly understand your desire to go. It is the most frustrating part of this disease -- it is so unpredictable -- but if you are really sick no amount of wishing it away is going to make it better and the stress of travelling is not likely to help.

If you decide to risk it, and I suspect I would be tempted to, Make sure that you are covered medically. I am really sorry for the dilemma you find yourself in, but I am worried that you may find yourself in a mess unless you make sure you are protected both from a medical and a financial perspective.

With best wishes

Funny you guys should mention the travel insurance aspect of it...I just spoke to a good friend of mine who also happens to be a travel agent, she started asking q's about my insurance too.  I have since phoned my husband to get him to check into our coverage through his work...and if I needed anything while we are away I'd be covered.  Funny I don't trust that, the word pre-existing keeps popping into my mind!  I do believe if i did have a medical bill that it would for sure find me if i did try to avoid it not a bad thought...I think my conscience is too strong for that one though.  In the meantime, I dug out this stuff my old GI gave me before our wedding in May, called Dicetal...it's supposed to be more for IBS, but he thought it might help me through my wedding if I had a tough time with pains etc...so I took one this AM and another one just a min. ago hoping that this will help me out until I get home.  Still overheating doing little bits of things around the house...maybe a low grade fever?  I'm trying really hard to ignore this!!

Thanks for your thoughts!

Paula

This is Canada we are talking about. Most provinces no longer ante up the bill for foreign medical costs, so yes, the private part of the insurance might be paid -- private room etc, but the regular hospital and medical charges (those things covered by your province's medically insured services) might not be covered and certainly will not be covered 100 per cent. They will probably only pay what they would pay for the same service in your province. Again every province is different, but don't rely on your provincial health plan to cover you. You need private insurance coverage (maybe through your employer) but again, check your clauses, because I suspect there is a pre-existing clause in there and if you are not considered to be medically stable prior to undertaking your trip, they may not pay.

Paula, I'm Canadian too and I was in a similar position three years ago. My daughter had just given birth on the west coast and we made plans to fly across country for Christmas. I too tried to ignore how sick I really was, although I did touch base with my doc and had my meds increased before flying out. It was one hell of a trip. I was nauseated the entire time and unable to eat. Although i tried to keep up with my family, I remember falling asleep through every sight-seeing trip. I used the excuse that I wanted to be next to the baby's car seat, but it was always a contest to see who fell asleep first.

Through sheer force of will I did not end up in hospital on the west coast, but I didn't fool anyone (except maybe me). Instead of being able to enjoy our new grandchild without reservation, half my family's attention was always (silently) on me. I thought I was hiding how bad I was feeling, but my kids and my husband have lived with this disease too long and they were worried sick.

I know how much it means to plan a vacation, but just be honest with yourself. Ignoring it won't make it go away, if in fact something bad is brewing it is better to face it now and deal with the consequences. The person you will be travelling with needs to be a partner in this too.

I can't answer your question directly, Fitzy, but I am assuming it depends on the individual policy and how it is written, so there would be no standard answer.  I guess they can get away with it is because that's the way it is until they are regulated otherwise. I have a local "MaineHealth" HMO.  If I go to a hospital not included in their network, my coverage is limited.  (in other words, I could go to one of the listed facilities, but choose to go one not listed in this area) However if I am "out of area" all I need to do is call my pcp first if able or if an emergency, go to an ER wherever I am and then I have a certain time period that I have to call.  I think in that case I would have the same coverage as I would have had at home if I had gone to a network facility.  Otherwise, that would be poor insurance coverage. I have never tested this but the last insurance I had through my husband's employer was a PPO. I was going to California and had just had a second round of treatment for a UTI.  I was concerned that I would run into problems out there   I found out that all I needed to do was call my PCP who would give me the ok to go. 

This doesn't answer your question directly but like I said, I think it depends on what insurance you have.  I have no idea about different countries other than what someone said - that you sometimes have to put it on your charge and you are reimbursed. I did call the PPO about this once and she said it should not be a problem "and please try to get the bill written in English" 

One time I did get a special deal with traveler's insurance and if I purchased it within a certain period of time it overlooked pre-existing conditions.  Fortunately I didn't have to use it.

Hi I feel you should not go anywhere if you are not well. I would wait until I felt I could travel comfortably without being sick. Just my honest opionion here. You did say that this has been going on for awhile . lol gail

I understand where you are coming from,

YUou do not want th ecrohns to dictate everything in your life, and face it, we all know that as vacation approches, we allget that anxiety (good anxiety) but it causes our crohns to act up.  So most of us feel this same trepidation before going away.

Take care I hope you go and have a great time (tell your crohns to f 'off for a few days -easier said than done)

ah, so you have some proctitis going on, no wonder it's been so crappy!!! The cortifoam should help, it's just a matter of it kicking in and that always varies for me anyways, but I swear by it!!! I'd get a RX for prednisone to play it safe it's a good tip from a GI regarding travel.

Have fun! :)