Dilemma

Call your surgeon or check yourself into the hospital via the ER.

Sue

I agree with Sue. Call the surgeon. As soon as I consulted mine, I was able to call him. At that point, he began taking over my meds and care.

Call your surgeon back & tell him you want to/are going to up your pred to 60mgs/day- that dose is the only dose that's ever done anything for me, to knock a flare down. You can start to taper say 2 weeks before surgery, & go into it on 35-40mgs. Once it's done, you can taper pretty quickly. They usually give you pre-surgery steroid doses anyway, to keep inflammation down. Especially if you've been on it before. It's really the tnf blockers & immune suppressants the surgeons are concerned with, even a high pred dose won't deter a surgery. The 28th will come quick. Or, see if you can rely on Immodium for a few weeks, it's not going to kill you to use it once a day for 2 weeks or so. I would never ask my husband to give me an enema, just could not do it, no way. And truly, I wouldn't want to give him one either! Of course if we HAD to, but.....

I would be hesitant to up the pred without the doctor's ok. It's potent stuff....

I would consider going to the ER...maybe if they admit you, they will also decide to do the surgery. If you were in a car wreck or something and you needed surgery on your gut they wouldn't wait for any tests! (Would they?)

I would also be careful about taking 60 mg, that is a big dose and might be bad for your other health issues.

I have never talked to a doctor personally over the telephone! They always communicate through their nurse. It's probably more efficient, the doctor doesn't have time to make calls, moving from appointment to appointment. Sonds like the guy you are dealing with is doing a good job.

Try not to stress about not sleeping. When you are prednisone you really don't need the usual sleep. The number of hours you are sleeping doesn't matter.

I would also go to the ER. They will certainly check your heart out and do blood work. Maybe you need the IV steroid route to calm you down at this point.

     Other than feeling exhausted, I feel somewhat better this evening.  I took a Lorazapam,  I think it is generic for Ativan.  It did calm me down.  Other than passing all that mushy stool during the night last night, I haven't moved my bowels today at all.  Guess it all managed to come out.  Just lived on rice cereal, yogurt and chicken soup today.  The surgeon's assistant said he was sure I didn't have a blockage in my rectum.  Whenever I have to go, it sure feels like it.  I suppose the flex sig and/or the CT scan both done in March would have shown a blockage for sure.

     Before retiring, I will give the cort enema another shot and take 10 mgm of the Zolpidem (generic for Ambien).  I do have hydrocodone for pain but take it very sparingly as to not get addicted, but sometimes I really do need it.

ambien is the worst if you don't get enough sleep. You're in a haze the next day. Try Klonopin. It's my recommendation. I feel bad you are suffering as much as you are, Christine.

      Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions.  I took half a Lorazapam at 7 pm and half a zolpidem (not sure of these spellings..that is generic for Ambien) at 10 pm.  I was able to fall asleep about 11 pm and slept till 5 am.  A LOT better than the night before.  I also inserted half a container of the cort enema.  It did ooze out but at least I got a coating in there.  Keeping my fingers crossed that today is a better day.  Still going to stick to light diet today.  Have to get through that nuclear stress echo on the 15th...ugh.

i just dont understand why they are so adamant on this stress test, like somone said, it if were an emergency they wouldnt do one.
And like i told you they didnt do one on my grandma and she was like 78 or something when she had part of her colon removed, or my great aunt when she had knee or hip surgery and the knee surgery was at like 80!

     I have no idea why they are so gung ho on this stress test either.  I never had a heart problem, but was misdiagnosed as having mitral valve prolapse over twenty years ago, but ten years ago they told me I didn't have it!!  This was at a different cardiologists office.  The colorectal surgeon's assistant said it was because the anesthesiologist insisted on it.  Suppose I don't pass it?  Then what?  No surgery?  Then back to square one with the meds? UGH !  It isn't like I am going for the j-pouch either.  The surgeon said the perm ileo is much less stressfull operation and it is only a one shot deal.  The only reason I can come up with is that I have situs inversus, which is extremely rare and that they want to make sure the heart is in good shape.  With all the emphasus on the heart, they better remember that my appendix is on the opposite side when they go to take that out!!! LOL!  I will keep reminding them prior to my being "put under".

     An epidural...does that mean I would be awake??  YIKES...NO WAY