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I Must Apologize

jenngolightly

By jenngolightly
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted

I have always had tough side effects from gluten. I'd writhe in pain and have to stay home for days because I couldn't be 20 feet away from the toilet. Migraines, vomiting, cold sweats, etc.

But the other day it happened. I was in such terrible pain that I had my son take me to the ER. I tried to wait it out, but it kept getting worse and worse. By the time he took me, it felt like I was having contractions!

I used to read posts from some of you who would talk about going to the ER for post-glutening symptoms and I'd always think to myself, "Geesh, suck it up!"

Now I can be so much more sympathetic!

So here's my interesting story...

I ended up getting a CT scan of my abdomen. They needed me to drink about a quart of this liquid "contrast" so they could see what was wrong. Fine. No problem. I'm dying, but I'll drink your liquid contrast.

They bring me this red drink and I drink two sips and throw up. I TOLD them that I don't eat gluten, sugar, dairy, corn, soy, preservatives, artificial stuff, etc. It's been out of my system for so long that my body expelled it as soon as it got to my stomach. It was actually quite funny now that I think back. :-)

I asked to see the ingredients of the drink they gave me. Of course it was fruit punch with the contrast mixed in. Supposedly this contrast stuff is awful tasting. So I told them again about what I do and don't eat. So they bring me some kind of powdered juice drink with no sugar mixed with the contrast in it. The doctor came in to give it to me. By then I was out of my mind in pain and screaming that I don't drink that sh*t and just bring me the g*d d*mn contrast and I'll drink it straight from the bottle!!!! The doctor was furious with me and telling me that it tastes terrible and he's sure I won't drink it. I'm telling him that I threw it up when it was mixed with the juice, so how much worse could it be? He STORMED out of the room. A nurse brought me water with the contrast. Wouldn't you know? It tasted fine.

All ended well. I was given some super-duper laxatives and sent home that night on Oxycontin.

I'm still mad at that doctor for getting angry that I wouldn't drink fruit punch or diet fruit punch, so I'm not tempted to go back to the ER anytime soon. Having food issues is tough and when you're in a confined space like an ER, it's more difficult.

So a big I'M SORRY to all of you who've gone to the ER when you've suffered from gluten poisonings! I'll read your posts with sympathy from now on. :D

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kwylee Apprentice
kwylee
Posted

So glad you stood up for yourself. Isn't it doctors who are supposed to go by the adage, "First do no harm"????

I had to smile at your story. Would have been great if you would have barfed on his shoes!! Hope you're feeling much better.

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

We don't give our patients the contrast with anything BUT water. On occasion when we have a child we may mix it with some kind of punch, but water is usually the only option at my facility. Glad you survived the glutening!

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

Oh my goodness, that's like when I went to the ER for an IV from my morning sickness and he ran a Pregnancy test (not quant, just one to see if I was pregnant!!) and gave me a bunch of tests before even getting me an IV! And then he gave me the wrong anti nausea!! I had told them when I came in that Ineeded an IV and some IV zofran and he totally ignored me. And brought me CRACKERS! After I told him I had Celiac!!

My OB said ER doctors hate to be told what to do, I bet this was the case here too. I hope you never have to go back!!!!!

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

I've found that most times people are pretty nice about my diet, but I wonder if deep down they don't really believe that you can be THAT resolute about not eating things that you can't tolerate. Especially for medical reasons. As if the doctor was SURE I'd drink fruit punch at that moment because it was medically necessary (thanks Roda for clearing that up for me). It's not that I wouldn't drink it, but I clearly couldn't drink it because I vomited my lunch all over the poor nurse (yes, kwylee - would have been great if the doc had been next to me at that specific time). I should have known to ask what that fake pink stuff was that they were shoving in front of me, but I was in so much pain that I trusted the medical staff. They're always in a hurry with too many patients. I wonder how I could handle it better next time? If I have to go back, that is. I'd rather be prepared - but I hope I never have to go - thanks for the story K8ling! :D

cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted

My OB said ER doctors hate to be told what to do, I bet this was the case here too. I hope you never have to go back!!!!!

Ha ha LOL! My "baby" brother is an ER doc.

  • 1 month later...
hammergirl Newbie
hammergirl
Posted

This is a random comment: but I seriously hope that I can get my body to immediately react to gluten the ways yours did! I would much rather take a momentary vomit rather than dealing with the pain and cramping and serious D!

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jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

This is a random comment: but I seriously hope that I can get my body to immediately react to gluten the ways yours did! I would much rather take a momentary vomit rather than dealing with the pain and cramping and serious D!

I'm quite sure I threw up because of the sticky-sweetness of the punch because I don't eat sugar or artificial sweeteners. The mixture was gluten-free. Yes, it would be great if I could immediately vomit from gluten.

It's funny you wrote this now because I was at the grocery store and in the juice isle yesterday for some reason. I saw a jug of Hawaiian punch and I felt distinctly nauseous and had to quickly exit towards the meat department. :-)

WhenDee Rookie
WhenDee
Posted

Oh, lovely. A doctor who knows FAR LESS than he THINKS he knows. Always a delight. ;)

Too bad this kind of doctor is so darned commonplace.

sandrad Newbie
sandrad
Posted

Funny...when i had my ct scan a few years ago the contrast was mixed in water and it tasted fine...now barium is another thing ;p

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