hi AusSue:

It sounds not good that is about all I can say. Before what happened to me happened, I had been having pains on both my right and left sides. I thought these were spasms perhaps, I didn't know.

It turned out the left side was my colon and the right side was an abscess on the appendix.

The CAT scan did not show the appendix with the abscess on it - it only showed the hole in my large intestine which led me to emergency surgery in the middle of the night as I had preforated already and was on my way to the other side of life.

I'm with captain on this one - no doctor I am but please don't ignore this if it gets any worse at all. If it is a preforation it lead to peritonitis and imminent death within a few hours unless surgical intervention if found and found FAST - not months, not days ....

Boy these health care providers aren't any better in Australia than they are here. Do they have an Emergency Room set-up in Australia available? If so, you might consider going there if you aren't feeling any better before the weekend is upon us.

Thanks both of you to your responses. Yes we do have emergency at all the public hospitals. I rang today & was told that if I can wait till Monday I would be best to do this as then they will have all my details etc.

I dont really want to go to hospital this weekend as Saturday is our 28th wedding anniversary so we would like to spend some time together. I know that all the e.r. will do is more scans & probably an enama to try to clear me out without the investigation. That is what they have done other times.

My bladder is giving me a bit of trouble as well as I cant get the catheters in so have given up on that as bladder goes into spasms each time. Continence nurse came out & said I am doing it all right just it is spasming closed so not to continue. Sometimes it is going in a hurry & other times it feels like it wants to go but nothing happened - yet again. She was trying to get urology to get me an early appt but hadnt heard back & she knows the Dr I see on a personal/professional basis (lectures, training etc).

I am going to be (metaphorically) stamping my feet at my appt Monday afternoon. I will be at the hospital all day as I have a head mri booked for 9am & the appt is 2.15.
I dont know if its similar to there but if you wait to see the specialists & they have all the details they generally do more than the e.r who are trying to assess you from scratch & then decide what to do - admit/tests etc or go home & wait on follow up appt with pain killers etc.

Thanks for your response Captain.
I am controlling it with pain tablets & lots of them LOL. Still no luck with bowels & bladder is not going much.

We went out today for our wedding anniversary, took a drive down the & had a lovely scones, jam & dream & cappucino overlooking the ocean. It was lovely. We then came back & stopped at another small town & had a look around the shops & had another cappucino & donuts. We left home about 10.30 & got back probably around 3 & in all that time I didnt go the toilet & had barely leaked even which is really unusual for me as I have bad bladder leakage when out for long a lot & also bowel leakage too. Was glad we were able to enjoy our day together & also David cooked a roast lamb with veges & plum pudding after it. It was yummy.

Last time I was in hospital with abdo pain & they finally did an investigation/laparoscopy it ended in major surgery with twisted & blocked bowel. I had been complaining for weeks before that time too & it took 4 days in hospital before they decided to operate as nothing showed fully on scans. I am hoping it is not similar as I dont heal well & when they took the stitches out my stomach popped out so I had to have a vaccum machine on for 6 weeks & district nurses out every 2 days. It was a time from hell so I dread any further abdo surgery but on the other hand I want the problem sorted out too.
My body never does anything the easy way, thats for sure & no dx comes easy for me as never typical presentation.

All prayers, thoughts & advice/suggestions are appreciated. I am just trying to get it looked at teh best way, if that dont work then will have to go through er.

AusSue:
I just received my medical records yesterday. On the list of things wrong with me was something I'd never been told about. It could be your problem too!

The diagnosis says that I have CHRON'S DISEASE! What the hell? Why didn't one of these stupid doctors inform me of this?

Perhaps this is your problem too dare I suggest?

I see no formal group on this site for Chron's Disease but there are some posts re: it.

I'm very upset about this needless to say and I sure hope you don't have this problem too!

There is a group for "Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis"...check your spelling.

Thanks for your suggestion of crhn's disease. Sorry that you have found out you have it & that the Dr's didnt even tell you is very negligent for sure.

We had a "friend" live with us for too long at one stage (was supposed to be 6 months & ended up over 2 years then I asked him to leave) & he had bad crohn's & didnt eat the right things to control it. It got very embarrassing to us as we had a cousin stay from interstate & she actually thought our plumbing was backed up due to the smell often in the toilet. The stench was sometimes very bad & he went through so much toilet paper - 18 rolls in a week! There was only 3 of us too.

I know that they did test for crohns early on as I asked about it but they did say I would have more of the runs than constipation. Will find out more tomorrow & will update once I get home. There has to be some reason for all the issues I am having.

AusSue: That is how it is spelled on the medical record - Cron's disease. Idiots.

I don't have any of the symptoms they describe and I certainly don't use 18 rolls of toilet paper a week!

Gee thanks for the insight on this problem that I really do not believe I have.

FOOLS ALL OF THEM.

Glad I was able to help you a little Hope4acure. I would be asking the Dr about it as I have known several people with it. They have all known when it was bad as their guts would gurlgs (very loud) & they would get diareaoh soon after. It was very disabling/restricting for them & diet was a key factor.

I hit add to quick again LOL.
I went to the hospital yesterday & saw the collarectal/bowel surgeon. He was very thorough. He took 45mins (approx), read through the file & went out to the nurses station to see film of ultrasound from previous week. he pushed on my andomen & said I am very tender in one part especially & the ultrasound showed either hernia/fatty tissue building in the webbing inside there from previous operations. He has ordered another abdo ct (booked for Monday) & another ultrasound, with a follow up appt on 7 June so he is moving quick for a public hospital.
He has said he is going to have to operate, opening me up the old way with a big cut. He will clean everything out, any infections, hernias etc, put new webbing in etc. He said it will be a major surgery & I will be in hospital 5-7 days & off work for a while after it too (several weeks).
For now, on tramadol 100sr 2x 2 times a day, neurofen & panadol regularly. Tod control the spasms as well.
Will let you know more as I do. Thanks heaps for all your support & hugs & messages.

Sorry to hear this. I don't ever plan on having any more surgeries after these last two. I know I wouldn't live though it. I almost died the last time around (the takedown surgery).

You seem to be a strong woman and I rather suspect part of my problem is the same as yours - scarring and webbing.

However, be advised that surgery only creates more scarring and adhesions. :(

Thanks for your comments.
Yes there is scarring & webbing in there & probably adhesions. Thats one of the reasons he is doing it with the big cut to clean it all out & put new webbing in etc. I dont really have the choice on to have it or not as it is causing far too much constant pain & other issues for it not to be treated. I know I will get more scarring etc but hopefully it wont give me any trouble for a long time. I just cant put up with this pain ongoing. it is also contributing to the bowel issues etc.

Captain I hope that you have a lot more luck with your bowels/guts once you are healed from surgery. I know there are different ways of crohns disease affecting each person, same as all diseases & was just sharing what I know from friends who have had it for years & esp the one that lived with us.

Thanks all