Hi All,
As most of you know, if you've read my posts, I have had some awful problems lately with dehydration and such. I was so dehydrated everything, and I mean everything, was going right through me. I was eating at least 5,000 calories a day and was losing at least a pound a day. When I was in the hospital getting 4-5 bags of fluids a few weeks ago, they said drink more water. I saw my primary care doctor the following week...drink more water...I'm like this isn't right...I know my body and something just isn't right. I won't lie, I was so worried and scared that I was going to die. I was getting so weak that I could hardly stand up anymore. I kept praying for God to help fix me. Finally, it hit me to call the Ostomy nurse that I had seen once before. I was nearly in tears asking her if she knew what was wrong before it was too late...We talked a good 25 minutes. She's been an Ostomy nurse for at least 25 years so she knows a lot. She said I needed something called Questran...It replaces the bile salts in your body, holds things in, and slows down your system. I had to empty my bag every hour or less, it was always watery...
So, I called my primary care doctor and explained all that to the nurse and asked if she'd have the doctor order it. It's just a powder, no narcotics or anything, and she calls back later and said he won't, that he said I have to see my G.I. doctor...I'm like WHAT?????????? It was late last Friday and I said great now I'm going to have to be sick all weekend just to have to wait till next week???? She kept saying I'm sorry, I'm sorry as I'm chewing her out!!!! I know it's not her fault, but darn I was in bad shape and needed it NOW!!! So I make it through the weekend barely. By Monday I wasn't hardly able to stand up anymore I was so weak and dizzy..
So I had an appointment to see my G.I. doctor already but not till next week, I surely couldn't wait till then. So I called my surgeon. He knows what I've been through and won't call unless it's serious. I talked to his nurse and she said he's in surgery that morning and won't be in till 2 pm. She said she will catch him as soon as he comes in and tell him. She said to call back at 2:15 and she will have me talk to him (like I have in the past). Well, I call at 2:15 and his receptionist answered and I told her what was going on. She said he was there about 5 minutes and had to rush to the hospital for emergency surgery. I was thinking great just when I need him. But she said she'd get ahold of him as soon as she could and tell him what was going on. Well like I said they know when I call it's something I need NOW so it wasn't about but 15 minutes and she called me back and said she had called it in for me. He's told his staff several times that whatever I need to DO IT!! So I knew he'd help me. I almost died 2-3 times with my dangerous/emergency surgeries with him and I know he's not going to let nothing happen to me now!!
I waited an hour and called the pharmacy but this is not something they carry I guess. They had to order it and I got it the next day. Oh lord, it was like drywall dust and tasted like sand going down. Tried different things and it was still GROSS!!!!!!! UGH. I was talking to that nurse again yesterday, and she said nobody else had ever told her it was that bad/nasty so she suggested to let it sit awhile when I mix it up so the powder has a chance to dissolve well. I tried that and it worked pretty well!! I wanted to also thank her for saving my life!! She said that product has been out a long time. I asked her why don't doctors know about this??? The doctors at the hospital could have told me, my primary doctor could have told me...
She also was explaining more about the medicine. She said that our intestines have just a small area that produces these bile salts our bodies HAVE TO HAVE and she didn't know of my surgeries as to how much bowel I lost, so she said I may not even have that area now at all!!! So I got to thinking, an awful lot of my problems could have been from this...way back from after my first surgery???? I don't know, but it makes me wonder...
So, if any of you are having a lot of trouble staying hydrated and are constantly hungry...If I didn't eat every hour my stomach was so hungry and sick I'd throw up!!! And if you had a lot of bowel removed, and have full liquid watery stools constantly, PLEASE see your doctor to get some of this wonder medicine. I've had it 3 days now and I'm a new person!! I'm still so weak though from being down so long with this, plus the 3 months in the hospital and all the surgeries, but I feel so much better. They said it takes about 5 days to get the full effect, but I'm happy with feeling this much better. I hope I can save a lot of other people the troubles I have had to endure. Lord, it's so nice to go back to eating normal and have a drink of water when I want and not have to drink 20 bottles of water a day trying to stay hydrated...Once again it's called QUESTRAN...The wonder medicine for me!!!
If anyone has any questions I will help what I can. Now my bag only has to be emptied every 3-4 hours and I have formed stools!! Woot woot that's amazing for me as it's been liquid, liquid, liquid for the 6 1/2 months I've had it!!!
I'm one happy camper!!
Everyone have a blessed weekend!! Barbara
As most of you know, if you've read my posts, I have had some awful problems lately with dehydration and such. I was so dehydrated everything, and I mean everything, was going right through me. I was eating at least 5,000 calories a day and was losing at least a pound a day. When I was in the hospital getting 4-5 bags of fluids a few weeks ago, they said drink more water. I saw my primary care doctor the following week...drink more water...I'm like this isn't right...I know my body and something just isn't right. I won't lie, I was so worried and scared that I was going to die. I was getting so weak that I could hardly stand up anymore. I kept praying for God to help fix me. Finally, it hit me to call the Ostomy nurse that I had seen once before. I was nearly in tears asking her if she knew what was wrong before it was too late...We talked a good 25 minutes. She's been an Ostomy nurse for at least 25 years so she knows a lot. She said I needed something called Questran...It replaces the bile salts in your body, holds things in, and slows down your system. I had to empty my bag every hour or less, it was always watery...
So, I called my primary care doctor and explained all that to the nurse and asked if she'd have the doctor order it. It's just a powder, no narcotics or anything, and she calls back later and said he won't, that he said I have to see my G.I. doctor...I'm like WHAT?????????? It was late last Friday and I said great now I'm going to have to be sick all weekend just to have to wait till next week???? She kept saying I'm sorry, I'm sorry as I'm chewing her out!!!! I know it's not her fault, but darn I was in bad shape and needed it NOW!!! So I make it through the weekend barely. By Monday I wasn't hardly able to stand up anymore I was so weak and dizzy..
So I had an appointment to see my G.I. doctor already but not till next week, I surely couldn't wait till then. So I called my surgeon. He knows what I've been through and won't call unless it's serious. I talked to his nurse and she said he's in surgery that morning and won't be in till 2 pm. She said she will catch him as soon as he comes in and tell him. She said to call back at 2:15 and she will have me talk to him (like I have in the past). Well, I call at 2:15 and his receptionist answered and I told her what was going on. She said he was there about 5 minutes and had to rush to the hospital for emergency surgery. I was thinking great just when I need him. But she said she'd get ahold of him as soon as she could and tell him what was going on. Well like I said they know when I call it's something I need NOW so it wasn't about but 15 minutes and she called me back and said she had called it in for me. He's told his staff several times that whatever I need to DO IT!! So I knew he'd help me. I almost died 2-3 times with my dangerous/emergency surgeries with him and I know he's not going to let nothing happen to me now!!
I waited an hour and called the pharmacy but this is not something they carry I guess. They had to order it and I got it the next day. Oh lord, it was like drywall dust and tasted like sand going down. Tried different things and it was still GROSS!!!!!!! UGH. I was talking to that nurse again yesterday, and she said nobody else had ever told her it was that bad/nasty so she suggested to let it sit awhile when I mix it up so the powder has a chance to dissolve well. I tried that and it worked pretty well!! I wanted to also thank her for saving my life!! She said that product has been out a long time. I asked her why don't doctors know about this??? The doctors at the hospital could have told me, my primary doctor could have told me...
She also was explaining more about the medicine. She said that our intestines have just a small area that produces these bile salts our bodies HAVE TO HAVE and she didn't know of my surgeries as to how much bowel I lost, so she said I may not even have that area now at all!!! So I got to thinking, an awful lot of my problems could have been from this...way back from after my first surgery???? I don't know, but it makes me wonder...
So, if any of you are having a lot of trouble staying hydrated and are constantly hungry...If I didn't eat every hour my stomach was so hungry and sick I'd throw up!!! And if you had a lot of bowel removed, and have full liquid watery stools constantly, PLEASE see your doctor to get some of this wonder medicine. I've had it 3 days now and I'm a new person!! I'm still so weak though from being down so long with this, plus the 3 months in the hospital and all the surgeries, but I feel so much better. They said it takes about 5 days to get the full effect, but I'm happy with feeling this much better. I hope I can save a lot of other people the troubles I have had to endure. Lord, it's so nice to go back to eating normal and have a drink of water when I want and not have to drink 20 bottles of water a day trying to stay hydrated...Once again it's called QUESTRAN...The wonder medicine for me!!!
If anyone has any questions I will help what I can. Now my bag only has to be emptied every 3-4 hours and I have formed stools!! Woot woot that's amazing for me as it's been liquid, liquid, liquid for the 6 1/2 months I've had it!!!
I'm one happy camper!!
Everyone have a blessed weekend!! Barbara
