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a night to remember

Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:35 am

As mentioned elsewhere, in addition to double incontinence, I also manage(?) a paralyzed stomach. At approximately 1:00 a.m., Thursday, 23 July 2015, I woke up, unable to breathe, the contents of my stomach clogging my airway. In a panic, I fought to resume breathing, and succeeded. However, while I was fighting to breathe, my bladder and bowel erupted, filling my diaper. I was wearing a Molicare plus a pair of plastic pants, which did their job perfectly. The bedding was unaffected; my wife suspected nothing. Times such as this make me grateful for diapers, protection that does its work well. With my life on the line, I do not know how I would function if, in addition to being suddenly unable to breathe, I also were faced with a bowel and bladder cleanup. The medication I have for this does not always work, and, when it fails, my life becomes a gamble. But, usually, my diapers do work, and for that I am extremely grateful.

Re: a night to remember

Sat Jul 25, 2015 8:07 pm

Glad your ok Patrick. Good not imagine not being able to breath.

Re: a night to remember

Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:42 am

Whoa... that sounds like a nitemare! Glad what you had on did it's job, hope you get things settled down with a new med or something. Nothing I am sure you want to repeat any time soon! Stay well, Puffy

Re: a night to remember

Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:43 am

Hi Patrick

Hope you are feeling better now I can't imagine how scared you must have been. A mixed blessing that the Molicare and the plastic pants did their job.

Take care

Greenbank

Re: a night to remember

Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:14 pm

Wow, Patrick! That must have been rough. I hope you are doing better.

--John

Re: a night to remember

Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:55 pm

Thanks guys.

I just had to vent, and this is the place I do that. I have two medications for this: erythromycin and metoclopramide. The erythromycin is unreliable, and the metoclopramide messes with my brain chemistry. It gives me hallucinations.

Again, thanks.

Re: a night to remember

Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:20 am

Thinking of you. Keep well.

4wheeldave.

Re: a night to remember

Wed Jul 29, 2015 6:35 pm

I just returned from physical therapy. My therapist insisted that one of us contact my gastroenterologist ASAP. Then she thought better of it, and said she would make the contact. I guess I'll get a call from his office tomorrow. This breathing difficulty is common among folks whose stomachs do not work properly, but it can be lethal, so I hope that, at the least, I'll get some useful advice about diet and medication.

Again, thanks for all your kind thoughts and expressions of concern. This is one great group.

Re: a night to remember

Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:55 pm

Update:

My GI specialist's office called today. Evidently he is on vacation; however, his office called him anyway. I hope he won't be mad at me. His suggestions were that I should begin using Ensure at supper, and go on a low-fiber diet for breakfast and lunch. If I obey, the result will be more frequent bowel accidents. UGH! Bowel accidents and weight loss seem to go together for me. I'll see him on August 19th.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Re: a night to remember

Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:19 am

I am still digesting the office visit I had yesterday with my gastroenterologist. If I understand him correctly, his main concern is that I maintain my weight. Starvation is the most threatening symptom of stomach paralysis. As long as I eat a light supper and take my medications, asphyxiation should not be an issue. He did, however, modify my medication schedule, which should further assist me. Bowel management consumed most of my appointment. He does not like the use of laxatives, because they can work anywhere from twelve to seventy-two hours after ingestion, which ties their me to a toilet until they work. He much prefers suppositories and enemas for the management of neurogenic bowel issues, because they work immediately and can free me for a day or more of activities. He did remind me that my brain injury and inner ear disease mean that it's almost guaranteed that I'll need assistance with a bowel clean-up some time in the future. That means I'll need to include disposable gloves and a large package of pre-moistened handy-wipes in my diaper bag. At the end of the appointment he re-iterated his concern that I consume enough calories each day. He even forbade me to drink water, because it does not have any calories. For me, there are no empty calories; sodas, milkshakes, smoothies, are all necessary. We all giggled at that. But he was serious.

Thanks for letting me vent.
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