- Messages
- 15,940
- Type of diabetes
- Reactive hypoglycemia
- Treatment type
- I do not have diabetes
I have just spent a week in hospital because I woke up with a pain (really stabbing excruciating pain) so obviously I phoned the emergency services and then got sent to emergency department and a time when I would be seen. And I was, well about five minutes late.
Of course we all presumed it was definitely appendicitis. It wasn't! My question is has anyone any idea of what it could be?
After an examination, I was then took up to emergency surgery unit.
I was given a bed, a covid test, a wrist strap, a cup of black tea, another covid test, a blood glucose finger prick test, 4.2. And a nurse who gave me another cup of black tea, paracetamol and took my vitals and went through my medical history. She had no idea about Hypoglycaemia. Nothing has changed!
So after an hour or so getting comfortable and getting my overnight bag delivered to the hospital ward, the surgeon/consultant, poked, prodded and questioned me about my pain. By the time he was finished my upper abdominal area was really sore, so a couple more paracetamol appeared with a jug of water.
By now, it was well past teatime and I hadn't ate all day, so I enquired about something suitable from the kitchen.
The answer was either toast or cereal or a sandwich. I rejected the offer. By this time the nurses had been in conversation and a salad box appeared, but as usual, it had kinds of dressings and mayo, salad cream and so on, so I once declined again. I told them that I would do without, until the next morning.
So the nurses got together and within fifteen minutes, there was a plain old salad and I never asked but it was one of the best meals I have ever had, I believe it was from mackies.
I read and listened to my music (no television) until I fell asleep. I woke up about two hours later in complete agony. So after pressing the alarm and more paracetamol, a cup of tea, my nurse and I had a long conversation about how I had been diagnosed and the tests and more importantly my diet.
I fell asleep again and was told I was nil by mouth because I was having an ultrasound in the morning and depending on what they found, I would be likely to have surgery. My anxiety increased. I had been shaking on and off all the time I was stuck there.
A cup of tea and more paracetamol, because I was in pain, though nothing like it was overnight.
My ultrasound happened and to my surprise they were waiting for me as soon as I had booked in.
I went back to my ward and my bed, and for some reason, I felt tired and I fell asleep, no food or as such no results.
I was awakened by a posse of doctors, nurses and anybody else who could get in the ward. I was poked, prodded and assessed. BP and pulse, another covid test, They told me my blood results were good except a marker showed and further tests, but my ultrasound was clear. I still had the pain despite being Easter.
Easter Sunday was a really quiet day, I saw the consultant again and I asked him if I could go home. He said that because of the pain and they couldn't find anything conclusive for a diagnosis, but as the pain was debilitating, they recommended for me to stay in. I was going to have further blood tests and a ct scan either the next day if possible, as it was Easter Monday or the day after.
It happened the day after Easter Monday!
Every time there was shift change, the diet, the 'you are diabetic?' Question, the question of more pain killers, why didn't it hurt when someone pressed on the source of the pain, and of course why I kept asking for tea.
The fact that I was asked so many times about what I was going to have to eat, was the worst thing other than the pain. Worrying about the wife was also up there, having my phone was a blessing. And the shower was just what the doctor ordered.
By Tuesday and nil by mouth again, I became focused of where and how this pain was developing, I think that because the pain was worse in the early morning as the pain woke me up. Also the pain happened when I put something on it that was quite light, such as an open sore would be.
The ct scan was interesting and not without incident. The dye that was injected through my cannula, didn't all go through my blood vessels, it leaked into my upper arm, but there was enough to complete the scan.
Again, no waiting around, no queuing up, no fuss and plenty of staff.
Back to the ward, my new home and hoping that at last, they got the message that my dietary needs were met.
And they were. Sausage and egg, when I got the o.k.to eat. And a lovely piece of ham and salad for tea.
The next morning and I for once had a good sleep, I was awakened by the pain and the noise of staff doing their morning duties including tea, again I was nil by mouth, this definitely had me thinking that surgery was gonna happen or some other invasive procedure would occur.
No need to worry, as my final talk with the consultant was baffling. The scan showed that there was no indication of any health problems, nothing, nowt, zilch, nil, totally clear, no evidence of anything abnormal.
But why am I still in pain? My latest blood panel results were clear as well!
He said, he didn't know, he told me that for my age, my scan showed that I was really healthy.
He also said that I needed to eat more vegetables and fruits. I nodded and suggested that my dietary intake was as close to a good balance that I needed to stay healthy.
He then said to keep taking pain killers as long as I need to. It should diminish over time or I still might get a chance to have a look around your abdomen!
So I was sent packing, with no reason for the pain I'm still getting.
Does anyone have an explanation for the pain that wouldn't show up on scans or blood tests? Possibly muscular or stomach issues, which were ruled out. But it must be something?
Again, the hospital stay was really good. I do believe that the care of patients has improved since covid started and as the hospital's catch up with other than covid patients. Even though I'm still in pain, they did everything possible to get to the answer.
Stay safe.
Of course we all presumed it was definitely appendicitis. It wasn't! My question is has anyone any idea of what it could be?
After an examination, I was then took up to emergency surgery unit.
I was given a bed, a covid test, a wrist strap, a cup of black tea, another covid test, a blood glucose finger prick test, 4.2. And a nurse who gave me another cup of black tea, paracetamol and took my vitals and went through my medical history. She had no idea about Hypoglycaemia. Nothing has changed!
So after an hour or so getting comfortable and getting my overnight bag delivered to the hospital ward, the surgeon/consultant, poked, prodded and questioned me about my pain. By the time he was finished my upper abdominal area was really sore, so a couple more paracetamol appeared with a jug of water.
By now, it was well past teatime and I hadn't ate all day, so I enquired about something suitable from the kitchen.
The answer was either toast or cereal or a sandwich. I rejected the offer. By this time the nurses had been in conversation and a salad box appeared, but as usual, it had kinds of dressings and mayo, salad cream and so on, so I once declined again. I told them that I would do without, until the next morning.
So the nurses got together and within fifteen minutes, there was a plain old salad and I never asked but it was one of the best meals I have ever had, I believe it was from mackies.
I read and listened to my music (no television) until I fell asleep. I woke up about two hours later in complete agony. So after pressing the alarm and more paracetamol, a cup of tea, my nurse and I had a long conversation about how I had been diagnosed and the tests and more importantly my diet.
I fell asleep again and was told I was nil by mouth because I was having an ultrasound in the morning and depending on what they found, I would be likely to have surgery. My anxiety increased. I had been shaking on and off all the time I was stuck there.
A cup of tea and more paracetamol, because I was in pain, though nothing like it was overnight.
My ultrasound happened and to my surprise they were waiting for me as soon as I had booked in.
I went back to my ward and my bed, and for some reason, I felt tired and I fell asleep, no food or as such no results.
I was awakened by a posse of doctors, nurses and anybody else who could get in the ward. I was poked, prodded and assessed. BP and pulse, another covid test, They told me my blood results were good except a marker showed and further tests, but my ultrasound was clear. I still had the pain despite being Easter.
Easter Sunday was a really quiet day, I saw the consultant again and I asked him if I could go home. He said that because of the pain and they couldn't find anything conclusive for a diagnosis, but as the pain was debilitating, they recommended for me to stay in. I was going to have further blood tests and a ct scan either the next day if possible, as it was Easter Monday or the day after.
It happened the day after Easter Monday!
Every time there was shift change, the diet, the 'you are diabetic?' Question, the question of more pain killers, why didn't it hurt when someone pressed on the source of the pain, and of course why I kept asking for tea.
The fact that I was asked so many times about what I was going to have to eat, was the worst thing other than the pain. Worrying about the wife was also up there, having my phone was a blessing. And the shower was just what the doctor ordered.
By Tuesday and nil by mouth again, I became focused of where and how this pain was developing, I think that because the pain was worse in the early morning as the pain woke me up. Also the pain happened when I put something on it that was quite light, such as an open sore would be.
The ct scan was interesting and not without incident. The dye that was injected through my cannula, didn't all go through my blood vessels, it leaked into my upper arm, but there was enough to complete the scan.
Again, no waiting around, no queuing up, no fuss and plenty of staff.
Back to the ward, my new home and hoping that at last, they got the message that my dietary needs were met.
And they were. Sausage and egg, when I got the o.k.to eat. And a lovely piece of ham and salad for tea.
The next morning and I for once had a good sleep, I was awakened by the pain and the noise of staff doing their morning duties including tea, again I was nil by mouth, this definitely had me thinking that surgery was gonna happen or some other invasive procedure would occur.
No need to worry, as my final talk with the consultant was baffling. The scan showed that there was no indication of any health problems, nothing, nowt, zilch, nil, totally clear, no evidence of anything abnormal.
But why am I still in pain? My latest blood panel results were clear as well!
He said, he didn't know, he told me that for my age, my scan showed that I was really healthy.
He also said that I needed to eat more vegetables and fruits. I nodded and suggested that my dietary intake was as close to a good balance that I needed to stay healthy.
He then said to keep taking pain killers as long as I need to. It should diminish over time or I still might get a chance to have a look around your abdomen!
So I was sent packing, with no reason for the pain I'm still getting.
Does anyone have an explanation for the pain that wouldn't show up on scans or blood tests? Possibly muscular or stomach issues, which were ruled out. But it must be something?
Again, the hospital stay was really good. I do believe that the care of patients has improved since covid started and as the hospital's catch up with other than covid patients. Even though I'm still in pain, they did everything possible to get to the answer.
Stay safe.