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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/2/2007 7:41 AM (GMT -8)
I just spoke to my brother.  Apparently, he was found by a co-worker yesterday afternoon, lying on the floor under his desk.  He works at the main offices of a major pharmaceutical corporation, and was taken by corporate ambulance to their infirmary.  He'd been vomiting and when he got to the infirmary he went into convulsions.  So they called the paramedics and had him taken to the emergency room.  He's got a pounding headache, he temp keeps spiking and dropping, and his white count is through the roof.  At first they thought it was his appendix, but now they're saying the appendix is fine.  The current theory is food poisoning, because it happened right after lunch.  But he ate at the company cafeteria and as far as we know, no one else is sick.  about ten years ago he had problems with obstructions that no one could ever find a cause for.  He was tested for IBD but everything came back negative.  After a year or two the episodes just stopped.  A lot of the symptoms are the same, although the convulsions are new.  For those who have obstructions, does this sound familiar?  He's had a CT scan this morning and they're observing him for right now, but he thinks they're going to send him home later today. Oh, and he's having chest and back pains as well. Post Edited (bektold) : 10/2/2007 9:52:51 AM (GMT-6)
Posted 10/2/2007 10:56 AM (GMT -8)

I am sorry to hear about youur brother.  I have never had an obstruction so I hope that someone come along and let you know soon.

Karine

Posted 10/2/2007 11:09 AM (GMT -8)
Well I have had a few obstructions and that doesn't sound like an obstructive episode to me. I also don't think it is food poisoning as I don't think that would send his blood count sky high. Sure hope they figure out what is going on with him. I will definetly keep him in my prayers.
Posted 10/2/2007 11:27 AM (GMT -8)
High white cell count is a sign of infection -- I think a bacterial food poisoning could account for that. It wouldn't have been something he ate at lunch. Timeline is too short for the appearance of symptoms. It takes awhile (more than a couple of hours) for symptoms of food poisoning to become apparent (as opposed to a food allergy reaction). It takes time for the miniscule amount of bacteria ingested to multiply enough to overwhelm the body's defences.

People often associate the last food they ate prior to getting sick with the agent causing their illness, but it often isn't. Most likely something he ate at breakfast or even the night before.

The convulsions could be the result of a spiking fever, but I would be very concerned about that. It almost sounds like an epileptic episode with the vomiting etc. Except, there wouldn't be a shift in his white cell count.

I have suffered dozens of obstructions and I have not experienced symptoms like those you described. My episodes escalate and begin with feelings of malaise. Then spastic colicky pain begins and my gut begins to extend from trapped gas. As the gas builds the pain of peristalis begins escalating and then vomiting begins which doesn't stop until it has become so violent that the obstruction clears -- at which point there is expulsive diarrhea. The episode is over and it's just recuperation at that point. They usually last between 12-18 hours.

Others experience obstructions differently. It depends upon the site of the obstruction and whether it is a partial obstruction or complete. Also there are obstructions that are caused by factors external to the bowel. Obstructions can occur when the bowel kinks --usually because of adhesions, sometimes because of a tumour. You can also get a different kind of obstruction when the bowel's peristalic action shuts down.

With his past history, I would suggest he needs further investigations once the acute phase of this episode is behind him.
Posted 10/2/2007 11:45 AM (GMT -8)
how about a perforation in his intestines? I had that happen to me and my symptoms were similiar. It is often confused with appendicitis as it is the same area. Just a thought. I hope he feels better soon.
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