I've been keeping you both in my prayers today...any word yet??

More prayer heading your way!!

Susie

One more mama checking in to find out what the scan results revealed.

I hope all is well!

Gosh Annie, I was hoping to read that Ashley's home & doing well. She's been in the hospital a long time. The boards are getting closer but obviously her health comes first. She's still in my prayers.

/tricia
p.s. Hope your finger's getting better. I broke my pinkie once. What a PITA.

Checking in on Ashley, too. Hope things are going better today.
How's the finger??

Looking for some good news...

AM

Finger is OK, as long as I don't bend it or whack it on anything.

Ashley finished the test, they say the doc will get with us tomorrow or the next day, so it's more waiting. I told her that since she can't do anything else, to shut up and study.

Annie

Thanks for the update, Annie! Both of you get some sleep tonight, if you can. All you can do is wait now.....so chill.....

Waiting for tests absolutely sucks. Thinking positive...

Bummer about the finger....I think I broke a toe (altercation with corner of chair) and it was highly annoying for a month and a half.

Poor baby. Still nothing. OY! I'm still thiking about her, let us know when you can.

Annie, sounds as if you're having a week that requires a whole box of Crows... (grin)

Hope things turn out well for you and Ashley!

Hugs,
Rita

Just checking in...

Me too....

A whole week in the hospital, that poor kid. Is she feeling relatively OK or still in pain?

Hoping for results, good results, real soon~

She's feeling "OK", and they let her come home, with a prescription for Vicodin and say to wiat for the test results....

Annie

Great!...I guess! But I am sure she likes being home!!
Linda C

I'm glad she's home and yep, waiting sucks. Hmmm, can she study on Vicodin?

I hope your finger is feeling better.

Hugs and good thoughts to both of you.

Lee

Darn-- I've got to start checking in here more often-- Sorry to hear all Ashley's going thru & sending prayers her way .

Sorry to chime in so late, Annie. I'm sending my warmest wishes for Ashley's well-being & for your nerves to regroup soon. It is so difficult to wait & wait & wait...

All of us are pulling for you.

Oh lordy...Vicoden = bad stomach! Sending all the good thoughts I can muster up!

The problem is probably all the good home grown food she was raised on...........

Get that girl a Big Mac!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Nancy....this is the girl who eats COM soup cold out of the can....no need to worry about too much good for you stuff!

Nope, Nancy, that's not it, but she's wanting pizza in the worst way since she's supposed to be on bland and low fat food.

RR, she says that she already feels nauseous all the time, so the meds don't make a difference. She's trying to deal with as few meds as possible so she can actually study, and she says she feels "better" today although she looks like she feels like carp...

And no results from the doc in spite of the fact that I called the office three times today. Sigh.

Annie

Annie, lots going on here so I haven't been an Everyday Regular on CF lately. Saw the post about your recent gift giving on cooking side & came here to check what happened with Ashley.

So sorry to hear about her health issue (as well as your finger..)

My DD, who's only 27, just had gall bladder surgery 2 wks. ago. There is no family history and it all came out of the blue. Fortunately, they determined it was the cause behind her problem in a week's time. However....

My neighbor at the lake went through an entire summer of pain and tests last year. They tested for everything and ended up doing a procedure relating to her esophagus in Oct. Her problems continued and for a while she couldn't eat anything other than dry Cheerios without getting sick.

FINALLY..they determined in Dec. that it was, in fact, her gall bladder causing the problems and since it was removed, she's been doing great.

Hope Ashley's problem is resolved soon, for all your sakes. She is so lucky to have you. Prayers & good thoughts being sent your way!

Annie, have you heard anything yet?

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Ashley!

Red

Not one darned thing, Beverly, and yes, I've already called the doc's office this morning...

Annie

Doctors can be so inconsiderate!!

that means they don't know either....

I agree with Linda. My doctors only call if they find something. Otherwise, there's silence. I had my last major blood letting on August 3. I've not heard a word...I'll sweat it for another 4 days & if I've not heard anything I can assume they didn't discover I've got yet another auto-immune disease. After waiting a full year...finally got word that I've been accepted at Yale by both rheum & neuro. So, I'm going to have to learn a whole new routine. Appointments start in mid-September.

When after a gadzillion x-rays & MRI's they finally found the first problem in my spine I got a phone call within 2 hours of leaving the MRI table. It was the doctor's nurse. Said, "The doctor would like you to be here in an hour. He wants to see both you & your husband." You know when they want to see your spouse they found something. That neurologist told us it was likely a tumor & I was probably a dead woman walking. Said we needed to be seen 'immediately' by a specialist & could go to either Mass General or Dartmouth University. We choose Dartmouth. That 'immediately' took 3 weeks for the appointment. It was a LONG 3 weeks for us. Finally got there & the neurologist at Dartmouth said, "Damn, I've never seen anything like this! That's amazing! But I'm pretty sure it isn't a tumor. There's this guy in Arizona that's just finished a specialized training program. I'm going to call him right now. Stay here." I felt like I should stand up & take a bow. The neuro-surgeon from Arizona eventually came to Dartmouth, formed a surgical team of specialists, booked the amphitheater for 15 hours, & immobilized me...that process took almost 11 weeks. Then, I became the 'subject' of a class since Dartmouth is a teaching hospital. My surgery is available on video (gag!). My DS, the pharma rep, has watched it (double gag!) So, sometimes, 'immediately' has different meanings than commonly used.

If they found something bad you'd know by now. But, she still doesn't feel well so I'd stay on them to find the problem.

/tricia

It's not very patient but I'm betting they have no definitive results and the doctor is contemplating next steps.

Don't forget, the doctor is seeing patients all day long so digesting results, consulting with other doctors and determining next step usually happens end of day or early the next morning.

Bet you you hear later today or tomorrow morning.

Well, I called again, talked to the nurse. She says that the test was not conclusive (!!) but the gallbladder appears to be functioning fine "at this point". The doc says it "could be" irritable bowel syndrome or colitis or a score of other things, so she;'s being referred "up". Whatever the heck "up" is...

I told her that since she doesn't like this doctor and I wasn't all that wild about him either, she should go back to the Boy Wonder and ask for a referral to a gastro guy in Grand Rapids, someone she knows and trusts.

She says she feels OK as long as she doesn't eat ANYTHING.

Annie

"She says she feels OK as long as she doesn't eat ANYTHING. " Something is wrong!!

I hope they find out soon. Doctors just agrivate me@!

I remember going through a period of repeated spastic colon (IBS) episodes in my late teens and early twenties. Once I figured out how to deal with stress better they disappeared. Maybe it's something that simple. The attacks were extremely painful and always involved some stressful life situation.

I hope it's sorted out quickly. Poor Ashley.

oh, boy that girl is too skinny not to be eating! But I can relate. They found a micro-stone in my GB and every so often it will act up for a week or so. And my tests all showed fine too.

Sending healing thoughts.

I feel her pain too. If it's IBS I can help with suggestions on what to eat-- very little... Was she having any problems prior to this flare up? I don't recall your mentioning anything.

Ack.

Hey Annie,
Been thinking much like Barnmom... I've had a few friends go through the same thing with stress and IBS-type symptoms. The tough part is that it's not always exactly "solved", just the symptoms are treated through diet and lifestyle changes.

If the drs can't find anything conclusive, you might consider trying an alternative therapy such as acupuncture.

I think you are on the right track Annie. A second opinion by someone she knows and trusts is definitely in order. And be sure to take the results of all of those tests. No need of her having to repeat any of them. I can think of many tests I've had that were as bad or worse than the malady.

Shoot. I was hoping to see some sort of resolution to the problem. Fingers crossed the second opinion clears everything up. Feel better Ashley!

Alexa

Anyone mention an anti anxiety medication? It won't make her as loopy as the vicodan and may provide some relief.

Wow, where have I been. I'm just reading this, and haven't seen the thread that first tells about Ashley. I'm so sorry she's going through this, and you too. It sounds like she's miserable. My heart goes out to her.

Sally

Sigh. I'm so sorry, Annie; I know you are all nervous wrecks. I like LindaC's suggestion for an anti-anxiety medication. Vicoden has a history of being very addictive. We are all hanging in there with you.

Annie, any updates on Ashley's health?

No updates, she's supposed to be referred to a gastro guy in Grand Rapids but has not received an appointment date yet.

She's feeling a little better, her stomach improved after she stopped the vicodan, but she's still not eating anything much past toast, applesauce and home canned peaches.

Annie

YUK! I was hoping to see a resolution! I've been thinking of you and Ashley. Feel better soon Asley.

Annie, What was it that Janet used to say? Keep you're___ up?

Yup. Knockers up! I'll remind Ashley, LOL.

Annie

Vicodin will cause a lot of stomach pain all on its own. Rough stuff!

Keep us posted. Sending tummy settling thoughts. As I said before: stress, personal upsets, and anxiety can cause a host of digestive issues with me. I'll be polite and leave it at that. :) I'm sure I'm not unique.

Did I miss an update on Ashley? Still keeping her in my prayers.

Annie, FYI and for Ashley, I have IBS and it is very non-typical, just causes pain, no other symptoms. Intense pain but it doesn't last and goes away. Best diet is minimal food, emphasis on sticky fiber, not rough fiber. Things like fruits and oatmeal, not wheat bran. I also had ovarian cysts that were painful but went away without needing surgery. Of course ulcerative colitis or chron's disease is always a possibility--hard to diagnose, hard to treat, but sometimes just goes away on its own and can be somewhat managed. My friend's pancreas swelled up once, she was in the hospital and everything, they had no idea why it did that, and then it just went away!

I agree with what Spacific said, go alternative, try acupuncture. Doctors aren't very good with treating these nebulous systemic problems, IMHO. Best help comes from talking to others who have been in a similar situation and gotten things under control. This has been my experience with migranes and my dad's experience with ulcerative colitis.
Above all, avoid the doctor's favorite pill for nebulous maladies--steroids! Too many long term side effects. If they don't bring it under control right away then the diagnosis is probably wrong and they need to be stopped. I cannot begin to tell you the damage I have seen with friends and family taking steroid medications. Yes, they can be a godsend, but they are not a long term solution.

Yes, please stay away from Vicodin - it is a dangerous narcotic with serious side effects.

I hope Ashley gets the appt with the specialist soon, but make sure to research on your own anything the doctor proposes as far as diagnoses and treatments.