acute gastroenteritis weekend

Thursday, January 8, 2009

A week after new year, and i was still aware of the fact that i have gained so much extra pounds the past holiday i was concious. I therefore in the back of my mind made sure i go back to my portions i have to loose those extra gains i quietly thought of crash diets etc (even if i know this wouldnt happen considering the work that i have). Then again things proved wrong for me. It was 10pm to be exact, i was seated right beside cyrus when i started feeling burning sensation in my stomach. Now im used to having gastric pains. Ever since i was diagnosed to have gastric ulcers, its almost always normal to feel those cramps (even when i have medications), exact acids always makes me feel squeezy.

I knew that one was different, after 20mins of trying to shift around my chair, craming my mouse, keyboards and trying to breath as normally as possible the pain just wouldnt go away.. i silently gripped the edges of my workstation, head spinning i ran to the washroom and started what i would now call my “barfing moments”. Excuse this portion to those who are eating, hungry or just ate. I made 7 trips to the washroom in a 5 hour period not including when i rushed through the clinic (3 times, and in those times i made about twice or thrice side trips to the washroom on the ground floor). I started feeling dizzy, loosing so much water, even when the doctor had me anti diarrhea capsules, couple of antacids and pain relievers. The pain just wouldnt go away.

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In November towards the 2nd week of December in 2007, i remember i was hospitalized a couple of times in St. Lukes Medical Center for Severe Acute Gastroenteritis. This was the same, exact scenario – som much pain, barfing moments, diarrhea, and burning acidic sensation inside my tummy. I was getting nervous. The Doctor ordered me to go home and rest, drink plenty of water, try to eat (i remembered not being able to eat, my stomach just wouldn’t have anything), oral solution administered.. i was scared.

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I knew Alcris would get angry, considering the fact that he never lacked reminders about my stomach and acid problems. He was the first i texted, i knew he would be worried. And he was both angry and worried that i have to through this once more.

From Wikipedia – Gastroenteritis (also known as gastro, gastric flu, and stomach flu, although unrelated to influenza) is inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, involving both the stomach and the small intestine (see also gastritis and enteritis) and resulting in acute diarrhea. The inflammation is caused most often by infection with certain viruses, less often by bacteria or their toxins, parasites, or adverse reaction to something in the diet or medication. Worldwide, inadequate treatment of gastroenteritis kills 5 to 8 million people per year,^[1] and is a leading cause of death among infants and children under 5

Gastroenteritis often involves stomach pain or spasms (sometimes to the point of being crippled), diarrhea and/or vomiting, with noninflammatory infection of the upper small bowel, or inflammatory infections of the colon.^[5][6][1][7]

It usually is of acute onset, normally lasting 1-6 days (fewer than 10 days) and self-limiting.

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal cramps
• Bloody stools (dysentery – suggesting infection by amoeba, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella or some pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli^[4])
• Fainting and Weakness

The main contributing factors include poor feeding in infants. Diarrhea is common, and may be (but not always) followed by vomiting. Viral diarrhea usually causes frequent watery stools, whereas blood stained diarrhea may be indicative of bacterial colitis. In some cases, even when the stomach is empty, bile can be vomited up.

A child with gastroenteritis may be lethargic, suffer lack of sleep, run a low fever, have signs of dehydration (which include dry mucous membranes), tachycardia, reduced skin turgor, skin color discoloration, sunken fontanelles, sunken eyeballs, darkened eye circles, glassy eyes, poor perfusion and ultimately shock.

Symptoms occur for up to 6 days on average. Given appropriate treatment, bowel movements will return to normal within a week after that.

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Today is my fourth day of turning into circles. Eating only the cleanest food, eating non fatty, non oily, therefore all lugaw food. Its giving me the creeps how i all planned to lose those pounds but not in this way. Believe me.

I started to cry how things started for me this year i know it will get better but for now ill be nursing my health first. Of course it isnt as worse as in 2007 where i had to be rushed to the hospital. And then i left lifeless and helpless. Now even i Alcris got bit shaken, i got bit scared and weakend from pain. I look forward to a better self. I promise to be really careful now.

Promise.