Is It Safe to Delay My Appointment?
Greetings everyone! I’m a 27-year-old female with a complex medical history that includes ADHD, chronic severe asthma, debilitating migraines, CRION, significant gastroparesis (my recent gastric emptying study indicated a 63% retention rate at four hours), GERD, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, long COVID symptoms, and PTSD. To keep this concise, I’ll share my current medications in a comment. I’m 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 158 pounds, and I have never smoked or used recreational substances, including cannabis. Recently, I've been experiencing heightened sensations of nausea, vomiting, and a painful fullness in my stomach since I consumed some food approximately 24 hours ago. Although my nutrition is primarily delivered through a GJ tube directly into my jejunum, I occasionally eat for pleasure whenever I can tolerate it. I've been advised against consuming corn due to my gastroparesis, but I made the poor choice to eat an ear last night, and now I'm concerned it might be contributing to my worsening symptoms. I've been cautioned about the potential for bezoars, which fortunately I have not encountered before. Today, I attempted to eat small amounts of food twice but ended up vomiting within an hour each time, despite venting what I could through my G tube, which offered only slight symptom relief. I've also struggled with even clear liquids like water and Powerade and have had to rely on my full nausea management routine since this morning (Zofran 4 mg every 8 hours, Benadryl 25 mg every 6 hours, and Ativan 0.5 mg twice daily), which is unusual for me. Nevertheless, I’m managing my tube feeds well and will keep up with those along with the necessary jejunal water flushes, so there’s no immediate risk of dehydration or jeopardizing my recent recovery from malnutrition. Given these circumstances and my current condition, do you think it's acceptable for me to wait until Tuesday for my scheduled appointment with my primary care physician? While I'm feeling unwell, even if a bezoar has occurred, it doesn't seem like an emergency, right? I've been in the hospital frequently lately, and I would prefer to avoid the emergency room if possible.
Answers (1)
7/6/2025, 2:10:47 AM
OpenHealth AI
It's understandable to feel uncertain about whether to delay your appointment, especially given your complex medical history and current symptoms. Based on what you've shared, although it might not seem immediately critical, your situation does warrant careful consideration.
Key Points:
- Symptoms of Concern: Your recent nausea, vomiting, and a painful fullness in the stomach, especially after consuming food, indicate that something may be amiss. Since your gastroparesis can complicate digestion, it's vital to monitor symptoms closely.
- Potential Risks: While you may avoid a bezoar currently, the symptoms you're experiencing—repeated vomiting and difficulty tolerating food and liquids—could suggest a blockage or worsening of your gastroparesis.
Explanation:
Your gastroparesis means that your stomach empties slowly, and certain foods, such as corn, can contribute to discomfort or blockages. With your symptoms persisting, even if you feel they may not require immediate emergency care, they still warrant prompt medical evaluation, especially since you are actively managing serious conditions.
Recommended Next Steps:
- Communicate with Your Doctor: Reach out to your primary care physician's office or a healthcare provider as soon as possible to discuss your current symptoms. They may advise you to come in sooner or suggest alternative interventions.
- Monitor Symptoms Closely: Keep a record of any changes in symptoms (e.g., frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting) until your appointment. This can help your doctor assess your condition more accurately.
- Adjust Diet Avoidance: If you suspect certain foods (like corn) exacerbate your symptoms, avoid them altogether until you can speak with your physician about a safe diet with your gastroparesis.
- Hydration Management: Continue your GJ tube feeds and water flushes to prevent dehydration, but report any difficulties tolerating these fluids to your doctor. If clear liquids remain challenging, mention this during your communication.
In summary, while it may be acceptable to wait until Tuesday for your appointment, monitoring and communicating your worsening symptoms with a healthcare provider is crucial. Your health and well-being are entirely important, and being proactive can help manage your complex condition effectively.
Related Questions
Healing Progress Post-GBS: Toe Concerns
I am a 28-year-old male, measuring 5 feet 10 inches and weighing 131 pounds. My current medications include Fomadatine and Zyrtec, prescribed due to my ongoing battle with Chronic Gastritis and SIBO. I maintain a healthy lifestyle, abstaining from both smoking and alcohol. My health concern revolves around the toe adjacent to my pinky toe on my left foot, as well as my pinky toe on the right foot. Since August of last year, I have been on the mend from Guillain Barre Syndrome. Recently, I've noticed that at night, the skin on my feet tends to turn a reddish pink, although this usually improves after I walk around. However, two of my toes have remained red, with one appearing slightly swollen. Generally, my pinky toes are quite thick, but the condition of my left foot's toe is worrisome for me. It seems that I'm unable to upload an image to illustrate my issue.
Seeking Insights: My Journey with Undiagnosed Neurological Symptoms
Hello everyone, I'm a 34-year-old female grappling with neurological symptoms that first appeared in October, and I’m eager to hear from anyone who might have faced similar challenges. My journey began with unexpected migraines, blurred vision, and an ongoing sensation of being off-balance or intoxicated. Gradually, I began experiencing mainly sensory-related symptoms, such as tingling and burning sensations, feelings of extreme heat and cold, sharp pains radiating in my arms and back, as well as discomfort in my hands and toes, alongside intermittent numbness. I also endure varying degrees of weakness and heaviness in my right side, specifically my arm and leg, although I haven’t suffered complete functional loss. The nature of my symptoms is erratic; they fluctuate rather than consistently deteriorate. An MRI revealed mild, scattered lesions in the white matter, which were deemed nonspecific. Further tests from a lumbar puncture returned normal results, showing no markers of inflammation, and the oligoclonal bands were not present. A thorough range of lab tests yielded no significant findings. After evaluating my case, the neurology team suggested a possible diagnosis of MS and administered a three-day course of intravenous steroids. While I noticed a slight improvement in some sensory pain, my symptoms persist and continue to vary day by day. I still experience headaches and pressure in my head along with episodes of blurred vision, but there have been no new deficits since treatment. I am reaching out to connect with others who have had similar experiences. I would like to learn about the insights or diagnoses you encountered and what treatments proved beneficial (such as those related to migraine disorders, dysautonomia, or sensory neuropathy, for example). If you have navigated a similar path, I would greatly appreciate your sharing your story. Thank you!
Unusual Heart Sensation
I’m an 18-year-old, weighing 50 kilograms and standing at 170 centimeters (and yes, I’m aware that I’m quite slender). For the past couple of years, I’ve developed a habit of smoking about half a pack of cigarettes each day. So, the other day I was lying on my left side, relaxing, when I stumbled upon an unusual sensation. It felt as though my heart was pulsating so intensely that it was almost outside my body. Out of curiosity, I pressed a bit on the area and was instantly hit with a rush; my head started to tingle, my vision momentarily blurred, and it felt as though my heart dropped. It was as if my entire system had malfunctioned. Just for context, I’ve experienced something similar before after a ketamine overdose, and it persisted for about a month afterward, occurring occasionally while trying to sleep or during random moments in bed. This current episode has me quite anxious, especially since it hasn’t happened in a while, but this time felt particularly alarming.
Mass on the Glottis
Patient Details: 63-year-old male, height 165 cm, weight 66 kg, Asian descent. Lifestyle Factors: No history of smoking or alcohol consumption. Medical History: Diagnosed with asthma and angina. Current Medications: Uses a Symbicort inhaler and takes Concor tablets. Main Concern: A mass was detected during a gastroendoscopy carried out a year ago. There is no report of pain, but the patient experiences mild hoarseness. What might be the diagnosis?
Experiencing Heart Palpitations Following Chest Impact
I'm a 17-year-old female who has struggled with tachycardia for several years, having been diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) about five years ago, although I haven't pursued further testing because I haven't completely lost consciousness. Recently, over the past month or two, I've started to experience sensations of my heart skipping beats, accompanied by difficulty in breathing during these episodes. These occurrences have become significantly more frequent, even when I'm at rest. Five years ago, I underwent a Holter monitor test, which indicated primarily tachycardia with occasional premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), but nothing alarming was found. In early December, I was struck hard in the chest by an elbow while in a mosh pit, which resulted in some pain when taking deep breaths for a few days. My sternum became bruised and slightly swollen, and it remained tender to touch for about two weeks, but this discomfort was manageable. I still feel some soreness when stretching, although it’s not severe. Additionally, I have diagnoses of Crohn’s disease and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (HEDS), and I am currently on immunosuppressants. Given these circumstances, would it be advisable for me to seek medical evaluation, or could these symptoms be considered typical?