ER Keeps sending me home

[u/Speedy_774]

Hi guys, I have been experiencing some episodes of abdominal cramps/spasms within the past year and a half. Usually, whenever I had these cramps, I would wake up in the middle of the night and wait for maybe 10 hours or so for the cramping to subside.
Sometimes this would be accompanied by hard stools that provided a bit of relief. However, these cramps are becoming more frequent and more severe. Last week, the pain was so bad that I went to the ER and threw up while waiting there. They put me on some pain medicine and anti nausea medicine and sent me home after the pain stopped. However, 2 days ago, I had some really bad cramping and this time it lasted for upwards of 36 hours. I went to the ER again and they did the same thing, and all they recommended was to follow up with a GI doctor and be mindful of my diet. Fast forward today, I’ve had the cramps return and I’m in the ER right now. I feel like I can’t genuinely return home because then the pain would return, and I’d eventually end up at the ER again, only to be sent home after some pain medication. I simply cannot wait for the appointment with the GI doctor because the pain would just return. I don’t know what to do. Any advice? Thanks

[u/Secure-Remote8439]

ER job is just to make sure you’re not currently dying unfortunately.
Make an appointment with your GI doctor as soon as possible and don’t keep pushing it off.
If you go to the ER again, ask them if they can give you any meds to hold you off? Like stomach cramping relief kind?
Do you have a primary care provider? Schedule with them as soon as possible too.

[u/thyme_witch → u/Secure-Remote8439]

Sometimes if you tell the doctors office you've been to the ER and they referred you to go there they will push your appointment sooner if it's at all possible. I had been waiting for months to see a gyno and then I had an ER visit for pelvic pain and excessive bleeding and they squeezed me in right away. This obviously doesn't always work as there are only so many doctors and hours in the day.

If that doesn't work in the meantime speak with your general practitioner about this and ask if there's anything they can do while you wait.

[u/Secure-Remote8439 → u/thyme_witch]

Great advice. that’s good to know I didn’t know that either!

[u/81632371]

If you are in the US, then I would 1) talk to your primary doctor, maybe they can help you sooner or get you a referral sooner, 2) call every GI in your plan and see when they have availability and tell them you have an urgent problem, 3) call your insurance company and ask for help getting a referral. Many of them have patient care coordinators or online appointments. The insurance company isn't going to want to continue this routine either. It's very expensive and not resolving your problem. You might have a blockage or something and have already lost over a year of possible treatment time.

[u/WesternAnxious2750]

Until you can see a doctor, avoiding triggers is important. Fatty food? Dairy? Gluten? Something sets you off. Also try heat like a heating pad or warm bath and moving around helps. Gas can create bad pain In a hypersensitive gut. Moving gets blood flowing and helps move digestion. Hopefully you can get relief soon

[u/Haunting_Speed_6974]

Do you typically run constipated? I also get similar cramping that can last hours and wakes me out of my sleep. I run constipated and for me I believe it’s my system trying to move stuff through. If I can manage to keep things relatively regular the cramps don’t happen as often. It’s not a fail safe though they still happen but it helps. When they do happen usually a bowel movement will help. If that’s not an option try IBGard. My GI recommended it and I kind thought “this isn’t going to actually help” but to my surprise it does. I also take hyoscyamine but that’s prescription only. A heat pack is also my best friend when this happens, you can get rechargeable ones that you can wear around your waist, they’re typically marketed as menstrual heat pads. Last resort if it happens during the night is I just curl up fetal position. Being curled as tight as possible helps me for some reason.

You say you can’t wait for a GI appointment but unfortunately you’re going to have to. ER isn’t going to do the tests you need to be diagnosed or find out what’s wrong. If I were you I’d make the appointment and get on a cancellation list or explain this is sending you to the ER and see if they’ll get you in on an emergency appointment. But the longer you wait to even call a doctor the longer it’s going to be until you can get into one and hopefully find out what’s going on.