Hi all. Need some support tonight. My son, 18, has been diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer. We went to the ER about 2 weeks ago because he was throwing up blood. Since then, he has been vomiting every day, sometimes to the point he gets a bloody nose. Went to a gastro doc today who had no bedside manner. She was reviewing his list of many medications and said “why is he on so many medications?” I thought that was rather judgemental, but replied he is schizophrenic. His condition is quite painful but she said that pain pills aren’t helpful for gastric pain and she won’t prescribe them. So she schedules him for an upper endoscopy which isn’t till 4/12. I am feeling helpless. My son is in pain, sick pretty much around the clock, running low-grade fever. Just feel completely overloaded with yet another thing to deal with. My son doesn’t sleep well so he frequently wakes me up for pills during the night with no consideration for the fact that I work full-time and need a good night’s sleep. I know all of you can relate. I just needed to vent. There is really no solution. Just exhausted and don’t see an end in sight.
LIsaS, I feel your pain. it is difficult to go through what you are going through at the present time. Is there may be any herbal supplement that can alleviate the ulcer pain. What about herbal tea. I know from past when I had stomach ache like Cramps, Mint helped me a lot. I would boil fresh mint in a container and let it boil for several minutes until the water turns green then drain it into a cup ( remove the mint) and let your son drink it and see if it helps.
Also Green Tea helps
Check this link for food to help Ulcer
The Best Natural and Home Remedies for Ulcers.
Will say a prayer for you tonight. with God’s grace, you son will get better.
@LisaS, just when some of us think we have it so bad and have hit rock bottom, we hear stories like yours. I’m so very sorry. I’m up a lot during the night from anxiety and panic attacks, and, I also work full time, so I hear you about sleep. My son does not live with me, but I still worry about him constantly. Ever since his illness began 5 years ago, I have not slept straight thru the night. The best I can do is 4-5 hours straight.
Again if there is any way he can take all of his meds prior to you falling asleep? He’s schizophrenic but he is old enough to understand that his mother needs to sleep for work. Perhaps you can explain and he will understand.
Praying for you that at least his physical ailment is resolved soon, you already have so much on your plate.
I am so sorry that your son is suffering so much and in turn, so are you. My heart goes out to you. I have had family members with serious bleeding ulcers and they had to radically clean up their diet to get relief. No pop or caffeine or sweets or fast food or anything spicy or overly acidic at all. Just lots of water fresh fruits like bananas and blueberries (not citrus) and vegetables like steamed cabbage and/or broccoli and quality proteins like beans and nuts like almonds and walnuts and if you add generous amounts of unrefined coconut oil and crushed garlic to your cooking it will really go a long way to helping the healing process which is usually caused by an over growth of H Pylori. It takes about 2 months or more of being very careful to get the ulcers to heal. Pain relief should be sooner with the diet change or so it was my family members. I truly wish you and your son a speedy recovery on the ulcers.
I am so sorry you have an additional illness to deal with. I understand. I have no advice. I just understand. I am up with insomnia tonight as my husband, with pancreatitus, has been vomiting off and on all day/night. We are considering the emergency room… At least my daughter (with sz) is sleeping blissfully and doing well these days due to her meds.
Thanks so much for the link. I usually am one to go to the Internet first and get info but I have been a bit depressed myself and just running on empty. I am doing good right now just to go work, come home, do the normal household stuff and collapse into bed.
So sorry to hear about your husband. Sounds like you have a full plate too. I hope he gets feeling better soon.
I think what made the situation worse with my son is the nurse practitioner we saw yesterday had NO bedside manner, no empathy for what he’s going through. She was just very unpleasant. Some people are not meant to be in the medical profession.
Any doctor or nurse who is not full of empathy for their patients is not doing part of their job. Sure, medicine is a part, but advice and people skills is a big part too. Lack of empathy on the part of a professional is terrible. My sister used to be an RN, she got out of it when she lost her compassion for sick people. I respected her for that decision.
I hope you can get your son to another person to be seen. I’ve had experience with going to the ER on a different shift with the same complaint, as the first visit was a bummer. The second visit, and different staff, provided a whole new level of care.