Stomach swells

[ErzaTitania]

My mother in-law has PSP. Late this afternoon my mother in-law was rushed to the hospital because its been for days that she havent deficated and today wanst able to urinate. It's difficult because she can no longer verbalize and answer us if we asked her if, is she feeling pain or not. Then this morning we noticed that her tummy got bigger and bigger in fact she is already skinny, so we decided to bring her to the hospital... Anyone has experienced the same?

[Kevin_1]

Hi Ezra

Yes, bowel and bladder can be a problem. You might want to find out what has caused from the Hosp. and then get them to write to the GP with advice as to how to prevent reoccurrence.

For example part of the care plan might be that if she does not open her bowels for 'x' days then you telephone the surgery and a Community Nurse come out to do an enema. They might also recommend that she takes a mild laxative every day.

I'm less certain about the lack of urine.

Hopefully someone else might know.

Best to you

Kevin

[ErzaTitania in reply to Kevin_1]

Thank you kevin, yes we always let her take laxative from her doctor, but this past 4 days was the longest that she wasnt able to deficate.

[ErzaTitania in reply to Kevin_1]

The doctor put NGT on her stomach, its a hose to get the fluids inside her stomach, her postassium is down, according to her laboratories, she needs to be operated because there's some sweling and a hole in her stomach, it's been 1 night that she is in the ER because she is too week and needs to be monitored always

[Kevin_1 in reply to ErzaTitania]

Hi ErzaTitania

I hope she is OK.

Do try to look after yourself too. I expect this is quite harrowing for you both.

Warmly

Kevin

[Dadshelper]

Sounds like what happened to dad when he had a bowel blockage only he started vomiting. His stomach looked like he has swallowed a ball. You made the right decision on taking her to the hospital.

Ron

[ErzaTitania in reply to Dadshelper]

The doctor put NGT on her stomach, its a hose to get the fluids inside her stomach, her postassium is down, according to her laboratories, she needs to be operated because there's some sweling and a hole in her stomach, it's been 1 night that she is in the ER because she is too week and needs to be monitored always

[Dadshelper in reply to ErzaTitania]

I hope everything goes smoothly for your mom. She has enough going on without needing a surgery too.

Ron

[Javan]

When the old bag has constipation she has trouble urinating.It seems to be that the bowels put pressure on the bladder and vice versa. She has laxitives every day now and i can alter the dose to meet the needs.

[ErzaTitania in reply to Javan]

The doctor put NGT on her stomach, its a hose to get the fluids inside her stomach, her postassium is down, according to her laboratories, she needs to be operated because there's some sweling and a hole in her stomach, it's been 1 night that she is in the ER because she is too week and needs to be monitored always

[nergeshb]

I hope everything gets back to normal soon. Take great care of yourself as you will need the strength and courage once she gets back home. We’ll send all our prays for you both

[Mcates]

The urethra is in front of the rectum. When the rectum is so full it squashed the urethra stopping you from urinating. Is the Ng definitely for fluids? Quite often in these circumstances they put a ng in to drain the stomach of its contents. She should have a drip up containing potassium if very low! This link shows how constipation affects urination. goo.gl/images/S8Sn3j

[AJK2001]

Hope they get things sorted quickly for you & your MIL. I was warned by a neighbour who was a hospice nurse that constipation is often missed and yet causes such discomfort to people, so it's well worth trying to get on top of. Mum takes 2 laxatives daily which each have a slightly different action. One is a pill which she will take without asking what it is for, but the other is a powder added to a liquid and she knows that's a laxative and sometimes she refuses it if she "has been" that day and boy do we pay for it a few days later. So much better if we can keep her "going".

Good luck, it can be a fine balance between blocked and over active !