sudden short attack

[Guest guest]

Didn't get your name, but I have sudden short attacks on a regular basis. The

pain comes from nowhere and is horrendous. There have been many times that I've

just been sure it was going to mean a trip to the ER. However, I have found

that a lot of times if I can keep down the med for pain and nausea and just curl

up on the bed in a ball, the pain will settle down and I can avoid the ER. For

the time that the pain and nausea lasts, it is horrendous, though!

From what my doc has told me, this is just part of CP. He says that I am to use

my judgement as to when to go to the ER and when I need to be admitted to the

hospital. I've learned to give the pain a good 30 minutes to an hour to

subside, unless I am immediately puking my guts out. My basic rule of thumb is

if the pain is above an 8 (even after oral pain med) or I cannot keep pain med

down (even after using phenergan suppository for nausea) then I probably need to

head to the ER. I may be a wimp, but from my experience once I have met either

one or both of 'ER status guidelines', the pain and nausea is not going to get

better without IV or IM meds. Also, it only takes vomiting once or twice for me

to become dehydrated and for my potassium to bottom out.

It is embarrassing when that 'horrible' pain and nausea hits when you are out in

public. I just usually try my best to get somewhere where I can either sit or

lie down and be still.

Hang in there,