I had a bad fall three weeks ago, with whiplash, back and lower back injuries with shooting pains. I also suffered a confusion. I was not treated at a hospital. I thought I was okay. But here's the real problem: The fall caused my hernia (between ribcage and belly button--URQ) to tear open (it's 20+ years old patientold.) I had so much pain from the fall--headaches, upper and lower back aches, that I thought that the fact that my right abdomen was hard, solid pain was due to this. i couldn't examine myself there because it was so extremely painful. I have a very high tolerance for pain--but this was the type of acute pain where it's too painful to touch. Gradually I have been healing except the pain over my gallbladder area. Two days ago the muscles had relaxed enough that I could push the tight painful bits back inside me. That's when I finally realized my hernia was trapping something inside me.
I saw my GP today and he ordered some bloodwork. But he didn't really listen to my symptoms and I think just letting this situation go for another five days could be deadly. A few days after the fall I began having strange cravings for sugar--just straight sugar. Then a few days later I began having huge cravings for protein. these cravings went on the whole time my hernia was entrapping something. I could feel a lumpy surface on the parts sticking out. I got the feeling that something which controlled my blood sugar was not working. I also had a lot of nausea, and alternating constipation (I'm never constipated) and soupy yellow diarrhea. Now I am having an increase in pain in this area. It's very deep. I don't think it is from the exam today, that was very superficial. I don't want to go to the ER. My neighborhood ER is very bad. But I will go somewhere if it seems necessary. So here is my question: For 20 days something was entrapped in my hernia. I had severe pain and sugar and protein cravings. I don't know what type of hernia this is. I have just been pushing the stuff back in for years. No doctor would take me seriously even though I am an athlete. So what are the signs I should be looking for that would send me to the ER? I'm nauseous, no appetite, but not vomiting. I'm physically weak--maybe from a lot of things. The pain is worse, and deep. Slowly it is getting harder to sit and breathe. My abdomen seems bloated, though my bowels are working--if very irregularly. I'm hoping whatever was trapped--gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, whatever--will heal on it's on. If it was a bowel obstruction my symptoms and the location would be totally different.
So what symptoms should send me to the ER? I have to say I am all alone with a very sick service dog. I fear if I leave her she will die and I need her. I have no one to care for her--so this is why I haven't gone to the ER sooner.