My my dad was complaining of stomach pain for a few weeks and it kept getting worse so we took him to the doctor and she told him that he has a fecal impaction which is common with his opioid medication and she suggested getting an enema. He refuses to believe the diagnosis he will not go to the hospital nor let me give him an enema. He symptoms are getting worse and this can be very dangerous I have read about it online and he's showing all the symptoms of it becoming a significant risk to his health and life. He's very stubborn and will not budge on going to get help. Can I force him to go or will he be able to leave the emergency room without treatment? I don't want him to get worse and die over something that could be remedied? If they ask him questions like what year it is and what the president is he'll answer this correctly but that doesn't mean that he is cognitive enough to make his own decisions about his care. Please help.
I might also tell his doctor that he's refusing medical treatment and your hands are tied. Perhaps, his doctor doesn't think that he's making proper medical decisions.
Perhaps you could at least get him back to the doctor for a more detailed discussion. If the diagnosis was quick, and the cancer option wasn’t covered, some more information might help.
If nothing else, it might make him understand that this is a life threatening condition, easily remedied, but fatal if not managed.
Started her on daily polyethylene glycol 3350 (Miralax). Took her off stool softener.
She has not had a problem in over two years.
The fleet enema got it going. The first ER didn’t administer the enema. They were more concerned about her bp. If I had not had home health on board, I would have insisted they do it.
Your dad has a lot going on. He’s more vulnerable than my aunt and she was in a bad way. In less than 30 min he could be feeling much better.
One point that is important to keep in mind in situations involving an intestinal blockage of one type or another - is that the colon and yards of intestines are flexible. This means that the intestine/colon can stretch, allowing a certain amount of “matter” to pass around the blockage.
This is does not mean that the situation has improved. In fact, this can be very dangerous as it puts the internal organs more at risk for tears and even rupture. As well - continuing to take laxitives which cause diarrhea only aid in creating this passing of some stool, fooling people into thinking the situation has improved or even resolved.
Impacted stool and other intestinal blockages are nothing to fool around with - allowing too much time to pass before treatment can become deadly.
To be honest, I’m a bit surprised that the doctor that diagnosed the condition didn’t insist that your father immediately go to the ER for treatment.
Yes, it is entirely possible for your dad to have an impaction AND diarrhea. The impaction simply stays hard and firmly in place, the fecal matter that DOES get out is runny and often is not accompanies by the "urge" to defecate.
Could you draw a little pic for your dad to demonstrate what is going on in his colon? I had a nephew who really struggled with this--and once I was tending him (he was about 6-7) and I drew him a picture of why he was having problems. Once he understood that we had to move that impacted stuff, he was on board with an enema and some glycerin suppositories. (he's 40 years old now and I bet he'd just LOVE that I am sharing that story). However--problem solved.
Mother gets backed up as she is chronically dehydrated. Keep the fluids going...way past what he may want.
Hoping you can stay out of the ER, but honestly? ER docs see this EVERY SINGLE DAY!!
He should see results withing a couple of hours.