Dear Julie, your son, husband and your self  are in  my prayers. Hope they find out what is wrong with your son, that is worrying when you don't know.  It  is hard looking after husband, worrying about your son and then you. Julie I know it is hard, but take care of you, they both need you.

Prayers, hugs are on they way

Yvonne

Julie :

My prayers are for you & your family. those testings are painful till they find out actual cause. I hope and pray they find underline cause sooner. good to have his friend there with him with him, less srtress for you.

Asha

Julie, this is all very hard on you, our children are so precious to us and seeing them in pain is so distressing.  I am glad you got over the panic attack or whatever it was as a trip to ER would have been yet another strain on you.  Larry may or may not know when to call 911 so if you can do some written instructions so he can get help right away from a neighbour or friend.  I dreaded that that would happen to me but it never did happen.

It is good you are back blogging again.

Sue.

Julie,   I am so sorry you're having to deal with all the issues.   We have a son with Crohn's Disease and I know how difficult it is to deal with ...he was originally diagnosed with colitis, then IBS, then Crohns and has been battling one form or the other of it for nearly 20 years.  He has been on the IV drips that cost thousands of dollars per treatment because they're not yet FDA approved so insurance won't cover them.  He has learned to live with it as much as he hates it and the problems it causes, even found a support group online for it.   He still is able to work and travel (although he now has to fly 1st class in order to be near the bathroom on planes to Europe).   Lucky for you that you are able to leave Larry for short periods of time to be with your son at the hospital.   Hope things improve soon for you all..........you're in our thoughts and prayers.

Sarah

Thanks Sarah.  Your son has handled this well, but I doubt my son would be able to if his condition does not improve or goes into Crohn's.  These gastro illnesses are almost impossible to deal with.  I admire your son for keeping his job and dealing with it.

How was your son able to combat the dehydration?  Louis was told to drink Gatorade but also was told this would not help much - only the I.V.'s.  

He went to work today but I don't know how long he will last.  He has an appt. with a GI doc tomorrow.

Julie

You've probably searched and read everything I've thought of.... I'm just grasping at straws trying to find something overlooked, as I know that desperate feeling of trying to find the answer.

Has he been tested for parasites?    If so, and there was none, I only have one other thought.

Does he smoke?  

https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=ytff1-gl-gen1&p=smoking%20affect%20the%20intestines%3F&type=

Did he drink even a swallow of alcohol?

Hopefully, there are no other 'drugs' that might have been involved?

If everything else above is negative, he could be dealing wtih an extreme food allergy.   Here's what can happen with them.   There is this dog food at Walmart  called Ole' Roy.   I've given it to my dog 3 times in her life, and each time she had bloody diarrhea.   Now I know other dogs eat it or they wouldn't keep selling it, and it took me 3 times to realize it WAS it and not that she was sick.   She gets no more of it.   

https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=ytff1-gl-gen1&p=bloody%20diarrhea&type=

There is also something called Fructose Malabsorption which can give severe diarrhea.  

http://www.healthhype.com/fructose-malabsorption-cause-symptoms-and-diagnosis.html

So, did it seem he did ok on the bland diet UNTIL he thought he was 'well' and ate something not on the bland diet?     In cases like this, first there has to be healing, and then one can not go back to eating normally (whatever that is for someone) because if it is something they are eating, they will be in the same fix.   Food has to be introduced one at a time for a few days at a time, before another, to see if it creates a problem.    Has anyone told him to keep a food journal of everything he puts into his mouth?

At one time I had a severe intestinal problem and was mostly bedridden.   Drawing from dietary info I had read in my past, I ate only food I prepared myself, which was a bear to do, since I was barely out of bed.    Potatoes made from potatoes in my kitchen.   No boxed anything, except like real oatmeal - not instant.   My intestinal tract had been greatly traumatized by meds I had taken, but even off, it could not recover.    I began to suspect that it was food additives and preservatives that were keeping it sick.   So I only ate fresh things I made myself - including salad dressing with olive oil.   It worked, and my symptoms improved, it took time.    But, I mean, those things didn't MAKE me sick.    It was because I was already in trouble that I couldn't tolerate them.    Like, maybe someone likes perfume, unless they have a sinus infection, and then it nearly kills them.   So sometimes, just because you are already in trouble, you cannot tolerate something that would have normally been ok.

Sandy thanks for your suggestions.  I will certainly forward the suggestions and links to my son.  I have no idea what he and the Doctors have considered.  As you may know, most doctors do not pay much attention to diet or food.  Most just do testing and treat with meds.  I wish I had some of the things you mentioned in my mind when talking to his GI.  It almost took an act of God to speak to her.  I told the nurse I could not get the GI at her office - no one answered the phone.  The nurse was good at getting me connected, and the GI was still hesitant as she did not think I had authority (which I did).  My son confirmed it, and she still asked the nurse to document the conversation.  She told me what was ruled out but could not yet reach a diagnosis.  She mentioned he was on so many meds and that made it hard to diagnose.  I said "well I assume you, his PCP and the pain management Dr. are all working together".  

I can tell you Louis has had IBS for a long time.  He has not had any alcohol but his diet has not been good.  So that is a big change for him and he is keeping a journal.  He quit smoking several months ago but had smoked for a long time and quit several times.  I know he has been under stress, so that has been another contribution to his health.  I hope this new GI Dr. will help.  I cannot live his life.  He has to make these changes and hopefully it will not get worse.  As a mother, I worry and I can only do so much.   

Julie

So far my son is doing better, staying on his diet and meds.

My son has a friend who is a GI doc at the big Barnes Hospital and he has looked over all his medical records.   The hospital my son was in is part of the big Barnes, Jewish Hospital complex.   His friend has referred him to another GI doctor who he says is very good.  His referral is a big help. The appt. is in November.  It is so hard to get in to these doctors and some do not see you without a referral.

Hopefully, this doctor will be able to help more.

Thanks to all for your good well wishes and advice.

Julie

Julie you and your family are in my prayers. It is difficult to handle all the stress of another illness. Larry sounds like he is doing well.i leave wm like that . I have not gotten wm into reading

Ruth