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Suggest Treatment For Intestinal Infection

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Posted on Wed, 8 Oct 2014
Question: yesterday around 4pm I was eating some red snapper fish I was very hungry and since they were fillet I ate them very fast. on the last piece it got stuck in my throat and I coughed it out. after which I started to eat the rest very slowly. I know think that since that one little pieace had so many bones in it the others must have had bones also. today I have been going to the bathroom at least 6 times with very little fecal matter coming out the last three times were watery and all the times I wiped there was blood on the tissue I some times get hemorrhoids but I don't think that is the cast this time.. what should I do I have minor discomfort in my lower right side could I have a possible puncture in my intestine or should I not worry I have looked online and I have read this is very rare could this be happening to me and it was.. what type of symptoms should I be looking out for before I rush to the hospital... can you please give detailed information
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (19 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Intestinal infection most probably

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
First of all let me clear one point- it is not seen to have the fish-bone puncture the intestine. So stop worrying.

Punctured intestine causes unbearable pain, which I think you do not have. It causes inability to move around, vomiting, distension of abdomen.

Secondly the watery motions with blood on tissue is suggestive of intestinal infection with minor discomfort in the right lower abdomen. A course of an antibiotic will clear this soon. Take probiotic and activated charcoal tablets also. Better to consult a Surgeon to have a clinical examination for vitals ( temperature, pulse and Blood Pressure ) and of the abdomen and get a proper prescription.

Another chance is intolerance to fish. This is possible only if you had a similar history with fish before also ( in the past ).

So relax, nothing serious about the puncture; surely be bothered about an infection and get early treatment instituted to avoid any complication of dehydration and septicemia.

I hope this helps you .
Please feel free to ask for more if you need to and you may please rate this answer.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (1 hour later)
Sorry for repost I don’t know if this went through so I’m resending

1) If I did swallow a bone could my stomach acid dissolve the bone it was about 4 centimeters long and very skinny.

2) It has been over 28 hours since I ate the bones would this be a safe enough time so that if anything bad was going to happen as a result of eating the bones, it would have happened already or should I wait longer before I could consider it safe not to worry about bones damaging my system.

3)What food should I eat if any to try and push out the bones or should I take a laxative to try and push them out I really want them out or at least in a harmless state I have not slept in over 1 day

I went to the doctor on 9/2/14 and these were my results I know that was 2 weeks ago and anything could happen but I just wanted to show you the results from my test that day I am afraid to laydown thinking the pressure will make the bone stick in my stomach or intestine or some place in me and make me have to get surgery.
CO2 TOTAL 22.0 - 32.0 MEQ/L 27.2
CHLORIDE 96 - 108 MEQ/L 103
CREATININE 0.70 - 1.40 mg/dL 1.19
GLUCOSE 65 - 139 mg/dL 78
POTASSIUM 3.5 - 5.0 MEQ/L 3.9
SODIUM 135 - 145 MEQ/L 143
UREA NITROGEN 10 - 30 mg/dL 15
CALCIUM 8.5 - 10.5 mg/dL 9.6
EGFR XXXXXXX AM ml/min/1.73m >60.00
EGFR NON-AFR AM ml/min/1.73m >60.00
ALBUMIN 3.5 - 4.9 G/DL 5.2
BILIRUBIN TOTAL 0.1 - 1.2 mg/dL 0.5
BILIRUBIN DIRECT 0.0 - 0.8 mg/dL 0.1
ALK.PHOSPHATASE 30 - 110 U/L 72
AST (SGOT) 1 - 50 U/L 27
ALT(SGPT) 1 - 53 U/L 42
PROTEIN TOTAL 6.0 - 8.3 G/DL 8.0 U-MICROALBUMIN (CONC) 1.82
U-CREATININE (CONC) 252.38
U-MICROALB/CREAT (RANDOM) 0 - 30 UG/MG 7
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Do not worry, sleep, relax.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
I hope you have / could read the first answer I gave.
I will try to give specific answers as per your queries.

1) If I did swallow a bone could my stomach acid dissolve the bone it was about 4 centimeters long and very skinny.
-> Since the bones of the fish usually soft, they are easily digested by the gastrointestinal system. It is already 24 hours, if no problem, be assured that nothing serious may happen.

2) It has been over 28 hours since I ate the bones would this be a safe enough time so that if anything bad was going to happen as a result of eating the bones, it would have happened already or should I wait longer before I could consider it safe not to worry about bones damaging my system.
-> Since it has been 28 hours since you ate and if you have no severe pain in abdomen, distension, vomiting, nothing to worry; the intestine secretes and gives coating to any foreign body so that it passes out of the intestines as a very smooth object without causing any injury. Yet it is better to keep observing if you develop any of the symptoms.

3)What food should I eat if any to try and push out the bones or should I take a laxative to try and push them out I really want them out or at least in a harmless state I have not slept in over 1 day
-> NO LAXATIVE PLEASE.
Do not do anything extra or different, Body takes care of everything. If you still wish you can take banana with the usual food.

If you do not have any symptoms, just relax. X-rays do not help to get a location as fish bones are not seen on it. CT scan may help but is needed only if you develop symptoms.

If you want to be really damn sure , you may please consult a Surgical Gastrointestinal Specialist for a clinical examination of the abdomen.

Reports of 15 days back are OK.

Just relax and keep observing. Since it is more than 33 hours ( 28 + 5 ) now and if you have no symptoms it is highly unlikely that there will be any complications.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (17 hours later)
this should be the last question I have to ask
symptoms today still not a lot of pain but after eating feeling sharp pains from time to time in the lower right hand side my abdomen along with constant pressure when sitting down. no fever but constant feeling of gas forming and constant bubbling of gas being formed in the stomach with the rumbling going on. followed but a constant need to poop every few minutes in small amounts. in starting to worry this is totally not normal for me. does this sound dangerous im thinking about trying to do a walk in with my primary doctor tomorrow what do you think about this from what i've described from my account from the fish bones incident or should I go to the emergency room.. ive been observing like you requested and this is what's happening
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please visit Emergency Room.

Detailed Answer:
You talked about ( today I have been going to the bathroom at least 6 times with very little fecal matter coming out the last three times were watery and all the times I wiped there was blood on the tissue) in the initial questions , which is most suggestive of an infection..... and now also complaints of constant pressure, gas, bubbling, rumbling, need to poop still indicate the need to take proper antibiotics, probiotics and supportive medicines.

I think it is better to go to Emergency Room so that you get examined by a Doctor, get investigated like blood, urine, stool tests, ultrasonography, X-ray of the abdomen in standing position, and whatever else is felt necessary, get a proper antibiotic and other treatment and most important is confirming or ruling out whether the fish bone has caused any problem.

Hope this helps you to get a proper guideline.
You may please rate this answer if you liked it.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (23 hours later)
thank you for your help
I went to he emergency room and they did a cat scan and the reason my back was hurting is because I had a fracture in my spine no fish bones or anything else was wrong with blood work or anything else
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (39 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Thanks for feedback.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your appreciation.

It is good know that there is no fish bone and the blood work is normal.

Get the fracture in spine treated, it will be fine. I was just wondering why would you get fracture.

I hope you are already under proper medicines.

Feel free to ask for more , and you may please rate this answer.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
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Answered by
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Dr. T Chandrakant

General Surgeon

Practicing since :1984

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Suggest Treatment For Intestinal Infection

Brief Answer: Intestinal infection most probably Detailed Answer: Hi. First of all let me clear one point- it is not seen to have the fish-bone puncture the intestine. So stop worrying. Punctured intestine causes unbearable pain, which I think you do not have. It causes inability to move around, vomiting, distension of abdomen. Secondly the watery motions with blood on tissue is suggestive of intestinal infection with minor discomfort in the right lower abdomen. A course of an antibiotic will clear this soon. Take probiotic and activated charcoal tablets also. Better to consult a Surgeon to have a clinical examination for vitals ( temperature, pulse and Blood Pressure ) and of the abdomen and get a proper prescription. Another chance is intolerance to fish. This is possible only if you had a similar history with fish before also ( in the past ). So relax, nothing serious about the puncture; surely be bothered about an infection and get early treatment instituted to avoid any complication of dehydration and septicemia. I hope this helps you . Please feel free to ask for more if you need to and you may please rate this answer.