85 year old woman bloated stomach/vomiting

[bj66]

my mother is 85 years old and woke up at 4am today with strong stomach cramps and vomiting (no diarrhea but not constipaed). she has vomited several times today, and had a fever for awhile (which is now gone). she also has a bloated stomach which is painful to the touch and has strong to severe throbbing pain. is about 5'1" and weighs about 90 lbs. had her aortic valve replaced with calf valve about 10 years ago (fyi). i gave her some rehydration powder which she is taking with water.

should i take her to the hospital or see if she improves overnight?

[beatlhoven]

KathyBird61.....Ok - You need to pack an overnight bag for your mother and take her to the emergency room asap - right away!!!  She's 84 years old and she's been vomiting for 6 days and fell last night?!%....dehydration is a serious condition and is likely a factor besides which,if she's been throwing up for 6 days then there's something which isn't self-resolving.  The risk of sepsis isn't anything to fool around with either.  Take her to the hospital.  In 48 hours she will, hopefully, feel much better.  They will probably want to perform a c-scan and xrays to rule out anything more serious than simple blockage...but if it's been six days of vomiting - and that's not resolving on its own - then clearly the "let's wait and see what happens if we don't consult a physician" plan isn't working and should be discontinued immediately.  They will probably give her an enema and fluids (while monitoring all of her vitals for 24 hours, etc.) and send her home if it's something common, like gastroenteritis. If it's more serious, then a different course. In any event, I understand the hesitation to go "medical" when the symptoms do not seem to be life-threatening (i.e. a heart attack) - it's inconvenient and daunting and expensive - but a week of vomiting is no walk in the park either, so...incidentally, has she previously been on any opiate-based pain medications?  If so, the cumulative effect can cause the type of symptoms you're describing...but she still needs to be examined by a doctor asap!  If they do want her to spend the night, then you might want to take the opportunity to stock up on "soft diet" foods for her as this is what she'll be eating for the next week or two.  chicken broth, gatorade, crackers, rice, bananas....Good Luck!

[KathyBird61]

My 84 year old mother was diagnosed with diverticulosis years ago, along with her severe weakness and diarrhea which comes and goes, 6 days ago she began vomiting and so weak she got up last night and fell on the kitchen floor, she says she is okay just a little muscle pain from the fall.  She lives alone.  Is this a dangerous situation for her age?  

[boron]

Where exactly was (IS?) the pain? In the middle upper abdomen? This is from stomach. Under the right rib vage? This is from gallbladder.

Her upper pr lower abdomen is bloated? Upper bloating goes with vague pains under the rib cage and burping.