Chronic small bowel obstruction from adhesions

Welcome to Connect, @nonnie1,

Thank you so much for responding to ginpene05; it's good to know that the surgery helped. Do you have any thoughts about diet and/or exercise? Did your doctor say anything about recurring scar adhesions?

Hi @mayoclinicseeker,

I'd like to introduce you to a few members in the Digestive Health group on Connect; please meet @nonnie1 @ginpene05 @rssanders @jgirlatlaw @justjane @eddiesrp @jimmymac @ron22 @bonitav @wordnoid @londonmark @idnas @kag13 @loriel59, all of whom have shared their experience with intestinal stenosis/obstruction, and I’m confident that they will return to share their insights with you:

You may also wish to view these discussions:
Bowel obstructions caused by adhesions following abdominal surgery: http://mayocl.in/2nhtuhj
bowel obstruction: http://mayocl.in/2nPqSUg

And, here is some information from Mayo Clinic: http://mayocl.in/2oJyHhJ

@mayoclinicseeker, what symptoms are you experiencing? What do you currently do to help control your symptoms?

I have an update. Since my last obstruction I have been diagnosed with Small Bowel Cancer. Finally a reason for my problems. Oddest of all is that an exploratory surgery 3 weeks ago found no adhesions! Today I will have a resection of the malignant part of the jejunun portion of the small intestine. Life really keeps me on my toes!

So sorry to hear you have Cancer. Hope your treatment goes well and you feel better soon. Take care Lynn

@ginpene05 I'm so sorry to hear of your cancer diagnosis, but I sense you are relieved to find an answer to your problems. Will you let us know how you are doing after you've recovered from your surgery? Teresa

Yes I will write once I'm better. Thank you for your thoughts. Ginny

Hello, I am new to this discussion. I am not new to bowel obstructions from abdominal surgury in 2005. I have had small intestinal blockage several times in the last 12+ years since my original surgury. I have been hospitalized 4 times over the years and had numerours blockages that I have been able to deal with on my own by stopping consumption of food and liquid and then slowly introducing liquids and then soft food. However, this fall I have had numerous obstructions and it has been an almost weekly occurance. I was mostly good for a lenth of 6 weeks on soups and chili, scrambled eggs, smoothies and such. 6 days ago I had another episode. I have been unable to bring soft foods or even liquids into my diet without extremely small portions over a period of time. I am losing hope. I have tried to deal with this naturally, with diet and excersice. I would like to know more about other options as I am losing ground as it the obstruction is getting worse. Have there been any advancements in surgical proceedures that are having good results? Other natural options that others have found useful? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

Hello,
I went through over 35 attacks and 3 hospital stays from September 2013 until this July 2017. I suffered terribly. I was getting week long attacks almost every month the last year. I saw many doctors before this. I was told that basically, I had to live with it. I should go to the emergency room and get the NG tube when needed. I finally found a doctor in NYC. He does laparoscopic GI surgery only. He is part of a group. I have no idea where you live. I also going to say he doesn't take insurance, but if you have a PPO you should get at least half back. He took out four feet of small intestine and a small amount of large. I had radiation therapy in 2003. It was damage called radiation enteritis. I admit the recovery from the surgery is long. I am 5 months past and I am having some "bathroom issues". The first six weeks after surgery are not the most fun you can have! However, to date, I have not had an attack. Please feel free to respond if you want more information.

Well, yesterday I had my last treatment of 6 at 3 week intervals for Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. If the PET scan in January is benign the doc will follow me every 3 months. No more obstructions, so that is good, but now I have to worry about reoccurrences. Good luck to everybody else with GI problems.

All I can suggest is that you have CATT and/or MRI to search for the cause of the obstructions. After 5 obstructions in 5 months with hospitalization, I was diagnosed with a mass in the small intestine. It was resected, and the pathology showed Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Make sure you don't have a mass that is holding up things. Good luck.