Bowel obstructions caused by adhesions following abdominal surgery

I had Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2003! It was not a mass in my small intestine, it was vaginal. It happened that the radiation got me 11 years later. I wish you health and good luck. Did you have chemo, retuxan and radiation?

In 2005 my dad and I took a trip to New Zealand for 16 days. Upon returning home, my stomach didn't feel right. i thought Maybe I was hungry, so I ate more. Later that night I passed out from the pain and was rushed to the ER at Mayo In Rochester MN. I was vomiting bile and it extreeme pain. You all know the drill... NG tube and hospital stay. They did full regimin of testing. I had never had surgury before so they concluded with the obstruction that it was likely a tumor. I am a farmer and I had cows that would begin calving in 6 weeks in addition to all the other work so I chose to do the surgury soon rather than take a chance on waiting and having another episode during my busy season. They did the surgury pulling out all my small intestines out and running their fingers through it trying to find a tumor but there was none. I was the 5% odds of no tumor. However that was the biginning of my troubles. I have been in the ER for help 4 times but have had many, many occurances since. The last year has been the worst and it is getting much worse now. As soon as I figure out what is happening I stop eating and drinking. Then begin with liquids. I have survived this way for almost 13 years. Last spring I passed out agian from the pain and my wife called 911 because I was unresponsive for quite awhile. Vomiting occurs when it is bad but usually I don't. I have tried some natural options but they take time or may not work at all so i am losing hope of any alternatives to surgury, but am still open to hearing what is out there. I have been on serrapeptase which is supposed to eat up non living proteins in the body(scar tissue) eating foods that are not inflamatory (breads, grains) and keeping some movement in everyday as sitting may be bad. I eat mostly chili and soups, other soft foods, but I am not perfect and seem to have a pulling in my abdomen often. If this does not get better I think I would like to try some invasive proceedure if there was a good prognosis. I would like to learn more. Thanks all.

I got R-CHOP after the surgery. np radiation. They say I should be cured. We'll see.

I hadn't noticed this discussion until today. I had an emergency mega toxic colon surgery, removed a good amount of large colon. A couple of years before that I had a section of my small intestine stop working, and I had 42" removed. Doctors couldn't get that section to restart. I've had some bowel obstructions, and 8 years ago I had bleeding ulcers. Every time my stomach hurts, I think I'm going to have to go to the ER - again.

A year or two after the ulcers, I had to have surgery to deal with adhesions from prior surgeries. I've been in the hospital a couple of times for bowel obstructions, but the ng tube and bowel rest treated them without surgery. I hate ng tubes. I had one in a year ago when I was in the hospital for a bad reaction to Lyrica, but I had to have it pulled because it put me into a severe panic attack. I don't know what will happen if I need one inserted in the future. I think they'll have to sedate me. Panic attacks are really awful.

Because of some of my meds, I take generlac at bedtime. Right now, 1tbsp keeps things moving. I have idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, both small fiber and autonomic, which can affect lots of body parts and functions. I have a spinal cord stimulator that has reduced the pain in my feet, but the neuropathy is beginning to affect vision, sense of smell, urinary problems and bowel problems and I'm concerned about my arms and hands becoming involved. I'm a pianist, so my hands are really important to me. I take meds for depression, anxiety, SVT, allergies, arthritis, pain and reflux. One thing seems to lead to another.

@idnas and @loriel59 @kag13 Have you seen any changes or improvements in how you're feeling?

Jim

Chronic SBO's resulting from surgery induced adhesions are a terrible thing to deal with. Clear Passage is indeed a good solution.
In 2011, I began a series of abdominal surgeries for the repair of a ruptured colon. Like you the surgeries caused lots of adhesions, and my first SBO resulted in 2013. It was cleared in the hospital; treatment included the hated NG tube. A year later I had an SBO recurrence, but it resolved on its own. That was enough! I researched the Internet and found Clear Passage (www.clearpassage.com) and booked my treatment. The therapists were wonderful, and the treatment worked. I went from July 2014 until April of 2018 without an obstruction.
Just two months ago I had a laparoscopic abdominal procedure done, and another SBO hit me just 4 days ago. Just got out of the hospital this morning. I swear, if you have a body that produces adhesions as mine does, then surgeries will be followed by SBO's. And a surgery to remove the adhesions will just produce additional obstructions. Stop the cycle. Book with Clear Passage. Clear the adhesions without surgery.

I've had 14 SBOs. 7 of the 13 were total obstructions, and 7 were partial obstructions, with the latest (#14) occurring in December 2017. Before that, I had a total obstruction in 2003. I used to get obstructed once a year, and one time I had two surgeries in one year (6 months apart) for SBO. Mine are all due to adhesions and the more they operate, the more adhesions I get. Now, surgeons will only operate if I have a total obstruction. The partial obstructions usually subside after a few days in the hospital on IV fluids and an NG (nasogastric) tube. I was in the hospital for 30 days in 2013 because I almost died from that obstruction. Healing was very slow. I was on total disability due to SBO, but chose to go back to school, earn 3 degrees and am now working in higher education. However, I still have to be very careful about what I eat. Doctors tell me my inner belly looks like a grapevine due to all of the adhesions. I could not even have my gallbladder removed via laparoscopic surgery due to all the adhesions. The surgeon had to remove the gallbladder through an abdominal incision. It sucks to have adhesions, but the small bowel obstructions have truly made my life miserable. I've been having them for a long time now.

Oh I soooooo know what you are going through and I'm at my wits end! Had surgery in 2006 and surgeon perforated my small intestine 3 xs. Got sepsis and he took 15 ft of intestine out. I have NUMEROUS blockages and vomit stool, bile etc. 5 yrs ago had a gtube placed because stomach is paralyzed (gastroparesis) . That has helped somewhat as far as able to stay out of hospital when I get them. I have a suction machine at home I hook up to my gtube.

It does NOT help with the nausea, pain or any of it. It just makes it where I don't have to go to hospital for a NG tube.
I have also a colostomy, central line for TPN and meds, pain pump inserted in abdomen for pain. Since I have short bowel I don't get my nutrition so thus, I have the TPN

Hello @bradleymom1967

As I read your post I was amazed that you have experienced so many difficulties and yet your post did not express any bitterness. That is quite remarkable!

Thank you for sharing your story.

I suppose you have sought a second opinion to look for any way that your digestive problems might be resolved?

Teresa

I am sorry to hear about all of your troubles the small Bowel obstruction Ginny. I just got out of the hospital last night from another terrible SBO. It's the second in just two months. And I have had at least ten over the last seven years. Mine are almost always as everyone else has described. Severe pain, vomiting, passing out, emergency room, NG tube and then a liquid diet recovery. I am doing as much research as I can to learn anything. I have heard all sorts of things about diet and yoga, surgery to remove adhesions and even that place in Florida that has a holistic approach. I want to learn anything I can. I have an ileostomy. I am 56 years old and got the ileostomy when I was 23 from ulcerative colitis and toxic megacolon. Since that time I have had my rectum removed, gallbladder removed, full hysterectomy and one or two minor incisional repair surgeries. I know that my blockages are due to adhesions. But the only answer I get from doctors is to live with it. I am going to try to eat softer more digestible foods. I am a swimmer so physical activity is not an issue. I am going to look into things that keep inflammation down even though I know that inflammation plays only a supporting role. I am hoping to hear back from anyone with ideas and I am thankful to know that there are others out there like me. Sandy

Oh, Honey, you have been put through your paces, haven't you? I will offer just a few thoughts. I think that the people in the clinic, main one in Jacksonville, are the real thing, after 2 long phone conversations with them, a delightful assistant named Ginny. Anyway, after receiving all my records they didn't want to see me because of my medical history, especially after the cancer diagnosis, so I know that they are cautious and caring. I was desperate and ready to do anything also. I suspect that, not to be crude or insensitive, that they would not touch you with a 10 foot pole because of your current anatomical situation. The massages are long lasting and tough, I think. Regarding food, I had been on a very low fiber diet for 4 or 5 years, even though most of the doctors were not big believers in it, but dieticians all recommended it. I now don't need to, at least not for now, because the lymphoma tumor, not adhesions, was the cause of the obstructions. My ability to enjoy fruit, veggies and whole grains again is my silver lining, and I love it. One other thing I will add is that I also believe that inflammations is not our friend, so avoid sugar, anyway, and swim your guts out, no pun intended. Let me know how you do, dear. gp