Bowel obstructions caused by adhesions following abdominal surgery

Hi, everyone. I'm new here. I had an intusseception as an infant in the early '60's, and had surgery to save my life. Since then I've had several other abdominal surgeries. Two were to "fix" the adhesions that were causing me to have small bowel obstructions since the age of 12, and one was a C-section (that one was worth it! 🙂 ). I have had at least 30 sbo's in my life, and expect to have more. Almost every one of them started during the day with little twinges of pain, etc., but the worst of the pain (horrific!) and vomiting always happens overnight. And almost all of them resolve themselves by morning. Sometimes I go to the hospital, and sometimes (maybe foolishly) I tough it out alone at home. I DREAD them. I live in constant fear of getting another one.
What I find SO frustrating is the lack of helpful information. Every time I ask a doctor for advice, I basically get a shrug of the shoulders.
I'm terrified of eating a big meal and then realizing that an obstruction is starting, because that will make it so much worse. So for the past few years I've been eating my main meal in the morning, and then having things like popsicles, etc., at night. I would be willing to live on a liquid diet if I were sure it would help. I know that food doesn't CAUSE the obstructions, but their severity is definitely affected by what I have in my stomach.
What I want to know--and I just can't seem to get an answer--is what triggers them? I know they're caused by adhesions, but why can I go for months or a year without one, and then suddenly get one? Is it how I move? Pants too tight at the waist? Something in the air? I feel that if I had some idea of what causes things to suddenly twist, I could have some control.
I, too, have read about Clear Passage, but it sounds kind of iffy. I've seen "studies" on it, but the authors of the studies always include the people who run the company, so I don't put much stock in them. If I did, I would do it in a heartbeat, at any expense.
I've also read/seen on Youtube claims that massaging the area when you feel the first symptoms, and just moving around, might help clear it before it gets bad. Again, I have no idea if this is true.
I've looked for clinical trials dealing with the issue, but haven't found anything.
Sorry for the very long post. I'm just so scared of getting another sbo all the time, and so frustrated because I feel that I have zero control over it. There must be something that will at least make it less likely that I will have to spend more nights yelling in pain and vomiting endlessly (or having to go to the hospital)! I'm hoping that someone here might have a clue!

Hello @nancybev,

You’ve come to the right place to get support from people who understand what you are going through – welcome. Here are a few other conversations that may interest you as well:
– SBO due to Adhesion https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/sbo-due-to-adhesion/
– Lumpy, Dumpy & Grumpy https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lumpy-dumpy-grumpy/

I found this, recently paper published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology; the study researches the quality of life and (2) rate of recurrent small bowel obstructions (SBO) for patients treated with novel manual physiotherapy vs no treatment:
https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v24/i19/2108.htm
The study concluded: "A manual physiotherapy significantly improved quality of life and significantly decreased the rate of re-occlusion for patients with a history of SBO. Performed in an outpatient setting, the non-invasive therapy significantly reduced repeat obstructions. In addition, the physical therapy has a much lower risk and cost than hospitalization or surgery."

@kanaazpereira , thank you! I will read the other threads you referred to. As to the journal article, once again, many of the authors are associated with Clear Passage, so that makes me think that it's not completely objective! I would love to talk to a gastroenterologist, or read an article, that recommends that therapy but has no connection to the people who would profit from people utilizing it. I haven't checked, but I highly doubt that insurance would cover such a treatment, as it seems to be somewhat experimental and not endorsed by the medical community at large. If an independent GI recommended it, I'd be on the next plane to Florida! 🙂 But I appreciate your recommendations.

how did they was adhesion di they surgery to find out?

I did do massage on my abdomen, very gentle, in the area where the distention was and it really seemed to help.

@thull , thank you! I've started to do that when I start to think I MIGHT have an sbo coming on, just in case. It just seems to make sense that if things are just starting to stick together in there, some gentle massage in the area snd a little stretching might loosen things up. These are all the kinds of things I wish a GI could explain/confirm/deny for me, but hearing others' personal experiences is also a big help!
In the past few days I've made a major change in my eating habits (nothing but juice, water, coffee, tea, and popcicles until evening, followed by a really healthy and easy-to-digest dinner). I've put a lot of thought into it, and I'm hoping that it will make future sbo's a lot less severe, or at least change the patterns so that the worst of it happens during the day instead of always in the middle of the night! We'll see what happens, but I feel a lot less anxiety when I know there's nothing in my stomach that would have too much of a hard time getting through quickly.

@nancybev and @thull

It sounds like we are all on the same page, working at self-care and advocacy. Unless our doctors have actually experienced our symptoms they cannot really understand how we feel. This discussion group is so good for me. I'm glad that you are both benefiting as well!

@hopeful33250 , I agree! I'm happy to have found a group in which there are people who understand. I've been so frustrated--there are so many complex and serious health conditions for which cures have been found, or at least people are working diligently to find cures. But with sbo's, which are so awful and are potentially life-threatening, doctors seem to all say, "Just deal with it and hope for the best." There HAS to be a better way!

I was also diagnosed with small bowel cancer called neuroendocrine or Carcinoid Cancer. Surgery at Mayo and they got it all. Bloodwork every 6 mo and scan every year for probably next 15 or so years (I am now 72). How are you doing post diagnosis?

Hello @nancybev @thull @bradleymom1967 and @ginpene05

It has been awhile since you have posted about adhesions from surgery and I was wondering how you were feeling? Any changes that you would like to share?