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Chronic small bowel obstruction from adhesions

Posted by ginpene @ginpene05, Apr 6, 2017

This is my 5th SBO with hospitalizan in 18 months, due to adhesions. No surgery yet, but am considering Small Passage treatment. Last 3 times happened in the last 4 months. This is getting old. Any idess?

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cindybp | @cindybp | Jan 30, 2023

My Mom was hospitalized twice in three weeks with SBO and has since managed her diet to avoid further complications. Her self-discipline has been crucial to her success.

Basically she follows a low residue diet. It’s easy to research, but essentially it’s about avoiding raw fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts. She chews her food very carefully which is extremely important. She has always been a health-conscious cook so beans and vegetables are important to her. You will note that beans are not included on a low residue diet, but she cooks them well and limits them, but she also chews well.

Her gastroenterologist told her to take Miralax every day, but now she takes it in the evening if she doesn’t have a bowel movement.

Prunes, prune juice, and juices with pulp are definitely prohibited on her diet.

I hope her success story helps others to avoid hospitalization and surgery.

REPLY
docm | @docmeehan | Feb 12, 2023
In reply to @docmeehan "Hi, I am new to this group and am finding it very helpful. I am a..." + (show)
@docmeehan

Hi, I am new to this group and am finding it very helpful. I am a seventy-eight year old maleI had a hemi-colectomy/appendectomy twenty one years ago and had my first partial SBO six months ago. It was cleared in the hospital without surgery but I have continued to have abdominal and back pain. I recently went to a colorectal surgeon and had laparoscopic surgery. He said I have a lot of adhesions. My stomach and part of my transverse colon were adhered to the abdominal wall. He freed these and some other areas with lysis. I am still having pain, both from the surgery and the adhesions, but can tolerate a low fiber diet most of the time. When I have a flare-up I drop back to a liquid diet until it passes. My doctor says we won't know if the surgery was successful for six months or so.

Every doctor that I have seen says that I should be able to tolerate a regular diet but I find that to be untrue.

My question is does anyone take Miralax ? I have been taking Miralax daily to keep things moving and find that it works pretty well but I'm having trouble determining when and how much to take.

I would very much appreciate any advice I can get.

docm

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Just an update on my previous post. I had a partial small bowel obstruction last August and I had abdominal adhesion lysis January 6th. I'm getting by on the low residue/low fiber diet and occasionally need to switch to the liquid diet for a day or so. I'm taking Miralax daily but I need to know how to regulate my stools. I have daily bowel movements but they are always diarrhea and I don't know a way to change this without risking constipation or bowel obstruction. How do other people deal with this? Can I safely introduce MetaMucil while taking the Miralax? I am healthy otherwise.

Thanks in advance for any advice on how to manage this situation and God bless you if you're having to deal with this too.

docm

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