1. < Digestive Health
Profile picture for Sandi

Bowel obstructions caused by adhesions following abdominal surgery

Posted by Sandi @idnas, Mar 20, 2015

I just joined this site and am looking to see if anyone talks about bowel obstructions caused by adhesions following abdominal surgery. I had successful sugery for colon cancer in 2008. About 6-months later I was hospitalized for 5 days with a bowel obstruction (that did resolve without further surgery). It took several months for my system to get back to "proper working order," but it did and for the past 5-years everything worked normally. Then, out of the blue, I had another bowel obstruction 2-months ago. I was hospitalized for 6-days, but again, no surgery. At this point I can only have bowel movements by taking Miralax and then I have diarrhea. I'm trying to eat a normal diet, just smaller amounts at a time and more frequently. I'm paranoid about another bowel obstruction, and also that my guy will not get back to normal. Has anyone had experience with this?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

Profile picture for medic
medic | @medic | Jan 3, 2025
In reply to @judithclark "Don’t take Metamucil. Almost as bad as eating raw kale everyday! Did I make you squirm?..." + (show)
Profile picture for judithclark @judithclark

Don’t take Metamucil. Almost as bad as eating raw kale everyday! Did I make you squirm? Made me squirm just writing this. I took Benefiber daily for a few weeks. It gave me a SBO which sent me to the hospital again.
I take an extra strength stool softener every night. That is the orange gel pill. If needed, I also take Myralax.
The fiber supplements have too much fiber. I always thought that if it was in liquid form, it wouldn’t be an issue. I was wrong.

Jump to this post

I agree with you, while it helps with the initial problem , my right abdomen feels bump and harder then normal.
Waiting gir follow up with dr. next week, but have stopped taking it and will try using stool softener … thanks

REPLY
Profile picture for judithclark
judithclark | @judithclark | Jan 3, 2025
In reply to @shaleenv "Yah I talked to my surgeon yesterday and he said the same thing, it won't really..." + (show)
Profile picture for shaleenv @shaleenv

Yah I talked to my surgeon yesterday and he said the same thing, it won't really help. I think for myself it is more of a comfort thing, I do it to comfort myself, especially when I am scared that it is about to happen again. He did refer me to a nutritionist though and I am looking forward to meeting with them and learning better diets which is whaty surgeon did suggest. Low fiber diet.

Jump to this post

Clear Passage in Florida is promoting this. Perhaps they can help with infertility but I can’t see any comments that they will help for just adhesions. As I recall, they charge $5,000 for a treatment plus air fair to Florida. It is just not worth it for snake oil.

REPLY
Profile picture for rxjoey
rxjoey | @rxjoey | Jan 3, 2025
In reply to @judithclark "Don’t take Metamucil. Almost as bad as eating raw kale everyday! Did I make you squirm?..." + (show)
Profile picture for judithclark @judithclark

Don’t take Metamucil. Almost as bad as eating raw kale everyday! Did I make you squirm? Made me squirm just writing this. I took Benefiber daily for a few weeks. It gave me a SBO which sent me to the hospital again.
I take an extra strength stool softener every night. That is the orange gel pill. If needed, I also take Myralax.
The fiber supplements have too much fiber. I always thought that if it was in liquid form, it wouldn’t be an issue. I was wrong.

Jump to this post

I take Align 5x plus an extra strength store brand
Probiotic daily.

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for anniegk
anniegk | @anniegk | Jan 3, 2025
In reply to @shaleenv "I use Swanson I find it to be the best flavored." + (show)
Profile picture for shaleenv @shaleenv

I use Swanson I find it to be the best flavored.

Jump to this post

I use Better than Boullion, it comes in Beef, Chicken, and various other flavors. It is a creamy concentrate that comes in a jar that you keep in the fridge. It allows you to make your broth as strong as you like. I like the organic low sodium one that is sold at Costco. It can be found with their spices. I also cook with it.

REPLY
2 replies
Profile picture for judithclark
judithclark | @judithclark | Jan 3, 2025
In reply to @rxjoey "I take Align 5x plus an extra strength store brand Probiotic daily." + (show)
Profile picture for rxjoey @rxjoey

I take Align 5x plus an extra strength store brand
Probiotic daily.

Jump to this post

Pre and probiotics never helped me. My problem is mechanical not inside the tubes. Doctors kept telling me it was IBS. They now know better.

REPLY
Profile picture for llcc8800
llcc8800 | @llcc8800 | Jan 4, 2025
In reply to @shaleenv "I use Swanson I find it to be the best flavored." + (show)
Profile picture for shaleenv @shaleenv

I use Swanson I find it to be the best flavored.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much!!

REPLY
Profile picture for llcc8800
llcc8800 | @llcc8800 | Jan 4, 2025
In reply to @anniegk "I use Better than Boullion, it comes in Beef, Chicken, and various other flavors. It is..." + (show)
Profile picture for anniegk @anniegk

I use Better than Boullion, it comes in Beef, Chicken, and various other flavors. It is a creamy concentrate that comes in a jar that you keep in the fridge. It allows you to make your broth as strong as you like. I like the organic low sodium one that is sold at Costco. It can be found with their spices. I also cook with it.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much!!!

REPLY
Profile picture for marshae
marshae | @marshae | Jan 4, 2025
In reply to @ginpene05 "This is my 5th SBO with hospitalizan in 18 months, due to adhesions. No surgery yet,..." + (show)
Profile picture for ginpene @ginpene05

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?

Jump to this post

My chronic small bowel obstruction is called pseudo small bowel obstructure by doctors. I was in hospital 3 ti es last year with it. They say the muscles in my small bowel dont always work well to push food through. I am on 2 prescriptions which I think are helping but still had an obstruction while taking them. I take up to 1 cap full of restoralax daily depending on how many or few movements I have. GI doctor told me to eat whatever I want but sometimes wonder about that. They dont seem to have any other options for me.

REPLY
Profile picture for shaleenv
shaleenv | @shaleenv | Jan 4, 2025
In reply to @anniegk "I use Better than Boullion, it comes in Beef, Chicken, and various other flavors. It is..." + (show)
Profile picture for anniegk @anniegk

I use Better than Boullion, it comes in Beef, Chicken, and various other flavors. It is a creamy concentrate that comes in a jar that you keep in the fridge. It allows you to make your broth as strong as you like. I like the organic low sodium one that is sold at Costco. It can be found with their spices. I also cook with it.

Jump to this post

Thank you for this info. I went and bought some today to try out.

REPLY
Profile picture for striplingmom
striplingmom | @striplingmom | Jan 6, 2025
In reply to @ginpene05 "Hi. My appendix burst when I was 6yr old, and the surgical team left gauze in..." + (show)
Profile picture for ginpene @ginpene05

Hi. My appendix burst when I was 6yr old, and the surgical team left gauze in me, so a 2nd surgery was required. I had tuboovarianplasty at age 30. A laparoscopy at age 50 found tons of adhesions. My 1st SBO was 1 and a half yr ago at age 63, and I am in for my 5th right now!The good surgeons here correctly refuse to operate until I am really bad. So, feeling pretty deesperate, I plan to seek holistic PT treatment at Clear Passage. Anybody else know of them?

Jump to this post

ginpene I was wondering if you went ahead with the clear passage therapy? I am also considering the therapy but it is expensive and I don't want to spend all that money and not really get what I am paying for. thanks @striplingmom

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.