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Bowel obstructions caused by adhesions following abdominal surgery
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?
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@suzzz9 Combined with yoga poses which also massage your intestines!
https://www.truemeds.in/blog/exercise-for-constipation
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4 ReactionsWell I went to the mayo clinic and met with one of their GI docs and they referred me to their nutritionist but can't get me in until March 24th. Meanwhile my diet has not been great but I'm slowly learning things I can eat and chewing way more than I used to. She also ordered a new CT scan with contrast just to make sure there is nothing else going on in there. I am really looking forward to meeting the nutritionist as I have lost quite a bit of weight since this started.
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4 ReactionsYes I have exactly the same symptoms and I too had to go into hospital 29 Dec and surgery on New Year’s Day as adhesions causing small bowel obstruction.
Now at home recovering with the same you are having ? It’s horrible and wonder will I get back to normal ?
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2 ReactionsMaybe I need that scan and the dye too, I have exactly the same symptoms and I can hardly eat without getting bloated and feeling terrible
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2 ReactionsWhat kind of bowel test is that ? how is it done ?
She called it an enterography. They put some kind of dye in you that looks grs up your bowels when they do the CT scan. She told me this will show any other possible problems causing my obstructions or discomfort. Depending on what I eat I feel bloated a lot. Some days are worse than others. I keep a journal of everything I eat and drink trying to learn what aggravates me and what doesn't.
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2 ReactionsYes, it's called a CT enterography. That's the scan I do every year or two to keep track of the severity of strictures in my intestines from my abdominal adhesions. It's a scan specifically used to locate bowel obstructions.
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1 ReactionFYI: My gastroenterologist did some research and found out that enterography can also be done with MRI. Last September I had a test called MRI abdomen enterography. I had to drink one kind of contrast material before the test and then another contrast material was given via IV during the test. Basically it showed everything that the previous CTs showed but without having to be exposed to x-rays. It showed the size of my mass, the "tethers" that extend from the mass to the small bowel loops, and evaluation of Bowel Motility: "Reduced peristaltic activity." It also showed "Small volume ascites." "IMPRESSION: Lobulated calcified 5.9 cm lesion centered at the root of the small bowel mesentery with associated tethering of loops of small bowel. Findings favored to represent calcified retractile sclerosing mesenteritis." I have also posted elsewhere in the sclerosing mesenteritis section as this is what I am presumed to have even though two sets of doctors have concluded biopsy is not possible (too risky) due to the location of the mass. I follow a low fiber, low fat, high protein diet to avoid bowel obstructions. FYI: I never had any kind of abdominal surgery prior to the discovery of this mass, so my case is highly unusual. I am now on a trial of prednisone and tamoxifen to see if it will cause the mass to shrink. Surgery is not possible for me. Best wishes to all suffers of bowel obstructions. No fun at all!
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4 ReactionsI've been managing my chronic paralytic ileus for the past year taking Milk of Magnesia every 4th day (The only one of 4 different laxatives I've tried that works reliably.)
One year ago at age 96 I was discharged from my 4th episode
of a blocked intestinal tract. First episode way back 60 years ago they removed a section of my intestines and spliced it together. Last 3 episodes self-resolved with week of nasal tube draining bile from stomach. Last session (CAT scan confirmed no blockage) but have manifested paralytic ileus ever since and have been managing it over the past year with liquid protein and puree canned vegetables and fruit diet with laxative every 4th day.
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2 ReactionsI have had 3 small bowel obstructions. Had to have all but 2ft of my small intestines removed. I have alot of symptoms with only having 2ft. left.
High protein, high carb.low fiber diet and limited plain water. Is the diet I am on. Some people don't absorb enough fluids with plain water, some people need sodium and glucose (sugar) in their fluids for the body to absorb. I also have IV fluids 5 days a week to keep from getting dehydrated. For a partial small bowel obstruction foods should be easy to digest and foods should be cooked well undercooked foods can cause more problems for the small intestines.
I still suffer every day with my Short gut syndrome and my last surgery was in 2019.
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