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Tips for managing chronic Small Bowel Obstructions
Hey everybody!
I joined this group hoping to find tips for managing recurrent/chronic SBOs. I had a Ladd's procedure at 4 days old which left me with scar tissue.
I started having partial SBOs at 25 but they went misdiagnosed as biliary colic because my anatomy is weird so I presented with RUQ pain mimicking gallbladder issues.
Last year in March I was diagnosed with a closed loop bowel obstruction and had emergency surgery. They found that my intestines were adhered to my liver and gallbladder and the surgeon removed my gallbladder an resected a small portion of my small intestine. That resulted in a 21 day stay in the hospital due to post op complications.
This year in June I had yet another SBO that ultimately resulted in another surgery. My surgeon said it looked like someone had dumped super glue in my abdomen the adhesions were so bad. That surgery resulted in a 26 day hospital stay ( my bowels don't like to wake up post surgery).
I am now following a low fiber/no fiber diet, work out regularly, and drink 124 oz of water daily. I have had at least 2 SBOs since being released which were both managed with an NG. I find that eating any food sets me off and have had to stick to mostly liquids.
Any tips for how to manage this thing??
Jennifer
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Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry that you're going through this! I thought I was in dire straights at 78 pounds but you're in a very scary situation. Have you considered that you might have gastroparesis? If you're throwing up like that it might be a good idea to have a gastric emptying study. Have you had that test yet?
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2 Reactions@dstaley1
Wishing you the best of luck. Mayo is a fantastic place to go. I went there for a third open heart procedure which no one at the other major heart centers would do. I only wish I had went early on, because they are much better then any place else I have ever been.
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2 ReactionsMy husband said its rated the #1 digestive hospital in the country. Thanks for the suggestion on gastric emptying study too!
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1 Reaction@dstaley1
You have been through so much, I can't believe you were able to walk a mile. I'm just wondering if you have ever tried using Bone Broth to get the protein you need? Smoothies with protein powder too, just to keep your muscles strong. Liquids go through easier and you can put vegetables and fruits in a blender with protein powder. God Bless both of you.
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1 ReactionSo sorry! The Doctors at Mayo are excellent! Another location that is fantastic, the Cleveland Clinic! I spent four days at Cleveland Clinic three years ago for bowel resection. A Dr. by the name of Steven Wexner has put together a team of colorectal Dr.’s/Surgeons that are second to none! (Located in Weston Florida).
God Bless!
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2 ReactionsThey moved up the endoscopy from April to Feb 3 so hopeful we get answers. I plan to ask the GI about Gastroparesis. Thanks so much!
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1 ReactionI really appreciate this information especially Dr Steven Wexner in Florida since its so close to Alabama which is where we reside.
Thank you so much for the prayers!
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1 ReactionI'm now incorporating Bone Broth into my diet along with lots of protein shakes 🙂 We are going to start trying vegetables in the shakes too. I truly appreciate all the advice and support on this page plus the prayers!!
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2 ReactionsI'm so glad that your endoscopy was moved up to next week! Please please keep us posted here on what they find out. I think the gastric emptying study would be a good idea and, forgive me but I follow so many medical forums, you might want to ask your doctor about the possibility of you having SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). I agree with others here about Mayo Clinic. I was there and managed to hit every department in 2007. Ended up having sigmoid and descending colon resection. It's like a Jiffy Lube for medical patients! They leave no stone unturned! I was also back there in 2018 when my bloating and constipation problems became untenable and that's when I was diagnosed with SIBO. And I thought I knew every gastro diagnosis there was! But western medicine still wasn't as aware of SIBO as they are now. I went to the clinic in Minnesota. If you plan to try to get in there, I would recommend getting paperwork and insurance and medical records info started as soon as you can. I hope you can get answers and, again, please keep us posted here when you find out any new info. Praying for you, my friend. 🙏❤️
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1 Reaction@dstaley1
I can only imagine the silence on your end means they put you in the hospital to try to get some weight back on. Prayers are with you.