Tips for managing chronic Small Bowel Obstructions

MY STOMACH SOUNDS LIKE , ITS LIKE YOURS I HAVE HAD MAJOR SURGERY AND LOSING 3/4 LARGE BOWL ALSO 12 INS OF THE SMALL BOWL MY DAILY EATING IS LIMITED DUE TO WIND NAUSEA AND FEEL LIKE I AM GOING TO BE SICK. TIREDNESS MY DOCTOR HAS SAID THERE’S NO ONE WITH A STOMACH LIKE YOURS HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. GOOD LUCK 👍

I’ve been struggling for years to find something that will help control the chronic nausea. I’ve tried different meds and they’ve helped but can take a long time to kick in, some make me so tired I can’t do anything. What has worked for you? Both meds and over the counter. Have any of you tried essential oils? Did they help?

I live a few hours from the Cleveland Clinic but plan to seek a second opinion from a gastroenterologist there. My difficulty is repeated bowel obstructions. Can anyone recommend a doctor that they have seen? Thank you so much!

Was glad to see this question as I am hoping to see a Gastroentronologist at Cleveland Clinic also. My problem is major cramping in the upper abdomen after I eat anything...and a huge weight loss. Have been able to eat very little since October and am down nearly 40 pounds in the last 6 months. Any meds they try with me only make me worse!! I am desperately looking for a really good Gastroentronologist! If anyone has one you have used from Cleveland Clinic, please share your experience!! Thank you and God bless you!!

I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Benjamin Click, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Have not seen him yet, but I was told that he specializes in bowel obstruction so hopefully it will be a productive visit. I read all of the comments about him on the website

I have the same problem I lost 45 pounds since June 2018. I am in buffalo New York if anyone knows good g.i please tell me. The 1st g.i keeps found a fold that got tested and came back with the results of intestinal metaplasia. No h. Pylori and no dysplasia. He found it in the lower stomach near pylorus. He said he doesn’t see signs of acid reflux and how I should be watched every 3 years. He didn’t put me on meds or anything. It took him 3 endoscopes to find this. I feel as if he missed it in the 1st 2. I am worried I will get cancer down the road. I don’t smoke or drink. I eat healthy. No history of cancer that I know of. Does anyone know what’s going on and is there away to prevent this from going into cancer or reverse it to normal cells?

1st picture. This was after he stretched out my vocal cords. Here’s a screen shot of the area he found it. He said it was just this spot and i should be fine. I don’t believe him. Because no where say anything about this being fine down the road. This was his 3rd scope. He ignore the vocal cords and my ents. Think my vocal cords was swelling because of acid reflux and Gerd. One g.i thought so. But then the other g.i that did the biopsy. did a bravo capsule and said no signs of reflux. I asked him to do biopsy of all areas including this same area. He came back with results of nothing. In every area. But he did not do biopsy or take pictures of the same area this mold was found. He only tells me it looked smooth and there was no need to biopsy the same area the fold was found. 2nd was after the fold got tested for intestinal metaplasia. Look at my vocal cords. Please tell me where I can find a expert.

@dc10, @sciograndma, @jestride
I came upon your post this morning, and I see that you have all recently joined Mayo Clinic Connect. I am happy to meet you and to welcome you.
Mayo Connect is where patients share experiences and ask question and seek answers. We are not medical experts and we do not give medical advice. I am a transplant patient, myself, and I am not familiar with the issues that you are diiscussing. However, I do understand the fear and uncertainty that come while seeking good medical care and answers.
In your search to find answers/second opinion and find a specialist, I would like to share a discussion where other members have offered their experience with seeking a new specialist. I hope that you can find some useful information.

— https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/your-tips-on-how-to-get-off-to-the-best-start-with-a-new-specialist/?pg=1#comment-240765

Hi. I have had abdominal pain and nausea since August. In September I had an upper GI scope which showed a duodenal stricture. At that time, the stricture was ballooned open. I felt better initially, then the symptoms come back. I have since had an ERCP and 4 more GI scopes (including 1 to place a stent in that stricture, and 1 to remove the stent). While the stent was in, I had a little bit of pain/nausea initially and had a barium swallow which showed delayed gastric emptying (however, it emptied after approximately 15 minutes). Due to the delayed emptying, I was diagnosed with gastroparesis. I had been on Reglan prior to this diagnosis, but afterwards my dosage was increased. Between either the stricture or the Reglan my symptoms were better, however I had bad side effects from the Reglan and had to go off of it. I was off of it for approximately 2 weeks prior to the stent removal. For about a month after the stent removal, I was symptom free. Unfortunately, in January the symptoms started up again and I had another scope where the stricture was ballooned again.

I recently saw a GI doctor for a second opinion who felt that majority of my symptoms were due to the stricture and that there was no evidence to support the diagnosis of gastroparesis. He recommended a consult with a surgeon for possible surgery for that stricture (he mentioned a few different possibilities). I saw the surgeon today. He is doing more testing (gastric emptying study, CT scan, and another upper GI scope in order to get a biopsy of the stricture), but didn't feel that my symptoms were consistent with the stricture. I am getting quite frustrated, have been dealing with this for quite a while. I have been on a liquid diet since January, and have lost almost 50 pounds since September.

Anyway, has anyone else experienced anything like this? Anyone have thoughts? Thank you.

Hi @kibe75,

You may notice that I moved your message and combined it with this existing discussion. I did this as I thought it would be beneficial for you to be introduced to the many members who are discussing much of what you are experiencing.
If you click on VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can join in, meet, and participate with other members talking about their or their loved ones' experiences.

I would like to invite @jlfisher56 @robatk17 @katmandoo @irreverent @nonnie1 @upartist @techmom @gabigirl26 @darlia @fourof5zs @jlfisher56 to join in as they’ve discussed slow gastric emptying and/or gastroparesis on Connect, and may have some insights and information that could help.