I am 29 weeks pregnant and I think I have a bowel obstruction. Last time this happened was about a month and a half ago. I had really bad upper updominal pain (in waves) and was having no bowel movements. My OB told me to go to the ER, where they gave me pain medicine and did an ultrasound of my abdomen. After the ultrasound my bowels woke up and I had bad diarrea. The Dr. said the ultrasound showed nothing and I was just constipated. I felt really dumb. Now I am having the same pain again. I have been having bm's, (8 a day is normal for me with a j pouch) but they are fewer and with less output. I don't want to bother going to the er again and looking stupid. What should I do?

First of all let me say this, ER doctors don't know anything about people with j-pouches or blockages...they are good at stopping bleeding but that's about it so don't let him make you feel stupid.

Right now you need to be careful about eating since if you do have a blockage, anything you put in your mouth is just going to make the pain worse. If you have any pain pills or muscle relaxers that your OB has approved for you to take, take those and drink some hot tea (hot beverages can help loosen things up).If you don't have pain pills or anything you may want to call your OB and see if they will call some in but make sure you get a muscle relaxer too.

If the pain becomes worse and is accompanied by any vomiting you need to go to the ER for heavy pain meds, iv fluids, and possibly an NG tube. And you'll probably have to deal with a doctor that thinks your constipated again Just get in touch with your OB so they can hopefully get you and treat you.

After a blockage clears I always have a TON of diarrhea...so much that I go about 50 times a day for a couple of days. So that doesn't just mean you were "constipated."

I had an obstruction when I was about 17 weeks pregnant and was in the hospital for a couple of days with it. The pain is very distinct, I can always tell when one is coming on. You know your body better than any doctor does so listen to it.

Hope you get to feeling better soon!

I agree, warm heating pad and lots of fluid, including grape juice, if you feel one coming on, and usually you can get it clear on it's own.

I would lay off salads and raw or hard to digest veggies for awhile too, if I were you.

This will sound really stupid but when I was post op I got a few occlusions...one particularly bad one that lasted for over 29hrs...I was terrified of going back to the hospital because they had warned me that it could mean a return to O.R....(I was out of town and a self payer)...but the pain, vomiting and fever were really bad...so my friend dumped me into her car and took off at 100mph down her little suburban road full of speed bumps...we hit every one of them flying...
45 mins later we reached the ER and she threw me at the ER attendant and went to park...I was still on strait drain into a leg bag.
I went to register when suddenly I felt the bag start to get warm and fill I had to empty it 6 times before we left ER!
I now officially love speed bumps......
The moral of the story is do not stay flat on the sofa if you are feeling blocked...get up and walk, walk, walk...move around, massage your abdomen in circular movements with some oil on your hands...keep it warm..try to work it out...
My friend's hubby is a vet and says that that is what they do for horses with colic..they make them get up and walk...
So....nayyyyyy......call me a horse but it works
Sharon