For the past few days I have been getting this pretty sharp pain where my stoma used to be and have been noticed that gas and bowel movements have been a little different. Things just seemed backed up and if I eat a decent amount I can almost feel it all jammed up like rubbernecking traffic. I don't know if it is a kinked intestine or a regular blockage and if so, what are some things that I can do to alleviate the pain or resolve this situation. I just wanted to be clear that I do have bowel movements and pass gas, so I know it is not a complete obstruction. Thank you all!!
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Push fluids, especially juices. Reduce or stop solid foods. You can try massaging the stoma site. Don't take a purging laxative unless directed to by your doctor. Miralax is OK.
Jan
Jan
I get that all the time now (have been in the hospital for 4 obstructions in the last year). I do exactly as Jan says to fight those obstructions off. Grape juice helps me more than anything. You likely have a bunch of scar tissue right there near your stomas site that's the culprit (we assume that's the case with me since there's no real way to ID blockages due to scar tissue without opening you up).
I had the same symptoms. I spent three months in soft tissue physical therapy. Basically, I had adhesions that had become "rock solid" according to my surgeon. The therapy was a combination of scar tissue massage to soften the adhesions and exercises to increase my muscles ability to work even with all of the adhesions. The obstructions have stopped happening. There is no pain and best of all I have been able to return to my normal exercise routines. My insurance paid for all of it except for my co-pay.Make sure you work with a physical therapist who specializes in working with scar tissue. I was very sceptical at first but I am delighted with the results!
My symptoms were sharp pains just below the stoma site. These got strong enough to cause me to double over in my chair at work and wince. It would come and go, then get strong again.
I ended up in the ER, and eight hours later, was told they could not find the cause. In a followup with my surgeon, he thought the intestines got kinked.
About two weeks later, had some similar pains, although not nearly as painful and did not last as long.
I ended up in the ER, and eight hours later, was told they could not find the cause. In a followup with my surgeon, he thought the intestines got kinked.
About two weeks later, had some similar pains, although not nearly as painful and did not last as long.
I had blockages for many years because of strictures and Dr Shen recommended drinking more fluids and taking a digestive enzyme before every meal and it has made a world of difference. I've been in the ER many times and had blockages at home 40+ times and have had only 1 in a year now. hope this helps.
JeffDC after my jpouch connection i was fine for a couple of months then i started having this aweful wave of pain. when these waves started i wasnt going to the bathroom at all, no gas no liquid nothing. whenever that did happen i would end up in the ER where i was given dilauded to ease the pain, then would get an xray almost each time. xray showed nothing except my pouch was pretty full. after doing this about 10 times in a year my surgeon scheduled a mucosectomy where she discovered my small intestines had fallen and wrapped around my pouch. they had been there for some time because scar tissue had formed in various places holding it there and kinking. i have an ostomy now and mostly likely in Janaury-ish i will go back and try j pouch again.