I can’t tell how many months of trouble-free running you’ve done (10 years ago and recently), but it’s possible that your particular pattern of adhesions is vulnerable to the jostling of running. If you have a local GI you could discuss whether a barium(?) swallow with a small-bowel series might clarify what’s going on (and people do report incidentally that the heavy fluid sometimes straightens things out fortuitously. This isn’t normally done for a minor blockage that will likely resolve on its own, but a conversation with an empathetic GI might offer some flexibility. Even your colo-rectal surgeon might be able to do a televisit to discuss possibilities.

Surgery for a full small bowel obstruction will generally have nothing to do with your J-pouch, but as you know it is nevertheless consequential, and tends to cause additional adhesions.

The prospect of needing emergency health care far from home is daunting, but I suggest that you 1) separate the financial aspect from the health care aspect, and find out how well or poorly insured you are for urgent health care far from home, 2) arrange for suitable healthcare coverage during your trip, 3) consider the specific places you plan to be and the quality of health care available there (some of them may be better than the US), and 4) take a deep breath and remember that most partial obstructions resolve on their own in a day or three.

A friend of mine was traveling in Europe when he experienced chest pain. He was hospitalized (and was okay), and was astonished when it was time to be discharged that (in that particular country) they didn’t even have a hospital department dedicated to collecting payments for a hospital stay - I’m guessing they considered that an uncivilized notion. His stay was free.

Don't think you need a scope...they don't show small bowel anyway.  A CT scan with contrast would do the trick.  Fingers crossed for you that your travel can go ahead.  Please read your travel insurance very well as if you did need to go into hospital for a SBO and your insurance company found out it was a "pre-existing condition" they may not cover you for any expenses....that being said, some countries don't charge much at all for hospital stays etc.

Best of luck and bon voyage.

@Jaypea posted:

Don't think you need a scope...they don't show small bowel anyway.  A CT scan with contrast would do the trick.  Fingers crossed for you that your travel can go ahead.  Please read your travel insurance very well as if you did need to go into hospital for a SBO and your insurance company found out it was a "pre-existing condition" they may not cover you for any expenses....that being said, some countries don't charge much at all for hospital stays etc.

Best of luck and bon voyage.

I wonder if this is a pre-existing condition.  I haven't had any medical treatment or recognition of what I think may be occurring here.  But then again, I am pre-disposed to a greater risk of SBO, so perhaps the insurance will treat it that way.  I will be in South Korea in April, followed by Aruba, and then in June, Italy, Greece, Montenegro and Croatia for several weeks.  I'm truly hoping not to end up in any hospitals abroad, or even back home for that matter.  But, I do feel like food isn't passing smoothly and I'm feeling the type of knots I felt before I had a full SBO that required surgery a decade ago. 

@Scott F posted:

I can’t tell how many months of trouble-free running you’ve done (10 years ago and recently), but it’s possible that your particular pattern of adhesions is vulnerable to the jostling of running. If you have a local GI you could discuss whether a barium(?) swallow with a small-bowel series might clarify what’s going on (and people do report incidentally that the heavy fluid sometimes straightens things out fortuitously. This isn’t normally done for a minor blockage that will likely resolve on its own, but a conversation with an empathetic GI might offer some flexibility. Even your colo-rectal surgeon might be able to do a televisit to discuss possibilities.

Surgery for a full small bowel obstruction will generally have nothing to do with your J-pouch, but as you know it is nevertheless consequential, and tends to cause additional adhesions.

The prospect of needing emergency health care far from home is daunting, but I suggest that you 1) separate the financial aspect from the health care aspect, and find out how well or poorly insured you are for urgent health care far from home, 2) arrange for suitable healthcare coverage during your trip, 3) consider the specific places you plan to be and the quality of health care available there (some of them may be better than the US), and 4) take a deep breath and remember that most partial obstructions resolve on their own in a day or three.

A friend of mine was traveling in Europe when he experienced chest pain. He was hospitalized (and was okay), and was astonished when it was time to be discharged that (in that particular country) they didn’t even have a hospital department dedicated to collecting payments for a hospital stay - I’m guessing they considered that an uncivilized notion. His stay was free.

Scott,

I should have clarified, I was running daily 10 years ago, and ceased after my operation to clear that SBO.  I have recently resumed exercising with vigor and this time I have chosen rowing on a machine, as Cipro ruined my knees a few years ago and prevents me from running.  I have been rowing pretty consistently for 3 to 6 months and that was the same window I had been running daily.  I am also wondering if the movement exacerbates the development of scar tissue in my abdomen.  Frustrating.  I will certainly explore getting some really good travel insurance. 

Perhaps a scope procedure with an ileoscopy would be useful.

because I had a redo of my takedown due to a fistula, my GI (during pouchoscopy) likes to snake the scope all the way up to the takedown to make sure all looks good.

your time constraints may not allow for this, but it might give you peace of mind to get an all clear from an expert.