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3 replies

cramping and discomfort

T tmarMember
I had my takedown surgery May 29th 2013. I took ten days off of work and for those ten days I felt like my body was adjusting well to the surgery and the pouch. Since June 10th, I have been experiencing cramping that seems not to go away and at times so severe it takes me to my knees. I feel the urge to go but when I sit down to go nothing seems to come out or it is just a minor amount. Last week the cramps were so severe I left work early and went to the ER. They admitted me and took some xrays showing mild dilation in the bowel. My doctor saw me the next day and told me it was pretty much "growing pains." It seems if I take percoset of vicodin it makes the pain and cramping go away but the doctor does not want me to take the narcotics because it could shut my bowel down. My questions for the discussion are... has anyone tried midol to take the cramping away? Is this something that everyone experiences and if so how long did it take to go away and how long were you off work? Did i go back to soon. The doctor didnt have any objection to me going back (I operate a sports bar and i am on my feet for ten hours a day, not to mention the bar is not in the best of areas of Cleveland). Please Help Smiler
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Jan DollarJan DollarModerator, RN, retired
Sounds like you are experiencing a partial bowel obstruction. Not sure how this is "growing pains." Maybe your doctor was just rying to be funny.

Midol is ibuprofen, so if you tolerate Motrin and similar drugs, it would be OK, but just be careful, as it could make inflammmation in the gut worse. Just because Midol is marketed for menstrual cramps, it does not mean it is good for a crampy gut. It might help, because ibuprofen blocks prostaglandins, which promote contractions. Just be wary, as itis the same thing as any other NSAID.

Ideally, when you have a partial obstruction, you need to lay off solid food and focus on liquids (avoid sugary ones), eat small frewuent meals of easily digested foods. These should be soft foods, and no raw fruits and vegetables. Be sure to drink water, tea, broth, that sort of thing and stay hydrated. Evetually, things will settle down, but it may take a week or two.

Probabbly has nothing to do with your return to work.

Jan Smiler
T tmarMember
When I was in the hospital overnight last week I was NPO for 18hours. They did not see and type of obstruction in the xrays and the doctor felt that there was no obstruction because I am having bowel movements and gas. I think what he meant by "growing pains" was the way the body gets used to the pouch. I am on a strict GI Soft diet and I have not strayed from it since the surgery.

I appreciate the advice nice to hear from someone who has gone through this as well.
Jan DollarJan DollarModerator, RN, retired
With a partial obstruction, there is no imaging evidence. Those here who have experienced it (I'm one, several times over), you have the feeling of being obstructed, but things are moving through, just not very efficiently. And yes, it can be part of your gut settling down and adapting. Usually they become infrequent or go away all together.

It sounds like you are doing what you need to. If things ramp up, just dial back the diet to liquids only.

Jan Smiler

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