First obstruction after 6 yrs

Feel better. Too much roughage and fiber will do it. Just got over an obstruction. They suck BIGTIME!!!!!!!

It's hard to say because there are not enough facts in your post. I don't know that it's automatic that it was just steamed broccoli alone (especially if you had eaten it before without incident- did you?)   Were you taking Imodium and/or any kind of painkillers or any agents that will slow down motility (like bentyl or levsin)? In the past I found that taking these meds could be a contributing factor in development of a blockage/obstruction regardless of what you are eating.

First off, so terribly sorry...it isn't fair...obstructions really do suck.

Next, there are all sorts of causes...inside the intestine like food, roughage etc or on the outside like adhesions, twists, hernias etc...altough you are probably right you should not neglect the possibility that it may be adhsions or a narrowing of the bowel.

Make sure that while you are there that they give you a CT just to make sure that there isn't something else going on.

I bought myself an immersion blender. They are cheap, easy to use and you can blend just about anything.

I learned that certain foods blend very nicely, salads become gaspacho soup, cooked veggies become purées...all good and easy to make...but for now, once this is over, take it easy, stick with warm fluids, easy to digest foods and avoid fibers.

Sharon

Thanks everyone!  I did have a CT, so now I havre some great questions to ask.  

I'm getting some movement now which is great. Broccoli was somehow involved, but I'm sure not the only contributor.  Scarring and possibly the smoothie I had that morning that included banana and flax meal (known thickeners). 

Typically I only eat the florets of broccoli and do cook the veggies more. This was just steamed and pretty crunchy and I ate some of the more woody stems.  Given the chunks of stems coming out, I clearly didn't chew well enough either. 

i do not take any medications to slow things down. An occasional Imodium if I know I'll be somewhere without bathroom access for a long period- like hiking.  But generally I'm fine.

I guess I'm just surprised that in 6 years I have not had this happen until now.  Will definitely ask about adhesion and scarring so I know what I'm dealing with.  Will also be way more careful in the future.  I have a vitamix .... Guess there will be more blending coming up. 

I appreciate the great feedback.

Yeah, once those adhesions are there, they are there for life, unless you have them surgically released. They form within weeks of your surgery. Most of the time they don't cause an obstruction unless your intestines twist against them. Your gut is in constant motion. It is like when you are walking the same path every day for years uneventfully, then one day you trip on an uneven sidewalk that was always there.

Sometimes adhesions can wrap around or bind up a section of intestine, so that there is a permanent narrowing. But then you have constant symptoms. 

It is possible to have both types of adhesions.

Jan

Carrie, I have been where you are. Although I had post surgical obstructions and ileus after 2 of my surgeries, it was then basically smooth sailing obstruction-wise until 2 years ago, when a little over 6 years post takedown, I ended up with a series of several partial obstructions (at least 5 in a 6 month period), 1 of which landed me in the ER and the others in my surgeon's office.  The suspected issue for my obstructions is adhesions. They seem to be localized at just below the old stoma site, and at times while I was obstructed I could actually feel a bulge there.  Although at one point my surgeon postulated "exploratory surgery" to find the source of the obstructions (nothing much showed up on MRI), I am dead set against any further surgery if it can be avoided, so I opted to manage more conservatively for as long as possible. I have made some modifications to my diet,  I have basically doubled my fitness routine, and I am also avoiding any bowel slowers such as imodium that might bulk things up unnecessary. I've also been doing some self massage of the area. I am doing well now with the modifications. No more trips to the ER and I'm feeling pretty good. 

If adhesions are suspected to be the cause of your obstruction, you can look into ART - adhesion release therapy - which is usually performed by a massage therapist or chiropractor. I would stress finding one who is comfortable with abdominal release techniques.

Best of luck!

I really appreciate the support and great responses.  Turns out they saw a pretty significant narrowing on my CT.  Apparently I'm very lucky to not have had problems the past six years.  Going to take the food thing slow, let my gut rest and  go back to blending and really watching what I'm eating.  And for now we will keep an eye on this and see what happens. 

Just st when you think you're in the clear your body brings you back to reality.  Looking on the bright side and I still feel like my worst day with the j-pouch is better than my best day with UC. 

Carrie

Where was the narrowing? Was it at or near the J Pouch inlet or northbound up the ileum?

I assume you had a CT Enterography and not the MRI Enterography?  Did they discuss why they did the CT rather than the MRI?

hi, i have been having partial blockages, i estimate 1 every 3 weeks. they suck. i throw-up and i take laxitives to get it to pass. Is this unusual or not? thanks

Hi Dave,

I really can't say what's normal or not. Everyone seems to run the gamut of problems and how they deal with them.  I have received great feedback on this forum though and even learned a lot by searching and reading through old posts.

If you haven't already I recommend taking a look at your diet to see if you can pinpoint a cause and talk to your doctor. I'm sure there is someone who has had similar issues. 

I had my first obstruction 18 years after my surgery. I was told that the most common obstruction surgery is woman who had C-sections about 20 years out. Apparently it isn't uncommon for adhesions to fully adhere and become problematic after that length of time. Since then I have had strictures develop in my and above my jpouch and I can only suggest that keeping the fiber and roughage low is probably the safest way to go. I am cognizant that some seem to do great with fiber (insoluble is the real culprit) and roughage but for me its always been an enhancer of bowel movement frequency and so I have tended to avoid it, but like everyone wander off the reservation on occasion.

Dave if youre having obstructions with great frequency I would take a close look at why. Full on obstructions suck. The pain with them had me crying out to every known and unknown deity for relief. (none of them responded).

I have had so many obstructions I lost count. In and out of the ER, ugh! When I had my gall bladder out the surgeon found the first problem. My bowel had adhered to my stomach wall at the old stoma site. Then I was fine for a bit till it started again but this time to a point I could not keep food down. I had adhesion removal surgery 5 years ago and had some very minor and one biggie after. The surgeon said sometimes it not what you eat just your bowels moving. Anyway I had to have a ostomy last year and the surgeon found no adhesions so as of now nothing has grown back. Since my reconnect I've been able to eat everything, even salads which were a no no for me. Who knows how long I'll get. One day at a time. 

Thanks for the replies. I am post reversal / j-pouch a little over a year. I did have pouchits recently, and now am okay. I don't eat roughage, salads nuts or anything that will not break-down.

so, i am very careful of what I eat. I did have peanut butter and jelly. Could this have caused a blockage?

Dave

Probably not. Your gut probably just kinked against existing adhesions. I doubt anything you did or didn't do had any role in this.

Jan

I can tell u that the diet is so key, and wavering from that diet which only u can determine due to u r situation.  I have a J-pouch since 2013 and my ulcerative colitis was so severe that I had no choice.   I know I have tweaked and tweaked my diet dozen of times.  For me it always comes back to FODMAP diet.  I never had pouchitis but I have had c-diff a few times, inflammation.  The latest is severe scar tissue at the cuff.  This is why I have burning and pain after eating.  I must be strict with my diet and trying to figure out what works changes and makes it hard.  I know when I eat the wrong thing I pay dearly for it, thankfully I didn't end up in hospital for that, but it was close.   I used to take  12 imodiums a day.  I am down to 1 or 2 in fact I now need little more fiber.  So back to tweaking the diet.  It is never ending u just have to take it day to day.