Here we go again...potential obstruction??

This is what I do, don't know if it will help, but I have lots of theses as well.

First, in order to prevent them, I drink 12 oz of fluid 6 times a day and chew my food really, really well. I don't always do this perfect, which is why I do get them. But the fluid needs to be water or I use about 4 oz of juice mixed with the water. Sodas and other beverages tend to have a lot of sodium in them and that defeats the purpose.

So in pushing fluids, whatever I haven't been drinking I try to make up for it. Then, I go to bed, usually cry because it feels like I'm going to die, and put my feet up so they are above my heart. Soon, sometimes sooner than other times, I will hear this gurgling in the area the blockage is located. Then about a second after that, wa la! The blockage is gone.

In the event it doesn't work, I start heading for the hospital and it clears itself on my way there. That's happened at least 5 times! 

Feel better soon!

-Roni*

I forgot to say, I drink  2 12 oz  glasses of fluid between whenever I get up and noon.

2 more, between noon and 5, then 2 between 5 and when I go to bed. This keeps a decent amount of fluid going through the pipes all day long.

Hopefully you can ride it out at home. It’s hard to know what you mean by “20 on a 10-10 pain level,” but if there’s any sign that you are getting close to a bowel rupture then you are much safer in the hospital than at home. Similarly, dehydration can do you plenty of harm. Hospitals have mostly gotten much better at infection control than they were in March/April. Good luck!

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I have been trying to keep the fluids up and the food down, or well, avoiding it for the most part. Doesn’t seem to be a blockage because well, I’m still here and haven’t explored yet. I haven’t had to go to the ER and the pain hasn’t gotten that bad yet. I did call my gastro to let him know that the pain has been pretty consistent and bad enough where I have had to lay down, it has woken me up from sleep, I can’t sit up at times, etc. He asked me to come into the office to see him tomorrow (Tuesday).

Side note - I think his nurse tends to over exaggerate my symptoms bc last time she made him think I had C diff or something. Maybe I’m under estimating how bad I feel, which I guess I tend to do- so my hubby tells me. (I think we sometimes do that since we’ve all been through so much, maybe our pain tolderance is higher than most). I guess I’m glad she’s getting me in to see him but I also have to drive the hour each way to see him and I’m a little nervous about going in the office. Should I be? I mean what can he really do? Push on my stomach? He can’t really order any tests per se. 

I have had multiple obstructions following surgery for which I was admitted. Eventually they resolved without surgical intervention. About 18 months ago my wife and I were traveling SE Asia and I had an obstruction. I was worried and frankly  desperate. My wife and I are both physicians and she would ,when home, start IV fluids at home and hope for the obstruction to resolve.... it never did, and always would end up in the ER/hospital. However while in Asia, I did not want to go through an admission to the hospital if at all possible. 

So, I IMMEDIATELY started the following regimen. 

1. Drink 1 or 2 coke/pepsi or equivalent soda. This has a corrosive effect on food, obstruction.

2. Start doing sit ups  and running around the hotel room/house. Keep moving , jumping etc. Fairly high intesity. This is probably the most important. Increases intra abdominal pressure.

3. Abdominal massage. 

4.Hot bath. 

Long story short I was able to resolve the obstruction , to my great surprise, in Asia. Huge relief. That was 18 months ago. Since thenI have had 4 obstructions. each one I was able to resolve using the above regimen, the last was 5 days ago. 

Starting as soon as you feel it coming on is extremely important. 

Good luck!

Sit ups and stuff sound painful when your stomach already hurts like hell. Ouch! I guess if it works.. doesn’t the soda produce more gas and chase more pain? Ugh just the thought hurts. I appreciate the suggestions but I think I’m too chicken to try or maybe I’ve waited too long on this run. 
I’m back in bed now... 

The doc thinks I’m at the tail end of a partial obstruction. Said he would have given me IV fluids and a CT scan to rule it out but I Wouldn’t  haven’t wanted to go into the ER Unless it was bad. Although the said to call if it got worse.

Have you tried drinking 100% pure grape juice.  It is something about the sugar and the grapes.  I have it on hand at all times.  But don’t over do it drinking it or you will have the runs.  A little bit at a time.  I truly have found this works.  Good Luck.  

This may sound crazy, but my GI says to always have meat tenderizer (like Adolf's) on hand.  1-2 tsp with water.  The tenderizer helps to break down the obstruction.