Pouch function

I think Jan said you can develop adhesions long after surgery; I don't think this is abnormal. I hope you can get some relief.

Sue

Actually, the adhesions are there from a week or two post op. However, once those adhesions are there, they may never cause trouble, or they may become an issue at any time. Basically they are defects that can lie dormant and one day something zigs while something else zags, and boom, you are obstructed. Then it can be chronic, intermittent, or never again.

Jan

think that is what is happening to me - 5 years no problem. lately when I eat it seems to be blocking about four inches above the belly button and a little to the left...makes a decent bulge in that area and then passes after a couple of hours but is a little painful...could that be adhesions? what would a doc do to find out what it is? hopefully it resoles itself...
thanks

Indy I've dealt with the exact same type of blockages in the first year after my take down. I too would feel a sort of mass about a few inches up and to the left of my belly button. I remember after many CT scans that the docs told me it was one particular area that was causing the problems. It's definitely a pain to deal with since we never really know when it might happen. I think the most frustrating thing for me is when I eat a food and function okay from it and then have a mild blockage another day from the same type of meal. It leads me to guess that it isn't the food per se but just the way my intestines decide to function that particular day. On a positive note, it's been about 14 months since my last bad blockage that landed me in the hospital. I still worry about it most days though since I'm particularly sensitive with feeling food as it moves through me now, especially when sleeping.

I guess it is normal for us with so much excess scar tissue inside. Doesn't make it any easier to accept of course.

Indy, yes, what you describe sounds like adhesion related partial obstructions. What would a doctor do? Most likely nothing, unless this becomes a chronic issue, or so acute as to require hospitalization. If it is a severe, acute obstruction, they do plain x-rays to see how bad it is, and you either wait and see with IV hydration and bowel rest, or they insert an NG tube to decompress, or surgery in extreme cases.

If it is a chronic thing that causes you frequent pain and disability, then they run imaging tests, bloodwork, etc. to rule out everything else. When everything else is negative, they assume it is adhesions based on your surgical history. If it gets bad enough they do surgical release of the adhesions.

You may ask why not just go straight to the surgical release, but it is considered a last resort because further surgery can promote new adhesions that can be worse then what you have.

Jan