Second obstruction in a week

It’s not quite true that there’s nothing they can do about adhesions, but the solution (lysis of adhesions) is risky and can make the problem worse. If they occur very frequently then surgery is an option, and sometimes it really fixes things. You have to go into it with realistic expectations, though. Reverting to an ostomy doesn’t make adhesions vanish, but a good surgeon can look for troublesome ones during the procedure and cut them. This has about the same risks and benefits (in terms of obstructions) as lysis of adhesions.

I’m just now getting over a partial obstruction, so I have a good sense of what you’re going through.

I may be wrong because I do not know what your diet is like, I am just going to make an educated guess. Please forgive me if I am wrong.

The bowel obstructions, the utis, and the kidney stones situation added up, really tells me you are not drinking enough water/fluids throughout the day or in general.

Since you had a recent bowel obstruction, I would recommend bowel rest for a couple of days, during this time I would recommend juices that way that can keep your sugar from dropping. Fluids will allow your intestines a very nice break.

Prevention of bowel obstructions, utis, and kidney stones: Drinking water before, during, and after every meal will help flush the system out and reduce constipation and it flushes out toxins. In addition to that, drinking water after every bowel movement and every time you pee will help replace the water you lost which can lead to kidney stones and Utis. If you drive a lot, drink water at every red light because that will keep hydration up as well.

Following these tips have really helped me significantly, I hope it helps you as well

You’re completely right. I don’t drink nearly enough. I know I need to drink more. I was eating super light- last night I had salmon, rice and cooked green beans. Pretty bland. I just had my scan. Going to wait and see what they say. Just trying.

Scott- hope you’re feeling better.

@Bubbapup posted:

You’re completely right. I don’t drink nearly enough. I know I need to drink more. I was eating super light- last night I had salmon, rice and cooked green beans. Pretty bland. I just had my scan. Going to wait and see what they say. Just trying.

Scott- hope you’re feeling better.

Yeah I figured I was right regarding your situation. I hope my tips help you out a lot when it comes to water. If you do not start drinking water you might get kidney stones next. Please try to improve your drinking situation, I would hate for you to get worse.

Are you bowels still sore??? If so, it might be best to do the bowel rest with juices like I mentioned above.

Oh I’ve had kidney stones before- had to have a stent put in before and a lithotripsy to break up stones another time. I had my stones tested to determine which kind I get so I can change my calcium supplements (I have osteopenia from the high doses of prednisone I was on). Anyway, it’s an ongoing struggle. UTI is new though- haven’t had that before. Does dehydration seem to encourage obstructions? It’s been a while since I’ve had them.

My guess is they’ll just send me home and tell me to take it easy since I’m not vomiting.

Dehydration definitely encourages bowel obstructions. Think of it this way:

Food food food, all of that food gets packed and does not have anything helping it move along like a river.

Water Food, water, Food, water food- the water helps keep things flowing and supports the system to move along like a river.

Everything just sitting there, its not going anywhere, but the water flows!

Water and UTIS: water helps flush the intestines and bladder of toxins and bacteria. If your not drinking enough water then its not flushing or cleaning anything. Its just sitting there and collecting bacteria.

**I have a 64 ounce water bottle that I clean and reuse and drink drink drink. You have to watch your sodium intake too though, you lose sodium if you drink too much water and you lose sodium everytime you have diarrhea. SO I put salt in my water.

Here is the report:

“There are some gas-filled dilated loops of bowel. There is some swirling in the mesentery. There may be some tethering of bowel loops to the ventral abdominal wall and there are some areas of relative narrowing. Intermittent or partial bowel obstruction is difficult to exclude.”

Wondering how they’ll proceed. I’ve been waiting to talk to doc (still in waiting room, haven’t even had pain meds and been here for 5 hours).

@Bubbapup posted:

Here is the report:

“There are some gas-filled dilated loops of bowel. There is some swirling in the mesentery. There may be some tethering of bowel loops to the ventral abdominal wall and there are some areas of relative narrowing. Intermittent or partial bowel obstruction is difficult to exclude.”

Wondering how they’ll proceed. I’ve been waiting to talk to doc (still in waiting room, haven’t even had pain meds and been here for 5 hours).

Yeah gas filled dialated loops is definitely obstruction or blockage. I really hope they do not have to give you a NG Tube, that shit is painful!!

Doc is admitting me for observation bc this is the second time in a week I’ve been here. Not strong pain meds bc they don’t want to mask any severe pain I might be having. Makes sense but Tylenol it is I guess.

In the meantime, no food, IV fluids, wait and see if severe pain occurs again. If it doesn’t, we wait until tomorrow to see how I feel. We can determine if exploratory laparoscopy would be warranted to see if there is a link, twist, adhesions, etc. Doc said that surgery wouldn’t make more adhesions since it’s laparoscopic. So I guess that’s good.

This past year I’ve had on and off pain like several times a week. Sometimes severe enough to have to lay down (I can’t stand up straight bc of pain). Doc did a MRI and pouchoscopy and both were fine, so GI kinda thought it would be surgical or adhesions if it was still happening. The pain never really went away since last Fri- it’s almost all the time. I just deal with it. It’s my new normal. So if they can fix it tomorrow, it wouldn’t be the worst thing. Or would it? Ugh, idk.

No NG tube right now bc I’m not vomiting or nauseous. Never had one with my previous ones, thankfully. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Water.

Water.

Water.

Chew the heck out of your food. Drink water with every bite.

Eat slow.

I found not doing the above will block me in a heartbeat.

And no. An ostomy does not mean a cure for Blockages. I have one and get them.  Occasionally because I don't follow my own advice. Lol.

And they are painful.  Blockages.  Very.

R.

Thanks. I was eating really light all weekend, rice, chicken, salmon, for protein, yogurt. I do need to increase my water. I haven’t gone to the bathroom since the one time this AM. I wonder if that’s bc of the suspected obstruction or bc I haven’t eaten anything. I usually still have bile to pass even if I don’t eat. Is this the same for others? Super bad cramps.

@Bubbapup posted:

Doc is admitting me for observation bc this is the second time in a week I’ve been here. Not strong pain meds bc they don’t want to mask any severe pain I might be having. Makes sense but Tylenol it is I guess.

In the meantime, no food, IV fluids, wait and see if severe pain occurs again. If it doesn’t, we wait until tomorrow to see how I feel. We can determine if exploratory laparoscopy would be warranted to see if there is a link, twist, adhesions, etc. Doc said that surgery wouldn’t make more adhesions since it’s laparoscopic. So I guess that’s good.

This past year I’ve had on and off pain like several times a week. Sometimes severe enough to have to lay down (I can’t stand up straight bc of pain). Doc did a MRI and pouchoscopy and both were fine, so GI kinda thought it would be surgical or adhesions if it was still happening. The pain never really went away since last Fri- it’s almost all the time. I just deal with it. It’s my new normal. So if they can fix it tomorrow, it wouldn’t be the worst thing. Or would it? Ugh, idk.

No NG tube right now bc I’m not vomiting or nauseous. Never had one with my previous ones, thankfully. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Oh good! I am glad they are keeping you overnight! Please let us know how everything goes. Prayers are with you

So I’m still in the hospital and it sucks! I wanted to go home today and they want to keep me one more day to see how I do with food. I feel fine after my first meal (chicken, mashed potatoes and a little cook carrots). That was about 2 hours ago.

She says I was close to surgery yesterday so she doesn’t want to send me home just yet😩. I’m bored, lonely (although hubs is coming in a hour to visit), have a migraine (they gave me some migraine med), and really miss my daughter. I really was hoping I’d be home by tonight. Not to mention this is my vacation week and Ive been feeling poorly and/or in the hospital. What a crappy week.

no imodium for now. Let’s see how tonight goes with sleeping and no immodium. Nights are busy.

think I’ll get a low-residue/low fiber diet when I go home?

@Bubbapup posted:

So I’m still in the hospital and it sucks! I wanted to go home today and they want to keep me one more day to see how I do with food. I feel fine after my first meal (chicken, mashed potatoes and a little cook carrots). That was about 2 hours ago.

She says I was close to surgery yesterday so she doesn’t want to send me home just yet😩. I’m bored, lonely (although hubs is coming in a hour to visit), have a migraine (they gave me some migraine med), and really miss my daughter. I really was hoping I’d be home by tonight. Not to mention this is my vacation week and Ive been feeling poorly and/or in the hospital. What a crappy week.

no imodium for now. Let’s see how tonight goes with sleeping and no immodium. Nights are busy.

think I’ll get a low-residue/low fiber diet when I go home?

Hey! Sorry I did not reply to your post last night, last night was busy. I am sorry you are still in the hospital. I know being in the hospital can be very depressing! That is good how they are going to keep you so you do not have to wait forever in the emergency room again. I am glad they are going to see how you tolerate food.

I am sorry about your vacation week getting ruined. I know you will overcome this and hopefully be okay. Did your husband and daughter spend the night with you???

Yes perfect!!! Low residue and low fiber diet is perfect for a thing like this when you get home, that is exactly what i did when my pouch was very fragile. Nowadays I just do a liquid diet to heal my intestines after they get sore from constipation and being backed up.

Are you pooping??????

After you get released, please follow these tips from now on!!!

Prevention of bowel obstructions, utis, and kidney stones: Drinking water before, during, and after every meal will help flush the system out and reduce constipation and it flushes out toxins. In addition to that, drinking water after every bowel movement and every time you pee will help replace the water you lost which can lead to kidney stones and Utis. If you drive a lot, drink water at every red light because that will keep hydration up as well.

I’ve probably pooped like 8 times since dinner last night so it’s good to assume I’m doing better! I feel no pain at all and when I was released last week I was roll in pain all weekend. So this is so good. No immodium or anything for a week and follow up appt next week. I was a little concerned about this since I’ll I go 10-12 times per day with immodium, and I already have butt burn. She said just take it slow and introduce it slowly. Maybe take it at night so I can sleep through the night.

I walked outside and the sun is shining, there is a breeze, and everything is going to be just fine. Now I just need to go home and shower! Thanks for the support.

@Bubbapup posted:

I’ve probably pooped like 8 times since dinner last night so it’s good to assume I’m doing better! I feel no pain at all and when I was released last week I was roll in pain all weekend. So this is so good. No immodium or anything for a week and follow up appt next week. I was a little concerned about this since I’ll I go 10-12 times per day with immodium, and I already have butt burn. She said just take it slow and introduce it slowly. Maybe take it at night so I can sleep through the night.

I walked outside and the sun is shining, there is a breeze, and everything is going to be just fine. Now I just need to go home and shower! Thanks for the support.

Oh perfect!!! I am soo happy you are pooping!!! So happy!!!! And you feel no pain!!! Thank God!!! Amen!!!

Doing immodium when you already do not drink enough water is definitely a no no no!!! Matter of fact! A hell no!!! I would not have you try immodium until you get better with water consumption and it takes over a month to fully create a habit, so I would recommend starting that water habit and making it fully apart of your life. Water is they power of healing.

Yeah butt burn is the worst!!! Do you have diaper rash cream??? I use Calmospetine!!! Do you use Calmoseptine??? That stuff is a witch's magic potion!!

And aw great hon!!! The sun shining positivity on you!!!

So happy your better!!

When is your appointment next week???

This forum is an excellent place to exchange ideas and consider possibilities. At its best we support one another both emotionally and medically. Sometimes, though, the ideas veer into well-intentioned overconfidence and strongly worded instructions. Since none of us know the specifics of your circumstances it’s best to think of these ideas only as possibilities for consideration even if (perhaps especially if) they are presented as certainty. They usually aren’t dangerous, but they are sometimes quite incorrect.

One of my favorite quotes from the 1930s, used by several people including Will Rogers, goes something like “it’s not what they don’t know that worries me, it’s what they know that just ain’t so.”

Thanks Scott- I think we all take everything posted here with a grain of salt, but the info is helpful for sure.

Now that I’m post obstruction and home, she said to hold the Imodium. I’ve only been home for 10 hours and I’ve already gone to the bathroom 14 times!! I stopped eating around 6:15 so I’m hoping I won’t be up all night going to the bathroom but this is pretty bad. I cough and feel like I’m going to have an accident. The butt burn is intense. I’ve soaked in a sitz bath but doesn’t seem to help so much. Not sure which is worse.

Doc said to tirate the medicine up gradually but dang, idk how long I can wait. She said if I go back they’ll prob be doing surgery. I definitely don’t want that.

@Bubbapup posted:

Thanks Scott- I think we all take everything posted her with a grain of salt, but the info is helpful for sure.

Now that I’m post obstruction and home, she said to hold the Imodium. I’ve only been home for 10 hours and I’ve already gone to the bathroom 14 times!! I stopped eating around 6:15 so I’m hoping I won’t be up all night going to the bathroom but this is pretty bad. I cough and feel like I’m going to have an accident. The butt burn is intense. I’ve soaked in a sitz bath but doesn’t seem to help so much. Not sure which is worse.

Doc said to tirate the medicine up gradually but dang, idk how long I can wait. She said if I go back they’ll prob be doing surgery. I definitely don’t want that.

Definitely did not appreciate that comment about taking what I say with a grain of salt. That was very rude. But since you feel that way, I will not waste my time posting on your posts anymore.

I didn’t mean it like that, I’m sorry if I offended. I just meant to respond to Scott that we all will still follow our doctors instructions first, that’s all. I apologize.your info has been very helpful these fast few days. I think his comment was just implying to keep in mind we’re all different and still check with our docs, which I agreed with.

@Bubbapup posted:

I didn’t mean it like that, I’m sorry if I offended. I just meant to respond to Scott that we all will still follow our doctors instructions first, that’s all. I apologize.your info has been very helpful these fast few days. I think his comment was just implying to keep in mind we’re all different and still check with our docs, which I agreed with.

Thank-you, I accept your apology

@Former Member posted:

Oh perfect!!! I am soo happy you are pooping!!! So happy!!!! And you feel no pain!!! Thank God!!! Amen!!!

Doing immodium when you already do not drink enough water is definitely a no no no!!! Matter of fact! A hell no!!! I would not have you try immodium until you get better with water consumption and it takes over a month to fully create a habit, so I would recommend starting that water habit and making it fully apart of your life. Water is they power of healing.

Yeah butt burn is the worst!!! Do you have diaper rash cream??? I use Calmospetine!!! Do you use Calmoseptine??? That stuff is a witch's magic potion!!

And aw great hon!!! The sun shining positivity on you!!!

So happy your better!!

When is your appointment next week???

This. This forum has had a lot of misinformation lately or at least gross generalizations that to the uninitiated could be dangerous. It is possible to drink too much water causing hyponatremia due to changes in osmotic pressure across cells (you don’t pee out more sodium with more water consumed as was suggested). I chew well and drink water with every meal and have been getting a bunch of partial bowel obstructions lately. I actually often wake with them when my gut is fairly empty, but could also  get them after a meal of soup or a bowl of pasta or a bowl of air.  Per my CRS it’s likely another adhesion. We’re all different and chugging water all day is not necessarily the solution for everyone.

Scott, I was encouraged by your statement that removal of adhesions at the time of pouch excision has similar outcomes as surgery for lysis alone. I’ll be having the former and going to the bag and a big worry is making the obstructions worse.  They are so painful. And the NGT is brutal.

Bubbapup, it’s so difficult to know when to go to the ED. My personal system is I allow one bout of vomiting but if it stops and I can writhe around in pain until it clears than  I stay home or at work. If the vomiting is persistent and pain too intense I go to ED for decompression. The only time I was discharged rather than admitted out of my 4 or 5 trips to the ED,  I returned an hour later projectile vomiting the crackers and ginger ale they had me to drink. With a total obstruction. My husband was pissed as we hadn’t even made it home! I think the vomiting barometer works well for me but YMMV. I wish you a speedy recovery. Obstructions are rough.

Sorry my reply above was in response to Scott F.

@Pouch2021 posted:

<…>.

Scott, I was encouraged by your statement that removal of adhesions at the time of pouch excision has similar outcomes as surgery for lysis alone. I’ll be having the former and going to the bag and a big worry is making the obstructions worse.  They are so painful. And the NGT is brutal.

<…>.

Just to be clear, pouch excision is sometimes a big surgery, and is generally done as an open procedure, so it might tend to form more adhesions than a lysis-of-adhesions procedure alone. I don’t think it’s likely that the outcomes have been directly compared. Every abdominal surgery has the potential to add adhesions, and only a small fraction of those adhesions tend to cause us appreciable trouble. It’s really a crap shoot (pun intended). My point was more like 1) if you need a pouch excision you get the opportunity for lysis of adhesions at no extra charge or risk, and 2) if your main problem is obstructions then pouch removal is probably the wrong surgery.

@Pouch2021 posted:

This. This forum has had a lot of misinformation lately or at least gross generalizations that to the uninitiated could be dangerous. It is possible to drink too much water causing hyponatremia due to changes in osmotic pressure across cells (you don’t pee out more sodium with more water consumed as was suggested). I chew well and drink water with every meal and have been getting a bunch of partial bowel obstructions lately. I actually often wake with them when my gut is fairly empty, but could also  get them after a meal of soup or a bowl of pasta or a bowl of air.  Per my CRS it’s likely another adhesion. We’re all different and chugging water all day is not necessarily the solution for everyone.

Scott, I was encouraged by your statement that removal of adhesions at the time of pouch excision has similar outcomes as surgery for lysis alone. I’ll be having the former and going to the bag and a big worry is making the obstructions worse.  They are so painful. And the NGT is brutal.

Bubbapup, it’s so difficult to know when to go to the ED. My personal system is I allow one bout of vomiting but if it stops and I can writhe around in pain until it clears than  I stay home or at work. If the vomiting is persistent and pain too intense I go to ED for decompression. The only time I was discharged rather than admitted out of my 4 or 5 trips to the ED,  I returned an hour later projectile vomiting the crackers and ginger ale they had me to drink. With a total obstruction. My husband was pissed as we hadn’t even made it home! I think the vomiting barometer works well for me but YMMV. I wish you a speedy recovery. Obstructions are rough.

Of course its not going to work for everyone, I just wanted to post what works for me. And I add salt to my water to avoid low salt. The salt I use is iodine salt, it has sodium, potassium and sugar in it. I should have added that in there in my old post. And she the person did say my post helped the past few days since she was not much of a water drinker. But like you said, its not going to work for everyone. I just like to post what works for me in case someone wants to try it.