Hi Toni, Thanks for sending the dietary information. Although it doesn't all pertain to me - I have severe diahrea, partially controlled by Cholestid. I sure don't want to have another obstruction and would like to know how to prevent one.
I just returned from the surgeon, he removed the staples and we had quite a talk. He said all adhesions are not bad, he did not remove the ones that have my bowels cemented together in a way that they cannot get caught again, and he says that my best hope is that my abdomen will fill up with adhesions that will hold my bowel in place. My severe irritable bowel syndrome is probably the cause of the bowel becoming caught and strangulated. So again I need better control of the IBS and the cramping.
All of my attacks were accompanied by much pain besides the distention and nothing moving. Both the surgeon and the GI say not to wait very long after realizing that I'm having an attack so that they can do the NG tube and have it reverse or at least they can operate before it strangulates and causes gangrene again. This surgery was much easier because the didn't have to cut out a portion of my bowel.
My advice to you is to watch the time - and severity. If nothing is moving at all in 12 hours, gangrene will occur. If yours is only partial but enough to cause you the symptoms that you describe, I really don't know what you should do. It is so dangerous when it turns to gangrene, just be sure that you are monitoring it carefully. I went to the emergency room - it always happens when the doctor is unavailable.
Could you get someone to teach you the normal bowel sounds and purchase a stethoscope and listen to what is going on?
Good luck, Roni
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