Abdominal blockages

drmrgirl47

Hi all,
Although I don't post often I do read everyones messages daily. I am here to vent today. I am currently NED 2 years 7 months now from stage 3. However, as some of you may remember, I suffer with occassional blockages. I had a bowel resection for this last year and I still get them every now and then. Sometimes I can manage them at home by taking Dilaudid. But when the pain is excruciating and I start vomiting I have to go to the er. Well, I came home Monday afternoon after going to the er. I am so mad as they made me wait in the waiting room for 3 hours with excruciating pain. If any of you have had these blockages you know what I am talking about. The usual procedure is to take xrays, which they did, and give me the shot for pain. Xrays showed nothing this time. I figured it unblocked by the time they saw me. I was taking my own painkillers while waiting in the er and I managed to stay home for hours before I gave in and went to the hospital. My complaint is this....we live in fear of reoccurances for the damn cancer and I live in fear of those damn pains every day. I wake up every morning and say thank god I am okay today...or I just wonder when they will come back again. I hadn't had this pain in 4 months and then it came back again. Sometimes it is just to much to handle. I rather have 10 babies by natural childbirth. Even kidney stones aren't as bad as these. I am so angry that they made me wait so long. I understood that they waiting room was full of people but I was doubled up in pain for all those hours all I wanted was a shot. I wish I could have something to give me the quick relief at home. Sorry for the long message but I am at my wits end with this. Thanks for listening.

KathiM

Yup, as the proud owner of 5 obstructions, one that needed surgery to unblock (my large bowel had been getting all the attention...so my small bowel decided to completely block...sigh), I can feel for you!
I found that at the first sign of trouble....I step up my water drinking and walking. That is what I did for 4 days Inpatient before they did surgery. At each 'pain' I use my lamaze breathing....and near the end of the pain, I bear down. Funny you should find the similarities to childbirth!
I have cleared all the 4 after surgery this way, with one trip to the ER, where an injection of Dilaudin REALLY helped (by then, the blockage was gone, just like you...sigh again).

Hugs, Kathi