Erbitux, bowl obstructioin, in hospital

newperson

Hi friends, just update for my husband. He started folflri+erbitux three weeks ago. Four days later he started to have pain in his abdomen. He was admitted in hospital last Wednesday due to small bowl obstruction. It's been 12 days. He is not getting any better. His bowl is still partially blocked. He tried hard to drink and eat. But one day is better, the following day gets worse with nausea, vomiting and pain in abdomen. He doesn't have much food intake these days.

I don't know what we should do. We will see a surgeon tomorrow to see if he must have a surgery. He is so weak. I'm so scared.

Please pray for my husband getting better.

Thanks.
Lucy

John23

Newperson -


Re:
"He was admitted in hospital last Wednesday due to small bowl
obstruction. It's been 12 days. He is not getting any better. His
bowl is still partially blocked. "

Well the first thing I'd do, is get him out of that Veterinary hospital.

You should call and have a colorectal surgeon, not a general surgeon,
and a gastrointestinal physician doing the exams and giving you a
diagnosis.

After abdominal surgery, adhesions and hernias are very, very common.
If part of the intestine has adhered itself to another organ, or to another
part of itself, it can twist, and choke the passage way.

Unfortunately, surgery to clear an adhesion usually results in more
adhesions, so they will try to clear the obstruction in any manner
possible aside from surgery; Surgery is the last resort.

An obstruction shouldn't last "12 days", especially while in hospital care.
But then........ I became dangerously dehydrated while in hospital care,
so there ya' go.... So much for hospital care.... They're nice places to visit,
but I try to stay away... There, and the morgue....

Anyway.... if he's still alive after 12 days with an obstruction, he'll do
fine a bit longer. But please try to get a competent colorectal surgeon,
and/or a qualified gastrointestinal specialist in there for a visit and a
consultation.

You want someone in there that specializes in the problem; they see that
stuff on a daily basis, while the general surgeon may see only one a year....

Good luck, and say HI to yer OM for me, huh?

I don't know about needing prayers just yet, but he could probably use a beer.


John

vhtqm1

newperson ( Lucy )
i just had a similar experience myself. all options were on the table including but not limited to potential surgery intervention. from these last two visits to ER and Hospital i've learned that anyone who's had abdominal surgery is a potentially vulnerable for these obstructions to develop and or repeat themselves. not only just obstructions mind you but even a twist in the bowel which is what i've experienced lately. i have been on Cetuximab and Irinotecan not sure if your Erbitux is the same? anyway, i'm still recovering slowly and i've been home since last Tuesday. it's been difficult, painful, and it just takes everything out of you. upon being discharged they put me on a low residue diet. meaning only cooked vegetables with no skin, fruits with no skin, tuna, white bread, white pasta, eggs etc...i have had to revert back to just liquids the last couple of days and this morning i was able to eat two eggs, pancake and peaches. i'm curious why they've let this carry on for so long. 12 days is a long time. it could be the only solution for now is surgery but your Husband does need closure to this. i can't imagine the pain he's been enduring. do you have a colorectal surgeon on your team of Dr's? if so and he/she not included in this decision making please try and contact him/her?i sure hope you both get relief and relief quick!!

ed