Anyone had experience with bowel obstructions?

julesio
julesio Member Posts: 24
in Peritoneal Cancer #1
Hi Everyone, I was wondering if anyone has experience of bowel obstruction and how it was treated and how you deal with it if it is chronic?

My partner has PC and has had problems with this and was I looking for some advice and info if anyone has any as I know this can be something that comes along with PC. Sometimes I feel like the doctors are just throwing medications at him hoping something will help! :(

Comments

  • wanttogetwellsoon
    wanttogetwellsoon Member Posts: 147
    #2
    bowel obstruction
    Hi there and welcome to this board. You'll find lots of information here which may be of help to you or your partner I hope.

    I've had quite a few bowel obstructions over the past few years. A bowel obstruction usually requires an inpatient stay in hospital. Sometimes, they're caused by adhesions which pull the bowel and stop food passing through causing pain. The other symptoms are nausea and/or vomitting, and a general feeling of being unwell. Obviously, constipation is there too, but strangely, some people find that they have what's called 'overflow diarrhea' which is when liquid faeces moves around the blockage. That's what I found. The first line of treatment is usually in the insertion of a cannula, a saline drip for hydration and 'nil by mouth' to see if the blockage settles.

    The main thing for me is the prevention of bowel blockages. It's not always possible because it's not always neglect of the condition which causes the blockage. However, a good measure is to make sure that there is no dehydration by drinking enough fluid. If I find that things are becoming a little static, I use Movicol which draws fluid into the bowel making stools soft and easy to pass. It's not for me to say to use this as I think a doctor would have to say that it's what is needed. Each patient is different. If nothing happens, I add prunes in the morning. It's worked for me so far which I'm keeping my fingers crossed about.

    I hope this has helped. :)
  • julesio
    julesio Member Posts: 24
    #3
    wanttogetwellsoon said:

    bowel obstruction
    Hi there and welcome to this board. You'll find lots of information here which may be of help to you or your partner I hope.

    I've had quite a few bowel obstructions over the past few years. A bowel obstruction usually requires an inpatient stay in hospital. Sometimes, they're caused by adhesions which pull the bowel and stop food passing through causing pain. The other symptoms are nausea and/or vomitting, and a general feeling of being unwell. Obviously, constipation is there too, but strangely, some people find that they have what's called 'overflow diarrhea' which is when liquid faeces moves around the blockage. That's what I found. The first line of treatment is usually in the insertion of a cannula, a saline drip for hydration and 'nil by mouth' to see if the blockage settles.

    The main thing for me is the prevention of bowel blockages. It's not always possible because it's not always neglect of the condition which causes the blockage. However, a good measure is to make sure that there is no dehydration by drinking enough fluid. If I find that things are becoming a little static, I use Movicol which draws fluid into the bowel making stools soft and easy to pass. It's not for me to say to use this as I think a doctor would have to say that it's what is needed. Each patient is different. If nothing happens, I add prunes in the morning. It's worked for me so far which I'm keeping my fingers crossed about.

    I hope this has helped. :)

    Hi there, just found out
    Hi there, just found out today the doc thinks its the peritoneum mets causing the blockage, they are still giving him fluids and stuff in hospital and seeing if it will resolve but not sure what happens next, it's a bit of a nightmare waiting and seeing but hopefully they will be able to sort it out. :-/
  • SOPHIE333
    SOPHIE333 Member Posts: 92
    #4
    julesio said:

    Hi there, just found out
    Hi there, just found out today the doc thinks its the peritoneum mets causing the blockage, they are still giving him fluids and stuff in hospital and seeing if it will resolve but not sure what happens next, it's a bit of a nightmare waiting and seeing but hopefully they will be able to sort it out. :-/

    Bowel obstructions
    Hi,

    My mums gots e´m too. Her oncologist says its connected with the ppc and because of the "seeding" clumping together, pressing on the intestines. She had a lot of womitting, nausea and couldn´t eat. Eventually they did a colostomy for her, that i "a bag on the tummy" and now she is much better! Of course its hard to have a colostomy but she thinks it is wort it as long as it helps. They can even put it back as the treatment is working thrinking her "seeding".. Very hopeful.

    Hope this will help and good luck to you both through this.
    My thoughts to you.

    Love,
    Sophie
  • julesio
    julesio Member Posts: 24
    #5
    SOPHIE333 said:

    Bowel obstructions
    Hi,

    My mums gots e´m too. Her oncologist says its connected with the ppc and because of the "seeding" clumping together, pressing on the intestines. She had a lot of womitting, nausea and couldn´t eat. Eventually they did a colostomy for her, that i "a bag on the tummy" and now she is much better! Of course its hard to have a colostomy but she thinks it is wort it as long as it helps. They can even put it back as the treatment is working thrinking her "seeding".. Very hopeful.

    Hope this will help and good luck to you both through this.
    My thoughts to you.

    Love,
    Sophie

    Thanks Sophie, i think a
    Thanks Sophie, i think a colostomy is an option I'm not sure what they can do about the seeding long term though. I hope at least they can get him eating again and stuff.
    take care. jules

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