pain.nausea and vomiting now

Kaleena said:

Dear Kathy:
I am sorry that
Dear Kathy:

I am sorry that you are having this problem, but if you were told you have a partial bowel obstruction, then these symptoms are a familiar part of that. However, given the duration of your problem, you may have to have that blockage repaired.

WIth a partial blockage you can still move your bowels (it may be more like diarrehea) and you can get that crampy not feeling well in your stomach or cramps where you feel just like curling up in agony. With or without vomiting. Since you already know you have a partial blockage, you should watch what you eat and as your doctor advised, drink plenty of fluids. Yes, sometimes they can correct themselves, but then sometimes they can become completely blocked.

A partial bowel obstruction can happen as a result of scarring, or twisting of the intestines caused by normal movement, and a variety of other reasons. When you get the cramps and vomiting, thats where it has become blocked and your body is removing it for you. However, always call your gyn/onc if it lasts a couple of days or if it continues frequently. You do not want a situation where it becomes completely blocked.

I had a period of episodes wherein at first I thought I had the stomach flu (cramps, pain, diareha, then vomiting) several weeks later again. This happened approximately 5 times. Sometimes I didn't vomit. Once the symptoms goes away, though, it is usually hard to detect an obstruction.

I do hope you are feeling better and it is clearing up. My best to you.

Kathy

lovesanimals said:

Dear Kathy and Karen
I hope you both feel better really soon. Nausea and vomiting are no fun at all.

The week before Memorial Day, I spent two days in the hospital after experiencing abdominal pain and queasiness for about two days straight. I was also very dehydrated from not being able to eat or drink anything, and the hospital CT scan showed a partial obstruction of my small intestine, likely caused by adhesions (scarring) from my October 2010 surgery. I was put on a liquid diet for about two days, and I stayed on a liquid/soft food diet for a few days after being released. Even now, I don't feel like my "normal" self yet although I'm not confined anymore to a liquid diet and I'm not having any pains and have had bowel movements every day, with some diarrhea too unfortunately. My doctor has ordered a PET scan for me next week, as a precaution.

Praying for you both.

Kelly

Tina Brown said:

Dear Kathy and Karen
I totally know exactly what it is like for you both. This happened to me and started about 8 - 10 weeks ago. I now know my problem happened because my chemo stopped working (Doxil). The cancer had grown and was squashing both large and small bowel. I was constipated (eventhough I was opening my bowels slightly, I had faecal impaction) and I had pain, nausea and vomitting whenever I ate. In the end I was vomitting water which was pure yellow in colour and I was told that was gastric juices - not good. I was admitted into hospital. They carried out tests and discovered that apart from the constipation my small bowel was inflammed and the food had now where to go so every time I ate I was sick. It was awful - I felt so ill and weak. The pains eventually went as they put me on a saline drip because I was dehydrated. In the hospital I was on 4 laxatives a day and I began to pass "sludge like" poop which looked really odd. It is a slow process and now I am home 3 weeks later and bowels are completely back to normal.

Since this all started I have lost 2 stone in weight. I used to go days without eating anything because I just knew I would spend a few hours vomitting at night if I ate. I asked for dietary advice but all the nurses and doctors said was "eat a soft diet" ---- doh, what does that mean? So I worked it out for myself.

I only ate really small amounts. Breakfast was porridge, lunch I would eat white fish, rice or soft cheese. Mashed potatoes with protein. I was told to avoid fibre as that would stimulate my bowel and cause pain. I carried this diet on when I came home. The hardest thing was stopping eating before I was full. If I didn't I would get awful heartburn and would have to go to the toilet and make myself sick.

One thing which really helped with my dehydration - sucking an iced lolly as it was difficult to drink more than sips of water.

I do have a happy ending because my oncologist switched my chemo to single agent - Carboplatin. The very next day I felt tons better and I have continued to improve. I go for my numbers on Friday and my second infusion so Iwill up date you.

I really hope you can both find some relief soon. Hang in there - it worked for me and there were times when I truely thought I was at the beginning of the end.

Lots love Tina

garden gal said:

feeling better
I have been at the cancer center all week gettin fluids and meds for nausea and vomiting. As of this morining I stopped vomiting and have no pain. the nausea isn't as bad as it was. Very tired. This past weekend I had my first cisplatin all went good no reaction. Just hoping and praying that this chemo kicks in fast and shrinks the tumor on my small bowel. I have a large support group around all the time, but I must say no one knows really what your going through like my teal sisters, thanks you, don't know what I would do without you. Will keep you updated and hope I have a good weekend, need some rest real bad. Once again thanks to everyone all your stories and advice have been so useful. Kathy