Adhesions?

Rondog
Rondog Member Posts: 26
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Okay, here's another one...In Mid-November I ate a big steak and was doubled over in pain, went to hospital, partial bowel obstruction, no food, just clear liquids for 4 days, then my surgeon said it was probably adhesions, and if it continued, I would have to have another surgery to get it taken care of...

On friday I woofed down 2 sandwiches for lunch, then around 7pm, I was doubled over it pain...it fricken killed, took pain pills, Saturday minor pain all day, ate come chicken for dinner, BAM, same thing, took more pain pills....today, ate soup, same thing, didnt take any pain pills though...

I cant keep up like this, has anyone else had this problem after colon resection? Has anyone had surgery to remove adhesions? Is it bad? Can they do so laproscopically?

Thanks..

Comments

  • alihamilton
    alihamilton Member Posts: 347 Member
    #2
    How are you now? If you are still experiencing the same symptoms, you should get checked out. May not be anything important at all but needs to be looked at if it persists. Meanwhile I would stick to liquid foods. Of course, Emily will ask why you are eating a big steak!!

    Keep us posted.

    Ali
  • Kanort
    Kanort Member Posts: 1,272 Member
    #3
    Hi Ron,

    I'm sorry you are having trouble, but I think that taking pain pills may be aggrevating your problem. I had adhesions and was hospitalized twice after my resection and had to have a NG tube. My surgeon said if it happened a third time back to surgery I would go. Fortunately, it has not. However, I do not take pain pills as they cause constipation. I would stay on liquids for a few more days. Let us know how you are doing.

    Oh, if you start vomiting, get to the ER quickly.

    Take care,

    Kay
  • Btrcup
    Btrcup Member Posts: 286
    #4
    Ron, my husband had adhesion surgery in Dec. with a small bowel obstruction. He was in the hospital for almost 3 weeks. His problem was he couldn't keep anything down after he started his liquid diet. This was caused by pain meds. If you get this surgery, you will need the pain meds the first 7-10 days, but try and grin and bear it afterwards to get your bowel working again.

    Linda (Baltimore)
  • aspaysia
    aspaysia Member Posts: 250
    #5
    Four months after my first surgery I spent a weekend with the "flue." Barfing up everything that went down. On Monday the doctor was consulted and said, "Go to the ER right now! Don't even get dressed I am admitting you why didn't you call me sooner never mind that it was the weekend." He was pretty sore at me.
    An NG tube was inserted in the ER and an X-ray was taken. They watched me uptairs for two weeks taking x-rays every day in hopes of letting things straighten out on their own. No dice. After a special barium x-ray--yuck--the problem was located. I needed surgery and they unzipped my abdominal scar to cut out two adhesions. Part of the bowel was stuck together for reasons unknown. I ended up spending three weeks in hospital until things got moving again. I lost so much weight I needed TPN for a while.
    There is a fine balance between pain meds that keep one comfortable and the amount that causes constipation. As a last resort the stoma nurse did some lavage. Fun. And for more fun I had to take milk of magnesia--double yuck!
    This is fixable but don't stay home wishing it away. And do not let my experience scare you. Everyone is different.
    You have my sympathy. Aspaysia
  • Rondog
    Rondog Member Posts: 26
    #6
    aspaysia said:

    Four months after my first surgery I spent a weekend with the "flue." Barfing up everything that went down. On Monday the doctor was consulted and said, "Go to the ER right now! Don't even get dressed I am admitting you why didn't you call me sooner never mind that it was the weekend." He was pretty sore at me.
    An NG tube was inserted in the ER and an X-ray was taken. They watched me uptairs for two weeks taking x-rays every day in hopes of letting things straighten out on their own. No dice. After a special barium x-ray--yuck--the problem was located. I needed surgery and they unzipped my abdominal scar to cut out two adhesions. Part of the bowel was stuck together for reasons unknown. I ended up spending three weeks in hospital until things got moving again. I lost so much weight I needed TPN for a while.
    There is a fine balance between pain meds that keep one comfortable and the amount that causes constipation. As a last resort the stoma nurse did some lavage. Fun. And for more fun I had to take milk of magnesia--double yuck!
    This is fixable but don't stay home wishing it away. And do not let my experience scare you. Everyone is different.
    You have my sympathy. Aspaysia

    Thanks everyone...I saw my Oncologist this am, who wants called my GI doctor and I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon.
  • johnom
    johnom Member Posts: 86 Member
    #7
    Rondog said:

    Thanks everyone...I saw my Oncologist this am, who wants called my GI doctor and I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon.

    Adhesions are like little spider webs as I understand them. I have a pain that I am getting checked out. I can tell you that the morphine which is constipating, can make you puke, too. Before surgery, during chemo/radiation I had that problem, and had to go to a Fentanyl patch. It was fantastic! I was like Lazarus in two days. But then I read that that stuff is 80 times more powerful than morphine, so I haven't been around it since surgery in May. Everyone is different, but we all can feel your doubled over pain, believe me. You are doing the best thing getting it checked out. Good work.

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