A MUST READ- More about Small Bowel Obstruction! IMPORTANT!

if you are vomiting, have extreme pain, if you cannot pass gass or move your bowels WRONGO!!  FOR DSERS AND RNYERS (although less likely), WE CAN HAVE A SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION IN OUR BILIOPANCREATIC LIMB WHICH IS JUST AS DEADLY, AND STILL BE ABLE TO PASS GAS AND MOVE OUR BOWELS!!  Pooping and farting does not rule out an obstruction for us, just because the alimentary limb is not obstructed!!  THIS IS CRITICAL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN, AND FOR OUR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN IF WE ARE UNCONSCIOUS, BECAUSE THE ER DOCS WILL RULE OUT A FATAL PROBLEM BASED ON NOT UNDERSTANDING OUR ANATOMY!!

Okay, let's not scream at Shari, today, mmkay?  I was saying that if you CAN'T do those things you're most certainly in trouble, NOT that those are the only symptoms-- just that those were mine. Thanks for clearing that up. Point was, this is serious **** so know your surgery.  You can resume yelling at Shari next week. Gimme seven days-- I'm trying to kick the narcotics.

Sorry, no, didn't mean to be screaming at YOU sweetie!    Just trying to attract people's attention, because this is a VERY serious mistake that most medical people will make about people with a biliopancreatic limb and we MUST understand it and be able to communicate it -- it can be life and death, as you say, for us. Hope you are feeling better!  And I commiserate about the narcotics -- I got physically addicted to demerol when I had my shoulder surgery 18 months ago after just 4 days and I was MISERABLE for about 36 hours.  My best buddy demerol betrayed me!

Oh Shari. Thank you so much for sharing your experience here. I have passed this info on to my hubby, who will be my taxi driver/medic to the hospital if need be someday. I am SOOOO glad you got this taken care of--you are too precious to us! Be well, sweetie. Nicolle

Jup: I've been on again/off again the boards due to my own surgery and hospitalization for an internal hernia and iron infusion problems.  SO glad to hear you are on the mend.   I was worried about you. I know my surgeon told me, after my local small-town ER read my CT, saw no obvious obstruction and sent me home, telling me I had pockets of fluid in my belly and was constipated, NEVER to trust the interpretation of an ER radiologist's reading of your CT if you are a WLS'er.   He knew 30 seconds after palpating my abdomen just what he was up against.    The unremitting pain to me, was the big factor.  I'd never had pain like that before, and hope I never will again.

Good luck knocking the pain meds.    I flew to Texas yesterday and made sure I left my Lortab at home!

Very Glad to know you are on the mend. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Jeanne.

This reply comes much later than the original post was made but here is some vital information regarding this issue.  I too suffered a bowel obstruction and was in ICU for 13 days (9 days trying to find what was wrong-then 4 days after having it surgically repaired).  Bowel obstructions in those of us whom have had the DS are extremely difficult to diagnose to doctors unfamiliar with out anatomy.  If you have any of the symptoms get yourself to a doctor and definately call your surgeon.  Dont wait!  When I was ill with mine I had no symptoms that I believed to be harmful until it was too late.  X-mas eve after cooking all day I had taken a dime sized piece of fudge and ate it (I am intolerant to sugar) and felt awful shortly after, I figured it was the sugar in the candy and would pass.  We sat down to have dinner and after fixing my plate, was literally unable to eat, began throwing up first clear stuff then after a few hours it became light greenish color.  I really didnt know what was wrong and was becoming sicker by the minute!  I went in and layed down hoping that it would just pass and 5 hours later my BF and kids were all standing at my bedside waking me up asking if I was okay.  I had been sobbing in my sleep.  Starteld to find that I had been asleep for 5 hours and the pain was such that I could not walk on my own, my son and BF carried me to the car and took me to the ER.  I spent 9 days in a hospital being so ill that I was put on a morphene pump as they tried to figure out what was wrong.  I had been misdiagnosed as being constipated!  Finally on day 9 a surgeon came in after scoping to see what he could find and told me he was not qualified to diagnose me as he did not have a full understanding of what the DS entailed and urged my sister to immediately get me back to my surgeon.  Upon 15 minutes of entering the ER with my surgeon I was rushed into OR and had the obstruction repaired.  My surgeon told my sister that had I gone a matter of a few more hours I would not be here today!  Obstructions are life threatening and need immediate attention.

Bowel Obstruction - Symptoms

 

 

The symptoms of a bowel obstruction depend on whether the blockage is in the small intestine (small-bowel obstruction) or the large intestine (large-bowel obstruction).

Small-bowel obstruction

• Abdominal pain. Most small-bowel obstructions cause waves of cramping abdominal pain. The pain occurs around the belly button (periumbilical area). If an obstruction goes on for a while, the pain may decrease because the bowel stops contracting. Continuous severe pain in one area can mean that the blockage has cut off the bowel's blood supply. This is called a bowel strangulation and requires emergency treatment.
• Vomiting. Small-bowel obstructions usually cause vomiting. The vomit is usually green if the obstruction is in the upper small intestine and brown if it is in the lower small intestine.
• Elimination problems. Constipation and inability to pass gas are common signs of a bowel obstruction. However, when the bowel is partially blocked, you may have diarrhea and pass some gas. If you have a complete obstruction, you may have a bowel movement if there is stool below the obstruction.
• Bloating. Blockages may cause bloating in the lower abdomen. You may also hear gurgling sounds coming from your belly. With a complete obstruction, your doctor may hear high-pitched sounds when listening with a stethoscope. The sounds decrease as movement of the bowel slows.

Large-bowel obstruction

• Abdominal pain. Blockage of the large intestine usually causes abdominal pain below the belly button. The pain may vary in intensity. Severe, constant pain may mean that your intestine's blood supply has been cut off or that you have a hole in your intestine. This is a medical emergency. Call your doctor immediately.
• Bloating. Generalized abdominal bloating usually occurs around the belly button and in the pelvic area.
• Diarrhea or constipation. Either of these symptoms may occur, depending on how complete the obstruction is. Your stools may be thin.
• Vomiting. This symptom is not common with a large-bowel (colonic) obstruction. If vomiting occurs, it usually happens late in the illness.

Blockages caused by cancer may cause symptoms such as blood in the stool, weakness, weight loss, and lack of appetite.

Bowel obstructions in newborns

Key signs of obstruction in newborns are green vomit and failure to pass the first stool, which is made of a thick, greenish black substance called meconium.

Several other conditions can cause similar symptoms.

 



 

I had just printed some of this thread up to put in my medical folder earlier today. 

That was a close call for you.  I'm glad you are ok.

bookmark....important info

 Wow this is some pretty scary stuff. My question is how do you know when to call the Dr or go to the ER? For me I worry and panic a lot and have anxiety/panic disorder. I obviously know in emergency situations etc to call the Dr and get to the ER, but after surgery I am guessing I will feel different and have situations where I eat too fast or whatever the case may be and feel bad.

So how am I going to know what is normal pain and not normal? I live a little over 2 hours from my surgeons office so another question would be how do I know when I need to get there instead of my ER where they will most likely not know about the DS and my body.  I know I am making print out copies for my self, my husband and my mother in case I do need to go to the ER so they can show them.

Thanks in advance!