What are the signs of a bowel obstruction?

Having some strange, sudden abdominal pains.  Started out feeling like diarrhea-type cramping, but didn't actually have diarrhea.  Have sporadically been passing gas & burping (I suppose it could be some monster gas pains, but have never had them this bad before.)  Sharp pain radiates up from lower abdomen to a few inches above navel, then stops for awhile, then repeats.  Had some nausea for a few moments, but it seems to have passed.  Slightly concerned because I don't know what bowel obstruction manifests as.

Thanks for your help!

If the problems you describe continue, you need to be evaluated for a possible partial, or full small bowel obstruction. You may pass gas with a partial bowel obstruction.
For me, I knew what it was when I vomited food I had eaten the day before , TMI, sorry.
Don't mess around, get to an ER if this doesn't get better.

I had a small bowel obstruction in September.  For me, the onset was sudden and it was a sharp pain in my abdomen (kind of above my belly button) that came sharply, and then subsided.  It kind of came in waves ... like menstrual cramps, except higher up.  It started about 30 minutes after eating.  I threw up after the pain started, and the nausea came with the waves of pain.  I was also a bit dizzy. 

I thought it was food poisoning or gas or something that would eventually go away, but after about 6 hours, my sis took me to the ER.  After giving me dialudid for pain, they took me for a CT scan and diagnosed a partial bowel obstruction.

If it doesn't go away soon, you best get it checked out.  I ended up having surgery, which wasn't fun, but better than the alternative!

If this continues, go to the ER. 

Make them understand that you need a Cat Scan because the bilo-pancreatic loop can have an obstruction and you will still be able to pass gas, poop, and it will not show up with a GI swallow type x-ray.

About 6 months ago I decided to try and eat a chicken quesidilla made with a flour tortilla.  I honestly thought I was going to die.  I could not pass gas and was about ready to go out to the ER when I remembered that someone told me to get on my hands and knees and put my head down with knees under my chest.  Somehow this got everything moving again and I lived but if things had not resolved I would have gone to the ER.  Don't mess around if this lasts very long!

Feel better!

Michele

One of the other bariatric surgeons at my WLS clinic told me pains like this can be a symptom of an internal hernia and that many times it could only be diagnosed when you're SYMPTOMATIC because apparently your guts and slip in and out of whatever herniated space there is in your gut.  Thus why it comes sporadically in waves, hurts like a mofo, and can just disappear with no rhyme or reason.

I would take some extra strength simethicone (anti gas) caplets and see if that helps, but if you're not any better in very short order, go to the hospital.  You will need a CT with contrast.  If they put a stethoscope to your gut and say "well, you can't be obstructed, there are bowel sounds", be sure to tell them your alimentary limbs and biliopancreatic limbs are separated so, like someone said in an earlier post, it is possible to still be obstructed even though they are hearing things happening in your belly.

I had some similar symptoms and went to the ER.  It turned out to be a pulled internal stitch, but I am still very glad I went in.  Bowel obstructions can be lethal in a scary short time, so get that CT ASAP.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/3891846/Bowel-Obstructi on-Sympton-CheckList/#31294479

here is a link to a post we had a while back on bowel obstructions.....having had a large bowel obstruction I want to tell you that if you do not have a gall bladder or appendix you should head to the er.  Bowel obstructions can be life threatening.  I had a large bowel obstruction in 2005 that I best describe as worse than child labor!  Very painful and can be difficult to diagnose.  Hope you are well!

Thank you, everyone, for all the responses.  The pain seems to be subsiding as quickly as it came on, but I will be sure to get immediate attention if it comes back or gets worse.  Don't know what it was or what caused it, but hopefully it was a freak one-time thing.

I dont mean at all to be an alarmist but if you do not have your gall bladder or appendix you really should get things checked out.  The pains from my bowel obstruction came and went off and on for quite a while before I was in trouble.  I just thought that I had eaten something that didnt agree with me or something like that.  Until I was vomiting and the pain was so bad (and it happened within just a couple of hours) I had no idea I was in trouble.  Hopefully you are well and there is nothing to worry about but as always best to be sure and safe.  Hope you are well!