Possible hernia blockage behind stoma incision

You can be obstructed without it being due to stuck food. Most often it is due to twisting against adhesions. I really can't say whether to trust your doctor or not, but generally they have more knowledge and experience than we do. Personally, I'd be OK with a repeat CT. I know there is radiation, but things can change in a few days. You could ask for an MRI to avoid the radiation.

Jan

Yeah, that does sound like an obstruction. Unless this keeps happening, you can just consider it a blip on the radar and just move on with your life. The take-away lesson is to know that once you've had abdominal surgery you can have an obstruction at any time, and it has little, if anything, to do with what you ate or did or did not do. Some people get good results with deep tissue massage to break up adhesions, but I would be careful to choose someone with that specific skill. Plus, it is possible to tear something unintended or cause internal bleeding (leading to more adhesions). Surgical release is the real ultimate solution, and even that can cause new adhesions.

Glad you are feeling better. Do not feel surprised if you are not back to normal for a few days or a week or more. Your gut is pretty swollen inside and it takes time. Sort of like being beat up from the inside.

Jan

P.S. FYI, a general surgeon did my j-pouch, so not unheard of.

I lived with something similar for years. Terrible pain and obstructions under the stoma site. Finally when I had gall bladder surgery I told the surgeon when he went in to see what he could find and fix it. Sure enough, my intestine adhered to the old stoma site. Once it was released the pain stopped.

No it did not release on its own. I complained about it for years, in and out of hospitals, years. I keeper theming them the pain is always at the stoma site. Happened right after takedown the first time. My surgeon did not want to do surgery cause eventually it cleared on its own. But it made me miserable. It was only when I had ball bladder surgery did I beg the surgeon to see if he could find the problem and fix it and sure enough that's when he told me he found the intestine adhered to the stoma wall. He released it and that stopped that problem. Unfortunately, after that surgery I developed even more adhesions at other sites that eventually caused me such agony I could no longer eat and then had full adhesion removal surgery. 

Yes, it caused major blockages and major pain at least once a month. No joke, this went on for years. When I blocked nothing would come out, I'd swelled up, I would vomit, and oh the pain! Then once it started to clear id have major diarrhea as that is the intestines way of pushing things out. 

As long as it keep clearing on its own my surgeon would not do anything. It was only when I had the gall bladder out that something was done. 

Why wait, why suffer like me. It sounds like u have no choice anyway. It's a easy surgery.

When I was admitted to the hospital with a twisted small intestine, my surgeon kept pushing on and manipulating my abdominal area.  I thought I'd die from the pain.  He continued to do so on and off all day, every day for about three days while he held off operating.  It wasn't until recently that I realized he probably was trying to release the "knot" my twisted small intestine was in!  It worked!  From then on, whenever I feel "obstructed".....whether I am or not, I do the same thing.  I knead away!

More surgery = more adhesions its a no win situation

I tend to use my fingertips but I don't think it matters.  I do it all over my abdomen and not just over the former stoma site.  I try to push very hard and in all directions.  So far, so good!  It sure beats having more surgery!  Oh, sometimes, I hang upside down over the edge of the bed while doing all of this.

any udate J'd up?

I think I am in a similar situation although maybe not as bad.

I have a small Spigelian hernia by the old stoma site. I get a bit of bloating and discomfort when stool/gas passes through there but I have just been putting up with it. I find putting my hand over the stoma site area helps things pass through easier and relieves tension.

The surgeon says that as I am very active it could get worse over time and its worth just getting it fixed now.

I am a bit nervous that the surgery could make the situation worse but at the same time I would rather just get it sorted now and out the way. It would be nice too to get rid of the discomfort. apparently small hernias can be more uncomfortable...