Finally - surgery to end the obstructions

Wonderful news!  I hope all continues to go well!  But wonderful news!!

I hope you continue to improve.  I was there a month ago and they did a balloon dilation during the pouchoscope. I don't think it stayed dilated. Especially today as it's been horrible. I don't know how to tell the difference between a partial obstruction and having the short side of the j in my j-pouch swollen, inflamed, or whatever made it need to be dilated. I've managed to get everything moving out my back door so probably won't need to see my GI.  It felt like the worse hangover I've ever had topped with bloating and pain - the usual stuff.  I don't even drink anymore!  So I hydrated hydrated and used all the tricks in my head and traveling pharmacy to get better.  I tried to eat some solid food a few hours ago and quickly realized that's not a good idea yet. (I kind of wish I could get an IV with a bag of that chilly fluid.)

I feel for you on TPN.  Hopefully you will be back on food and out the door soon.

Take Care 

May your surgery and recovery go as well as mine did from adhesion lysis. I think I had about 6 blockages in my first year and my surgeon pushed for lapro surgery to remove adhesions. Like you, I only had 2-3, but they were crazy (crazy that any food at all made it through them).

I am happy to say that I have only had a few partial obstructions since that surgery in 2007. Hoping the same for you

Why the NG tube? I was kept overnight without anything. Were you in the hospital with NG tube for obstruction prior to surgery (I'm guessing)?

Steve

Clz,

I hope that you are doing better today...obstructions and blockages are nightmares. 

I didn't understand them until I got my 1st one in 2007...you never forget your 1st blockage! 

Since then I get ileus post op and am starting to build adhesions (something very new to me) ...I had surgery in Dec to unblock a loop of intestine that was 'cocooned' inside of adhesions and adhesed to the wall. 

Surprisingly enough, I continued to have pain and discomfort for up to 6 weeks post op. it seems that all the work done to clear the area caused some serious swelling...it took a while and about 2 weeks on a liquid-to-light diet until I was comfortable eating solids again.

I still get the occasional twinge but it seems that things are mostly back to normal. When I feel sluggish or blocked I dial down my intake to liquids for a day or 2 and then things seem to clear up. 

Good luck getting rid of that nasty NG tube...never one of my favorite treatments but it is effective!

Hope that you are out of there and home soon.

Sharon

Just wanted to update my post from almost a month ago.  Well, my recovery did not go well after I had the adhesions removed on March 4th.  We suspected it was just ileus, but a week after surgery since I was not getting better, they did a CT, and saw that there was still obstruction.  So they went back in on March 11th with an open incision and found a couple more adhesions right by my pouch that they may have missed during the first surgery since they couldn't see down that far with the cameras during the laparoscopy.  My recovery was very slow following the second surgery.  Ileus for 10 days after all the trauma to my bowels.  Drinking and eating came slowly.  Finally, I was able to go home after a whole month in the hospital.  I've been home since last Monday and doing well, but still recovering slowing.  Incision is slow to heal and started draining, but all is ok with it so far.  I guess I've been spoiled with laparoscopic surgeries, I had no idea what an open wound was like to heal.  So much slower, more pain, etc.  Finally on the road to recovery.  We hope the removal of all these adhesions is finally the answer to my chronic obstructions.

Ouch! But I am glad that they finally were able to track down all the adhesions causing your problems. Laparoscopy is great, but it does have its limitations. Glad you are on the mendnow. Fingers crossed that no new adhesions form!

Jan

Congratulations on finally making it home...what a trip! 

Take it very slowly...no tangos, no jogging, no grocery shopping! (I did that once on day 7 post op...bad idea).

Baby yourself. Stick to soft foods (you are still swollen in there) and no bending over, crouching down or stretching up!

Keep us posted and don't be surprised if you still have some pain.

Sharon

My goodness gracious, 9 days on the NG tube! 24 hours was enough for me before I pulled it out, drawing the extreme wrath and ire of the nurses at Mount Sinai Medical Center.  You are a better woman/man than I am.

CTBarrister - I think it was 20 days total with the NG tube after all was said and done with both surgeries.  Quite the experience...especially having it pulled thinking I was getting better and then having to have it put down again.  I don't recommend that.

Thankfully I don't have the same amount of experience as you with the NG tube (only had it once), but when they put it down on me I was vomiting and physically resisting the attempt to insert it.  Since I was only 137 pounds at the time, I was easily overpowered by the Doctor who, as far as I could tell based on my limited experience, did an aggressive, forceful NG tube insertion that was skillfully done.  It was 100% that I was not the first resistant NG tube patient he had encountered.

Holy Cow!  I'm glad you are finally home where you can sleep in your own bed and for how long you want without them waking you up to take vitals etc. I think you got a rotten deal.  Isn't one of the major benefits of having laproscopic surgery is to avoid scaring and adhesions?  I was in the hospital 16 days with my first surgery and they only threatened inserting the tube several times.  I can only imagine how that goes but it sounds pretty nasty!  

Take care