Obstruction pains 3 weeks after resection

Hi all.

Just wondered if anybody has experienced any thing like this 3 weeks after surgery? On the 16th March I had my second bowel resection in which I was in hospital for around 6 days and sent home. After about a week being home I started to have obstruction pains very similar to how it was before surgery but with no vomiting and not so as intense as before the operation. The pains are happening in the same place which is in lower right quadrant which I suppose is the new join. The first time it happend I went back into hospital in which I stayed another couple of nights and then discharded. The surgeon told me to stay on a soft diet for another 2 weeks.

Tonight I now I have the same pains as before and all I've eaten is some chicken and potato.

My belly cramps up all hard and gurgles just where the join is and then relaxes after 20 secs and then comes on again a few mins later. Its now been like it for over an hour.

I'm worried this is not normal after 21 days after surgery.
Has anybody had the same and been ok after a longer recovery time??

Thank you

Hey Spiceman,
It can happen that there is obstructive pain a few weeks after resection. There may still be some wound healing at the join, which can affect movement of the small bowel, and which feels obstructive. Hopefully it will resolve itself (do you have some pain meds or muscle relaxers?) If the pain continues you may want to go back to the hospital.
A peeled potato is considered bland and low fiber (less than 2g.) However you may want to have nutritional drinks until it fully settles.

good luck.

keepingfaith said...
Why would you eat chicken & potatos after a resection? The poatato, especially, is probably WAY too mouch roughage after a resection. I don't have a full on blockage but after eating a baked potato a few days ago I'm still feeling the pain.

I think you should do what the doctor said and eat very bland and very soft foods.

Hope it stops soon & you heal well!

 

Hi Keepingfaith, After having 1 resection 3 years ago and having no problems with eating food I didn't think I should run into these problems this time. As for the potato I was given this 4 days after my operation in hospital so I sure didn't think it will upset my stomach 21 days after.

I have delt with strictures for over 20 years and normally potato is one of my safe foods. Of course no skin.

 

Thank you for your reply.

Post Edited (spiceman) : 4/9/2012 5:42:38 AM (GMT-6)

Julia Hill said...
I think I would go back to the surgeon and ask for a ct scan of the area to rule out infection or anything else. You didnt mentioned your bowel movements ie how many and consistancy. At 21 days you should normally be able to eat mashed potatoes, cream soups, etc. as you probably know as this is your second resection.

Julia..  Hi Julia, thanks for your reply. I'm now going on a really soft diet for another couple of weeks to see if things settle but yes your right if things don't improve I will be asking for a CT scan. I had some wind last night during these painful episodes which is a good sign but no bowel movements so far.  Thank you.

Hi Clonehead, bowels are working ok. Its seems like I have some issues at the new join. It feels very similar to stricture blockage pains
But he removed that narrowing in the operation. I think I will give his secretary a call tomorrow.

How long do people go on a soft diet for after a resection, anyone?

Cheers Clonehead.

I've only had 1 resection, it was laparoscopic, and I had no other complications or issues (like internal fistulas, etc.) I was on a soft diet for 1 month. Then, my doctor said I could slowly start introducing other foods over the course of weeks 5-8 so long as it was limited and every thing chewed very thoroughly. I think around the 2-3 month mark I was given the OK to eat more, but I remained more conservative than the doctor allowed for.

One thing the hospital did recommend was that my protein intake (for my body height/weight) be around 100g per day. So, I started tracking protein. It is really hard to get a lot of protein on a soft diet, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to without the Ensure/Boost supplement drinks. I ate eggs or egg beaters at least every other day. That helped, too. My soft diet did include fish. Canned tuna, and the frozen Gordon fish filets, for example...things I could make for myself without a lot of effort.

I tried to walk as much as possible, too.

Hi Spiceman,

I'm not sure if you're dealing with the small bowel or colon, but for me, I did have my colon resection close up on me when it healed and had to have a dilatation. The main symptom aside from pain was lack of bowel movement. If you're going "normally" that's a good sign.

I know I was on a bland, low-fiber diet for a quite a while, but I kind of have to do that all the time. Skinless white potatoes and skinless chicken should be fine, but all patients are different.

You can have phantom pain from the severed nerves at the surgery site, especially while it heals, but it's always best to check with your doctor.

Hope you get better soon! -Joy

When I had my resections, I was on clear fluids until I passed gas approx. 3 or 4 days. Then I went onto the soft diet (soups, mashed potatoes, etc. for another 4 days at which time I was going through the bowel movement stage. After a bowel resection your stool goes through stages of color and smell. I know from experience when I get to a certain point I can eat. Did the suregon do anything about the adheisions from your previous surgery?

Take care, and take it slow. I would be asking about the adhesions, this pain could be from that and not your new resection site.

Julia

Hi Spiceman,

I know this is an old thread but I am having the exact problem now as you had after your 2nd resection. I had my 2nd resection around 3 weeks ago. Past week I have been eating a little more and today on my bottom right side of my abdomen I'm getting partial blockage symptoms similar to what i was getting before surgery. Rigid painful swelling bottom right of my abdo for around 30sec then it eases for a few minutes then it repeats, exactly same place and same symptoms as I had when I had partial blockages. I was just wondering if yours eventually went way after a few months recovery and if so did you do anything to help? This never happened to me after my first resection.

Kind regards
Michael