Intestine Blockage

I am over 5 years out and was told that I have to contact a surgeon. This is due to severe constipation, nausea, pain ect. The doctor thinks I may have a partial obstruction. He was concerned that I have been this way for nearly 2 weeks and have lost 10 lbs in the last month. I have no desire to eat or drink and can barely pass anything. Looking for advice or even stories on what others went though. thanks.

I don't mean to scare you but run don't walk to get help. This can be deadly....

I have been referred to surgery doc. I have to call them in morning.

Sometimes ( in my case ) just intravenous fluids in a hospital setting ( I was hospitalized five days) will relax the bowel enough not  to have to operate .  In my case it was a VERY close call thank God I KNEW something was wrong and took myself to the ER .  (((())))) best wishes for Ur speedy recovery

I deal with IBS-C... Constipation... How nasty it can be... If you have obstruction by now - it can be an emergency... Hope you get an answer ...

I learned to deal with it... I take daily Miralax.. And magnesium, and try to avoid too much fiber. 

First time I discovered (CT scan ) that I was "full of it".. it took me a few days of liquid diet and a whole bottle of Miralax (30 servings) to clean things out... Then it slowly build up again... 

I learned what to do to not let that happens.  I learned that I need daily Miralax, and low fiber diet to prevent that. 

My gut motility is very slow... Things just don't "move " as they used to. 

I posted a few days ago about " poop and constipation " post...  I hope that if that helps just one person... 

It took me a year to fully develop my "routine".. And as times goes - and my gut adapts - I have to change things. 

A lot of us post op WLS deals with low motility, and constipation... 

can you tell me more about the too much fiber.  because I've been eating fiber tabs more and more trying to reduce the constipation and pain and it seems the more fiber the worse it gets not better like I thought fiber would do.

To investigate the effect of reducing dietary fiber on patient

Apr 10, 2015

Increasing fiber while you constipated my be the wrong thing...

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of reducing dietary fiber on patients with idiopathic constipation.

METHODS: Sixty-three cases of idiopathic constipation presenting between May 2008 and May 2010 were enrolled into the study after colonoscopy excluded an organic cause of the constipation. Patients with previous colon surgery or a medical cause of their constipation were excluded. All patients were given an explanation on the role of fiber in the gastrointestinal tract. They were then asked to go on a no fiber diet for 2 wk. Thereafter, they were asked to reduce the amount of dietary fiber intake to a level that they found acceptable. Dietary fiber intake, symptoms of constipation, difficulty in evacuation of stools, anal bleeding, abdominal bloating or abdominal pain were recorded at 1 and 6 mo.

RESULTS: The median age of the patients (16 male, 47 female) was 47 years (range, 20-80 years). At 6 mo, 41 patients remained on a no fiber diet, 16 on a reduced fiber diet, and 6 resumed their high fiber diet for religious or personal reasons. Patients who stopped or reduced dietary fiber had significant improvement in their symptoms while those who continued on a high fiber diet had no change. Of those who stopped fiber completely, the bowel frequency increased from one motion in 3.75 d (± 1.59 d) to one motion in 1.0 d (± 0.0 d) (P < 0.001); those with reduced fiber intake had increased bowel frequency from a mean of one motion per 4.19 d (± 2.09 d) to one motion per 1.9 d (± 1.21 d) on a reduced fiber diet (P < 0.001); those *****mained on a high fiber diet continued to have a mean of one motion per 6.83 d (± 1.03 d) before and after consultation. For no fiber, reduced fiber and high fiber groups, respectively, symptoms of bloating were present in 0%, 31.3% and 100% (P < 0.001) and straining to pass stools occurred in 0%, 43.8% and 100% (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Idiopathic constipation and its associated symptoms can be effectively reduced by stopping or even lowering the intake of dietary fiber.

BTW: when I know I am constipated -= that means things are just "not moving". So for me - adding fiber - may be equivalent to pouring sand into blocked pipes hopping that the volume and pressure would do the job. 

Fiber for me = gas, bloating... and it slows things down even more... when I get constipated (I burp rather that pass gas the other way, plus my gas gets really bad (smelly) and my gut is distended. I may gain a lb or 3 even while eating as I normally eat (no extra cars, salt etc).

in case like that - I increase miralax and fat but and limit solid foods - until I get clean... 

by now - I know the symptoms when things don't get "clean" . when you had BM - but it does not feel "complete".  When I travel - both - not enough liquids and the stress of traveling makes me get "stuck"...

good luck...  

Really explains a lot and I'm stopping the fiber for awhile!  thanks :)

Please keep in mind that Hala's is a very unique case.  You should definitely pay attention to her experiences, but not everyone has her reaction to too much fiber.  Our post-op diets of high protein intake is liable to make us prone to constipation.

Try stool softeners, Miralax until results, and even Milk of Magnesia.  Also, add some romaine to your dietary intake;  I found when I was plugged up, using a good leaf lettuce (not iceberg) was very helpful. Good fats such as cashews, EVOO, avocado, are all helpful as well.  

I also used Magnesium Citrate, the same used for pre-op cleanout, when I was very slow.

You're not the first, you won't be the last!  

Oh yeah, drink lots of water, and walkwalkwalk.