small bowel blockage due to adhesions...anyone???

hi all..... i had open rny on 5-26-04 and 4 weeks ago had to go to the er because of severe abdominal pain,i was found to have a small bowel obstruction due to adhesions and had to have emergency surgery. has anyone else had this happen,and if so,have you had any recurrent problems?? i have been researching on the net and i have myself scared to death. adhesions keep growing back and it seems that most ppl that have had this problem,have had it happen over and over again. i have had many open abdominal surgeries and have known for years that i have severe adhesions,but this is the first problem it has caused for me. i am just so afraid of having to have more surgery and would like to hear from anyone who has any insight. thx so much, tracy

Hi Tracy, I too suffer from scar tissue build up or adhesions. They hurt pretty badly. I had surgery in Nov and they removed my gallbladder and took some out but said I am prone to them. The problem is, I can't get any meds for it and I am suffering. I have no where to turn. Nothing helps but the stronger meds they gave me and now I have none so I suffer. I think if we are prone to them it is the way it is. I don't think we have to keep having surgery for it though. God, I hope not. It made me feel better knowing there is someone out there like me, I hope at least you are getting something for your pain. [email protected] if you ever want to talk. Cheryl

I know that it is not JUST the WLS that does this, it is ANY surgery that it can happen with, and yes, if you are prone to it, then there is nothing that you can do but deal with it. I know a man who is part of this site who almost lost his life dealing with the hernias and the adhesions. I don't know what to tell you but I know what you mean about being scared from what you read on the net about them.....it is a very scary thought to have them. Fortunately, I so far have had nothing going on, and had my GB removed about 2 years ago, and nothing was said about my having any adhesions. I only know that I hope I never do. I feel for you and hope you the best

TRACEY I HEAR THE PAIN I JUST HAD ADHESIONS REMOVED BETWWEN THE OLD STOMACH AND ATTACHED TO THE LIVER AND DREW THE LIVER INTO THE OLD STOMACH THEY HAD REMOVE THE ADHESIONS AND PUSH THE LIVER BACK IN PLACE. SO I KNOW ABOUT PAIN I WAS TOLD THAT ADHESIONS CAN COME BACK BUT IM HOPING THEY DONT THAT WAS MY FIFITH SURGERY IN 10 MONTHS I DONT WANT ANY MORE....

How do they find adhesions?? Do they show up in a upper GI/small bowel follow through?? X-ray? I hope you have gotten help by now.Nut

I am going in for surgery to remove adhesions that are causing small bowel blockage next Friday. I have been suffering from abdominal pain, burning in my lower back, nausea, and fevers for about 4 months now and nobody could figure out what was wrong. A month ago during the course of testing they found that I had multiple gallstones to they took my gallbladder out and hoped that would take care of all the pain. Unfortunately, the pain continued. Finally, my surgeon decided that he did not trust the report from the radiologist that did my CT scan and asked them to send the films to him to review. As soon as he saw them, he saw that my stomach was dialated (when that portion of my stomach should be empty) so he decided that adhesions are kinking my bowel and causing fluids to back up into the unused portion of my stomach. I am really nervous about going through surgery yet again, but I am also desperate to finally no longer be in pain! As far as reoccurances, I too have read that many people do have several reoccurances, but my surgeon has assured me that NONE of his patients have ever had to have this corrected more than once. Hopefully I am not the first!!

HI YES, I HAD A GASTRIC BYPASS IN MAY 2003. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO GO IN 3 TIMES TO HAVE A SMALL BOWL OBSTRUCTION. I HAVE NO BEEN ABLE TO EAT SOLID FOOD SINCE BEFORE MY ORIGAINAL SURGERY IN 2003, EVEN AFTER THE SMALL BOWL ONES. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO EITHER, BECAUSE I CAN NOT EAT, THE DOCTORS SAY MY BODY IS SHUTTING DOWN DUE TO MALNUTRITION. I ALSO LIKE YOU LOOKED IT UP ONLINE, AND IT SCARED ME TOO. GOOD LUCK & WISH YOU WELL... TIFFINI IN TAMPA FLORIDA

Hi Tracy, I just got out of the hospital two weeks ago for an emergency surgery for intestinal blockage resulting from a C-section 12yrs ago. While they were in there they repaired two holes which were potential hernias and another set of scar tissue around the bowels. I am having a lot of problems with constipation now. When I try to take the colace it hurts my stomach so I think i have an ulcer now. Good luck, just make sure that they give you some kind of plan for constipation. Did they start you on something for the constipation? take care, Syndi