Question:
Could this be a bowel obstruction? 4 years post op

I am almost 4 years post-op. I am scared I may have a bowel obstruction. My abdomen is very bloated. It has been bothering me for a week now. But for the last two days it has gotten worse bloated. It is not really pain, just very bad bloated. And my bowels have not moved as good as they should have, and I have been drinking a herbal tee, that usually does the trick. It is a Saturday, and I would like to wait till Monday to go to the Dr. Does this sound like a bowel obstruction?? Thanks.    — [Deactivated Member] (posted on October 22, 2005)

October 21, 2005
It never hurts to go and see the doctor, some have Sat. hours but don't let it go to far. If you are in pain go to an emergency room. Bowel obstructions are very dangerous. Even if it is not a bowel obstruction it could be something else but you won't know unless you go. If you worryabout it to much it could only make the situation worse. Have it checked out. Call your doctor it couldn't hurt to talk it out and talk is generally free.
   — vickicarson

October 22, 2005
I would go to the Emergency Room. I had one four days out of surgery. I went right away. I dont like pain.
   — Cynthia K.

October 22, 2005
Hi there! I am sorry you are feeling discomfort. You did not specify your age. I am 35 I know that when I gam getting my period i get very bolated as well... and bad gas pains in my chest. This could be an issue for you.... maybe constipation as well. Try benefiber to help you with that if it is an issue. I hope you feel better soon, and if you start to have pain, do not hesitate to call your Dr. God Bless!! Angelina
   — angelina1970

October 22, 2005
Call your doctor ASAP, they usually have someone on call 24/7. Peace of mind is important. If it's nothing, great. If it's something, they can take care of it before it becomes a problem. Good luck to you. Missy
   — Missy H.

October 22, 2005
Please listen to your body and be proactive about your concerns. I had my original Gastric Bypass June of 2004, then March of this year I started having pain about 20 mins after I ate. It was just yogurt. I had to call 911 for ambulance. The test that were done in the ER didn't show anything. Gave me morphine to get out of the pain then sent me home. The same thing happened the next day. Oh, you guessed it, it was a Friday night and then on Saturday. Well I went to the Doctor the following week and they started doing testing. Nothing showed up. Surgeon said he thought it was an intermittant bowel obstruction, but made no plans to do anything. I didn't have another incident until May 5 and 6. So I kinda thought maybe the first one was just a fluke. They did more test, nothing showed up. I had a total of 4 ambulance rides. Nothing was finally done until June 22, at which time I had a total blockage and was near death. I was in ICU for a week and a regular room for two weeks. I have never ever been so sick in my whole life. I really feel they threw me under the train, but God had bigger plans for me. I have only been back to work for 3 weeks, doing a lot better, just need to regain my muscle strength. My advice to you again is be proactive, it takes so long to get things done. And after I got bettel r and was able to snoop around on the internet, I can tell you that the bowel obstructions do not always show up on the test. Snoop around and you'll see what I mean. I don't want anyone to ever go thru what I have just been thru. The end result was a bowel obstruction, internal hernia which also caused a blood clot. I am still on blood thinners for the blood clot. I really hope this helps you to stay concerned about what your body is telling you. I have never posted anything before but I really felt the need to share my story with you so you don't let them blow you off. After WLS life is suppose to be more rewarding.
   — Donna M.

October 22, 2005
All the previous advice that you have been given is excellent, I too can only say that you should go see your doc post haste. But it may be something as simple as constipation, adhesion or whatever, just put your mind at rest and see your health proffessional . For the record I too have had an obstruction twice, caused by adhesions, I now have short bowel syndrome as a result of losing a lot my intestine. I had a spell in ICU, but I am hail and hearty again, thanks to the fact that I went to my surgeon quickly and the problem was rectified. It is unusual to get these type of problems this far out from your original surgery. Don't wait till monday Good luck
   — Lise K.

October 22, 2005
Just a little background leading up to my surgery for a blockage. I was suffering from what I thought was my acid reflux acting up on me due to STRESS at work for about 12 weeks. I went to my doctor and he changed my meds giving me something stronger, this didn't help so I went back on my previous meds. I had two episodes of waking up feeling as if I had been hit in the stomach but after getting out of bed the pain subsided. I also had hernia which was located about 4 inches above my belly button. the doctor were watching it but as long as it didn't hurt me they weren't overly concerned. The a week before my blockage I was out of town at a conference not eating my normal foods and my reflux (so I thought) was really bad. I got home on a Friday afternoon and went right back to my normal routine but I was still not feeling right, at this point there wasn't any pain. Sunday morning after brunch I went on a trip to visit some family about 90 minutes from my home. I started feeling uncomfortable after about 2 bites of food so I stopped eating, by the time I reached their house I was feeling some pain. I put this down to the fact that I had not been following my diet/exercise routine and the stress that I had been under, I fully expected it to pass. My family started getting concerned and was willing to drive me home within an hour of my getting there but I didn't want to cause a fuss and was still sure that this would pass. Well within 4 hours I was on my way back home with my son driving me to my local hospital. The pain I was in was beyond description!!! I pray that I never again suffer from that level of pain, it made childbirth seem like a walk in the park. When I arrived at the hospital and the triage nurse saw the amount of pain I was in I was taken to the back right a way the doctor ordered X-rays and blood work which came back showing not only a blockage and many adhesions but I also had pancreatitis. The surgeon was called in to due emergency surgery on me on a Sunday evening fixing not only the blockage but also the hernia. He later told my son and boyfriend that if I had waited another 2 hours I probably wouldn't be here today. In the future I will not put my symptoms down to anything that is happening in my life and aggressively address them when they occur. Any pain that does not improve with OTC medicine and lasts more than an hour will get my undivided attention! The moral of this story . . . Don't put off getting medical attention, your life may depend on quick action. If it is something that you would call your doctor about during a weekday don't put off getting medical attention just because it's the weekend. Doctors and nurses are on staff at hospitals 24/7/365. Better to be safe than sorry. Good luck!
   — Just M.