Dealing with blockages
March 30, 2009Intestinal blockages are a common complication after having ileostomy surgery. With the intestines rearranged as much as they are, they are bound to get kinked from time to time. In this video I discuss how to recognize blockages and what to do when you have one.
I had a temporary blockage once and it was very painful until it cleared itself.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Question: Have you ever had a blockage and if so, how did you clear it? Reply to this post!
Thanks Dennis!
I have had a j-pouch for a little over 8 years. I started having serious blockages about 2 years after my surgery. When it first started, I averaged up to 4 ER visits a year due to blockages – and they were mind numbingly painful. Each time they took x-rays, there was a kink in my intestine. It took a while, but I have learned how to head off the blockages before they become a problem. It is now rare for me to get in a situation where I need to go to the ER. While it may not work for everyone, here is what I find works for me…
As soon as I start to feel any kind of pain that might even be related to a blockage, I immediately
1) Stop eating. This includes both liquids and solid foods.
2) Put a heating pad on my stomach at the highest heat I can tolerate. (I have a spare one at work and always bring one when I travel)
For some reason, this works well for me. When I asked my surgeon about it, he said it makes sense because both will help relax the the intestine which will help it un-kink. The earlier you can relax the intestine the easier it will un-kink. This is one of the reasons why when you go to the ER and they give you pain meds that it helps to clear the blockage – the intestine can relax.
The one exception to my two rules: If I sense early on that it is a strong blockage, I might make an exception to take a prescription pain medication which will also help to relax (and provide pain relief!). If I wait too long though, it won’t have a chance to digest before it gets too bad.
After the blockage, it is also a good idea to stay on a liquid diet for at least 24 hours in order to give the body a little relief in recovering from the trauma. Purple grape juice is good for clearing out and speeding up the intestine flow. Also, I stay away from bananas and rice for a few days because they have a ‘slow down’ effect.
I’ve had j-pouch for 13 years. Have so many problems. I have been scoped so many times. The doctor says it is not pouchitis, which already knew that. I hurt most of the time in the upper left side under my stomach. The gas gets so bad it is unbearable. Wish know what to do.
I HAD J-POUCH 13 YEARS AGO AND HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS. i’ve been scoped so many times. It is not pouchitis. The pain is almost always in the upper left side of the abdomin under my stomach. Sometimes there is so much gas it flutters up in my chest. Right now my belly is so swollen and sore. I was scoped last year my colen rectal doctor. all he gave me was hysocosmine. doesn’t help much
5 weeks ago my husband had an iliostomy and had a rough time, intestine wouldn’t work ,in the hospital 3 weeks. In emergency already. Has a narrowing in his intestine plus not behaving and eating stuff he shouldn’t. Anyway our nurse told him when he has a blockage to drink hot/warm tea and put a measuring teaspoon not one you use to stir, of meat tenderizer in it and of course drink it. It worked the first time and am hoping it works today.
I haven’t tried meat tenderizer. I will give it a try. I am hurting right now. Wish there was a quick fix. Does anyone have a suggestion?
Thank you for sharing!!! I am so thankful that my husband is not alone in his problems. We are at wits end. His surgery was 8 years ago & his problems seem to be escalating.
I HAVE HAD A J- POUCH FOR 15 YEARS. STILL HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS. LATELY BY GASTRO DR PRESCRIBED BENTYL. SEEMS TO HELP SOME. I HAVE JUST LEARNED TO NOT EAT ANYTHING A LOT. IS THERE ANY OTHER MEDICATIONS I COULD TAKE FOR FLAIR UPS? MY BACK SIDE STAYS VERY SORE ALL THE TIME AND BLEEDS TOO.
You’ll have to talk to your doctor about flare up medication. People with Crohn’s disease often still take IBD medication as they still have the disease, but people with ulcerative colitis often don’t take IBD medication because their disease was basically eliminated when the colon was removed. The pouch can still get infected, called pouchitis, and you take antibiotics for that, not immunosuppressants. Again, talk to your doctor to make sure.
For soreness, my doctor recommended creams with zinc in them. The zinc does something to actually heal the skin.
Try using Calmoseptine Ointmint. You can get it at Walmart for $7.99 a tube. (4oz.) On-line will cost you $10.00. I put a small dabb of the cream/ointment around and inside my anus and it stops the burning and itching. And by doing this at every movement, it coats/layers onto the skin for protection everytime you have to use the restroom. It saves me alot of unnessary uncomfortable moments. I carry a tube with me everywhere I go.
Sorry, I mean’t to say you can the the Calmoseptine Ointment at WALGREENS
First off I want to start off by saying that I am not a doctor… I have had a j-pouch since 2008 and many times I have had major blockage and ended up in the hospital for 2 and 3 days at a time (hated it)… I stopped taking Imodium, that seemed to help and started chewing my food not inhaling it and I also started paying more attention of what foods blocked the path… Since then nothing to bad for about a year now… On the rare occasions when blockages do occur it is not difficult for me to recognize when one is coming on… This is what works for me, but the key is to catch it early… Usually at the first onslaught of PAIN
1. Use 1 fleet enema…
2. Drink 1 small bottle of Magnesium Citrate (flavored) makes it easier to tolerate.
3. Heating pad on painful area.
4. Find a quiet place to lay (on back) and breathe through the nose out the mouth.. RELAX
5. Wait for the enema and Magnesium Citrate to take effect… And believe me they will,the enema will take effect first and after while the Citrate will take over and for me that is when the relief truly happens:)
Again, I am not a doctor and this procedure is something that I came up with on my own… So please be careful if you choose to try this… Or ask your Physician first if this is OK for you to try…
Hi,
Posted February 21, 2011 12:28 PM
Hi,
I am new to the site.
I have had an S- pouch for 23 years. I have not had a lot of problems until August of last year. I keep getting partial blockages. I have been in ER and tested at the Cleveland clinic. The two test I had did not show a blockage, but I know it is a blockage from my symptoms ect. I use to be able to eat whatever I wanted, but now go on a low fiber and soft diet. It will open up, but then get worse again. I feel like I have a basketball in my abdomine, especially while I am sitting. The other doctor said just go on liquids when this happens. I feel alone because no one can tell me what is wrong.
Has anyone else experienced this? I did have a bad blockage after one of my surgery’s and the test did not show a blockage then, but that is what they treated me for and then I was fine.
does anyone know if there is any other test to check from a blockage other than xray and CT scan?
Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
Sorry to hear about all your problems. I’m not sure what to tell you. Your doctors should be able to help you, but if you continue to have problems, keep bugging them until you get answers. As far as I knew the x-rays and CT scans were supposed to be pretty good in finding blockages. I haven’t heard of any other tests, but then again, there’s lots I don’t know about the treatment of this disease.
I hope you feel better soon. You’ve had such a good track record with your pouch so far that it’d be best not to ruin it!
Take care,
Dennis
I’ve got the most painful and longest blockage right now, im debating whether or not to go to the hospital ive lost so much sleep in agonizing pain. I’ve tried everything mentioned on this page, from enemas, to magnezium citrate liquid to pills, to heating pads, to hot baths/showers to moving and bending in to the most akward positions, to massaging, to bear hugs from my wife to pain medicine to everything except go to the hospital. I don’t know what to do my surgeon is out of town for the next 5 days. This feels like a growing tumor inside my stomach, I hope it is not because my sister died from a stomach cancer. Pray for me all, and never i mean never let anyone you love take the dangerous drug accutane.
Went to hospital and they did ct scan where it showed narrowing of top of J pouch opening. They did emergency suction with NG tube up nose and down my stomach…most uncomfortable thing i ever experienced…i gagged and cried for like 7 hours while it did help eventually it was torture to keep in my nose/throat/stomach. I pulled it out 3 times actually, so irritating and hard to talk with. Choking feeling -really horrible feeling.
Tip: don’t let your blockages get this far… by eating on top of any kind of pain in stomach you are running risk-let your food digest carefully sitting and never laying down immediately after eating a meal.
If you are not pooping the frequency you were yesterday that should be a big warning sign… know your body and how many times you usually go…my blockage felt like i completely forgot how to poop. It felt like a softball stuck on top of my pouch right above belly button. Stomach was very distended from air/acid pressure. That should be a clear idication that you are not constipated but either partially or completely blocked for whatever reason, kink in bowel etc…also Never eat your food too fast and dont eat too much at one time. Stay away from red meat and fruit seeds if you have a jpouch. This is what they pumped out of my stomach. It is not fun getting the contraction pain and vomitting from small bowel obstructions. If you throw up 1 time and you see green bile then immediately go to hospital ER… do not attempt to resolve this on your own past 24 hours mentioned here. As little as 3 days of not going to the bathroom when you have no colon can lead to a fatal rupture!!!
Also, enemas do not work for any obstructions and could make things work so whoever said use enemas please don’t do that.
Very serious if you do not get an NG tube in to relieve the air and acid in your stomach, the more acid build up in stomach can put a tremendous amount of stress on the bowel. Take care j pouchers and thank your lucky stars if you never got a blockage yet! notice i said yet, it pretty common for j pouchers to get these blockages.
Hi, I’ve been reading everyone’s post. So glad to hear I’m not alone. Some one that doesn’t have this problem can’t really understand.
My stomach stays bloated all the time. i don’t think i have every had a blockage. Never had to go the emergency room. If I have trouble going, I will drink unsweetened hot chocolate. Any kind of hot liquid seems to help and of course the good old heating pad. Don’t know what I would do without it. i take bentyl, tradadone and zanax at night. That helps me sleep through the night. hope this might help someone else.
I have had serious pain on my left side just below my rib cage and I believe this to have been caused immediately after having a colonscopy 6 months ago. My doctor was getting defensive when I questioned him, so after me giving it thought, I decided to find one of those machines where you hang upside down, w/ the thought of allowing my intestines to straighten themselves out and then fall into place as I became upright. I hung upside down for 10-15 minutes and in addition to my back feeling better, the pain in my somach has subsided. I would strongly suggest giving this a try. I feel great and the cure was free.
I have had the j pouch now for about close to a year now…i was sick with flu like problems and the symptoms they said i was having was pouchitis..so im taking cypro right now for it..but when i was sick i had watery bowl movements for 3 to 4 days strait..and when i started feeling better i started eating regular again but i noticed that i have not been goin as frequent as i used to before i got sick with pouchitis…i hope something didnt fail or is failing. i dont really feel pain, i think i feel discomfort but i might just be thinking to much about it..but for the amount of food im taking in i should be expelling it more than i am at the moment..only having about 2-3 small movements…so im freaking out because where the F is the food going then? Im stressed out bad, i hate living like this..anyone has any info on what it could be email me..but most likely i will be going to hospital in a day or two because im freaking out.
I have a j-pouch fro 21 years. The last three I’ve had a blockage was in the hopital for that. I had test to show that there is a thining in the iliostomy area. I’m now suffering sloww bowel movements not as many blotting (bad for the last three years) stomach pressure.
Went on meds for the pouchitis that worked then it came back in 5 days or so we thought. On meds again not getting better must be the blockage. I’m not eatting much trying to liquids in…it’s hard when you feel so full yet have some hunger. I have a test next monday to see where blockage is and xray the thinning area. Surgery maybe in my near future. My question to you all is do any of you suffer with dizziness, lightheadedness, confussion? Do any of you have issues with keeping hydrated? Thanks
I’m trying not to freak out but I do cry at times over this.
I have had my jpouch for 17 years. Many minor blockages that went away with a little help from a mild laxative. Just visited the ER on my 25th wedding anniversary with severe vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating. I had not gone for three days. Thought for sure it would release on its own, but not this time. Had CT scan, flex sig, endoscopy, small bowel follow thru. Showed dilation of small bowel above my jpouch resulting in very slow bowel movements if any at all. Also had anal stricture. The surgeon stretched my pouch opening and that didn’t help except to allow tiny bms. Diagnosed a functional blockage which means my bowel is not working correctly, but not due to adhesions. Next, he is going to inject botox into my rectal muscles to get them to relax to see if that will eliminate the bowel dilation so I can poop properly again. Hope it works! At least I’ll have a wrinkle free rectum. Happy Holidays!
i know how you all feel. I’ve had my j-pouch 16 yrs next month. I have really bad days, some times for a week with no sleep. Then, on the other hand it will feel better for several days. I’ve learned what causes most of my problems with the awful gas and diaharia. Just something I’m used to now. i have not had to go the ER yet. Hopefully never will. When it hurts a lot. I drink anything hot, like hot chocolate, coffee, tea or a cup of hot water with honey and lemon. This works pretty well. I’m so glad there other people besides me that know what we are dealing with everyday. Have a wonderful holiday to all
Sheila in Alabama
hello Sheila,
I told my father about this idea with the hot water. I will let you all know if it has help him. i hope such a simple idea can help aid some of the pain. Thanks for all your ideas!
Hi,
As a result of being diagnosed with polyposis (too many polyps throughout my colon), I had a bowel resection surgery in March of 2008. That surgery caused so many internal adhesions that I had to have a second surgery to cut everything out and I got a j-pouch in April of 2008. I have been struggling with it, but doing pretty well (I still have a full time job). I have learned what foods to avoid and keep to a pretty strict diet of bland, low fiber food. I never had a blockage until 3 days a go – New Year’s Eve 2011. At first, I didn’t know what the matter was – I just thought I had an odd stomach pain, then a steadily worsening stomach ache, then cramping, and then the pain kept coming in waves until I was in tears and very frightened. I called my doctor and he told me I likely had a blockage and I should go to the ER. My friend drove me. On the way to the ER, I “googled” intestinal blockage on my phone and found this site. IT WAS SO HELPFUL TO READ EVERYONE’S comments! Thank you! I started reading this vlog site’s comments to my friend in the car as we drove to the hospital and by the time I finished reading them, the blockage had resolved itself. I am so grateful – I think reading the comments calmed me down so much that I relaxed enough for the blockage to un-kink itself. So, instead of going to the ER, we went home, and I took a hot bath, and my friend got a heating pad for me. I have been resting for 2 days and my guts aren’t exactly back to totally normal – but then they are never “normal” and I feel a lot better. Thank you everyone, especially Dennis for your calm, helpful advice.
Thanks for the info about a blockage I soaked in a tub with a aromatherrapy that also warmed the and message my stomach it loosened some solid balls that were formed i was taking isotonic vitamins that you mix with water I found out people can get constapated there not good for people with jpouch
Hello All!
To start, i found this site in search of some help for my father who has a very similar story to many of you tough, awesome people here. I am so worried about my father who has been through a total of 5 surgeries. About 8 years ago my dad had an stomach wrap (nissen fundoplication) due to his acid reflux problems. A couple years later he started having bowel problems (small bowel). Come to find out he had a blockage in the lower intestine. He had the blockage removed and was doing great until the adhesions/scar tissure came. He has had them removed a couple times but they (adhesions/blockage) keep returning. Because of his wrap he cannot relieve all the gas build up or throw up/vomit he can only dry hieve, It is so sad. He has these episode and they seem so violent when he tries to throw up. On top of that, he has to deal with his blockage which is giving him so many problems. His doctor is affraid to operate because he is already so prone to the adhesions/scar tissue/blockage returning. The doc was also afraid to make things “worse”. I feel so bad for my father although he tries to keep in good spirits and pray, pray, pray for some relief. I will recommend some of the things i have read here to him, and pray something can help him. Does anyone in here have any other ideas, recommendations (doctor wise, personal wise), ANYTHING! He is so tired of being sick and losing weight, not being able to eat, always having to lay down to relieve his horrible pain! He is willing to try just about anything now. If you would like to email me please do so we can chat: adrienlopez103@gmail.com. Any advice of any kind is greatly appreciated. i will do anything i can to help my father!
Thank You all!!
So I have been searching for awhile now and came across this website:
http://www.clearpassage.com/bowel-adhesions.php
anyone have any info on this? anyone ever tried it? Its all massages to rid adhesions.. Please leave your feedback on this…Just not to sure about it all..