Second obstruction...questions?

Well talk about a crappy week.

My family and I went on vacation Monday, and I wasn't feeling the best. I've been on Humira now for about 6 months and usually before and a few days after my shot I normally get some twinges and pain so I ignored my "gut" instincts and carried on with the well made plans.

Tuesday, I was in a lot of pain after eating a muffin for breakfast but I didn't want to disappoint the family and we went to the aquarium... well I damn near didn't make it back to the hotel which was 1.5 hours away.

10 miles out, I had sudden vomiting. By vomiting I mean... explosion vomiting. I ended up spraying puke all over my steering wheel, my dash, my wind shield, speaker covers, vents...floor board, dress.. you get the idea. I didn't even have time to pull over. I went from just being in pain, to spray puking like from some horror movie in .2 seconds.

So then, on the side of the road, I stripped down to my skivies, wrapped a too small towel around what I could, while my husband scooped puke out of the floor with his hands. What's worse? There was puke behind my airbag which shorted out the horn for a few mins, so my car horn was going off... and I had pulled over at a construction site. I'm sure those workers are still talking about that.

My poor kids were so upset and concerned.

Ugh my car still smells like puke.


Anywhos, the drive home from that was a blurr...but I made it back to the hotel room, where I alternated puking and trying to sleep. I'd wake up in horrible pain and puke again. Over and over for about 3 hours when I decided that ... sigh... I had to call 911.

Cue the ambulance ride to the most hick backwards hospital in the world.

I requested a CT scan, which they obliged, and discovered a obstruction in my small bowel. Here is where things get fun.

They immediately wanted to do surgery. I declined. I explained that I have a stricture in that area of my bowel and that my regular GI doctor whom I've been seeing for over 6 years has been strongly avoiding surgery on me because lets face it, once you open that "pandoras" box you can't close it.

They kept arguing with me but finally we agreed that I would just spend the night, get fluids, steroids, antibiotics (over 15k white count which is very unusual for me.) and the most wonderful stuff on the planet, Diluhid? something like that.

Anyways, by morning my white count was down to 8k, I felt 200% better and I told them I would like to leave to drive home (6 hours heh) to my normal GI doctor and I would follow up then. They had done another xray in the morning and they would NOT give me the results of that and would NOT discharge me so I had to sign myself out AMA.

My GI doctor is confident that I will be OK until next week when I have an appointment scheduled where they will see if I need a MRI. She believes it's my usual stricture point that got super inflamed, might be scar tissued up now, and will be OK until they decide that I may need surgery. I'm on super Pred until the appointment and I have my Tramadol to take if I need it.

I'm also on a very low reside diet, mostly Ensure, some rice, yogurt etc. I ate half a broiled chicken breast too and some bread.


My question is, I haven't pooped since Tues since the "event." That was a bloody mess of a poop. I've never actually pooped blood before, so that was a first for me. (Besides you know, ripping blood from the outside area, not internal like this.)

So should I be worried? Should I call my GI tomorrow and let her know that I haven't had a bowel movement since Tues/blood poop/puke or does it sound normal at this point for just not enough stool to have built up?

Thoughts?

Anyways... I'm thinking that I might just opt for the surgery. I've met my deductable this year (Sigh) so the rest is covered by my insurence an I sure don't want another episode like this to happen. IT was horrible. Scared the poop out of my entire family and ruined our vacation.

Thoughts on that?

Also - I'm obviously going to change my diet. The night before it happened I had collard greens and a salad. The last damn thing I puked was pieces of collard greens. lol TMI sorry. :rof:

Any tips? Before I go grocery shopping?

Hi, what a bummer!! I tried to save our dash as much as possible by using my new purse, ended up spraying the air conditioner vents anyways. You might need to get your car detailed.
As for the strictures. If they are scar tissue they only get worse from my experience. Better to plan a date then end up in ER with what surgeon?? I had rice get stuck that was so painful.
If this is your first resection, walk as much as you can after.
Yes, call about bleeding and no bm. If it can't go through it just might come back up and trust me it is the worst!!


Hang in there!:hug:

Yup that's what I'm afraid of. NO MORE VOMIT.

Sorry to hear that you vomited your car too. My husband did a pretty great job cleaning it, and I've gone through a few bottles of fabreeze but detailing may not be a bad idea.

I'll call my doctor tomorrow if I don't poop before then. Ick.

So sorry this happened.

Sending you my support.

Hi! Sorry to hear about the ruined vacation, but we really can't plan these episodes. I have to admit, I had a little giggle while reading your story, the way you wrote it is so funny and detailed, and I can also relate to it. I have had quite a few obstructions. I'm actually at the point that if I have another one, it will probably be surgery. My latest obstruction, I had the same issue with using the toilet, it took a little while, I drank lots of hot peppermint tea and was very careful with my diet and things got moving. I would give it another 48 hrs, as long as u are not in pain and not vomiting. If that starts again, head to ER.
Hope this helps!

Hey Kittee - I can certainly relate to the unpredictability of obstructions. In reading your unforutunate experience I noted that you referred to stricture surgery as "Pandora's box". Not really sure what you mean by that. I just had my 2nd bowel resection 5 days ago (the first one was nearly 12 years prior) and I am pretty sure no Pandora's box opened. I am still healing but i am not worried about obstructing since I had the stricture removed. Like you, I was on Humira but my stricture became too scarred down for the Humira to be effective and that is why I elected to plan my surgery rather than have it done who knows when after some E.R. visit.

In both of my decisions to have surgery, it was the obstructions that swayed me. In the first, it was a large bowel stricture that caused 2 obstructions within 3 months of each other. Crawling to the toilet to vomit feces was the turning point in that decision.

I had 6 obstructions with my stricture removed 5 days ago. It was in my upper Ileum and easier to vomit up to resolve than my prior stricture. I managed each of those obstructions at home (not a recommendation!).

Here are my thoughts: Stay on your low residue diet: eggs, breads, chicken, fish, mashed potatoes, pureed foods, etc. NO SALADS, RAW VEGGIES OR FRUITS!!!!!

Suggest to your GI to get a CT Enterography to get an idea of how much stricturing you have and how much appears to be inflammation vs. fixed scar tissue. I also was going thru the few days before and after my Humira injections not working before I got to the point where I didn't really have any good days and knew it was time to get surgical intervention. Its not the first line of management but nor is it a Pandora's box option. People often have long remissions after surgery, especially when they continue to use anti-inflammatory meds such as Humira.

I will be going back on Humira once my GI says it is okay. We know it was working but I just waited too long to before starting it.

Good luck to you!!!! (and maybe a detail would help get that smell out of your car but not sure!)

Hey thanks for sharing your story.

My surgical consult is thurs, I'll keep you posted.

I am sick again tonight as a matter of fact so surgery is looking good right now.

Kittee,

I am 3 weeks post surgery and am doing very well. I am enjoying foods I gave up 3 years ago and am very happy with my recovery. I restart Humira on Sunday and hope it keeps my inflammation under control.

Good luck with your consult Thursday and I wish you all the best!!!

Kittee said:

Hey thanks for sharing your story.

My surgical consult is thurs, I'll keep you posted.

I am sick again tonight as a matter of fact so surgery is looking good right now.

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Hi Kittee,

I hope all goes well for you with your consult. I've had two resections within a year and a half of each other. The recovery is not a problem, just watch what you eat. Stay on a low-residue diet. Good luck!