# Obstruction - How are they treated?



## LTomes

What is generally the treatment for obstruction? Or your personal experience what did they do to treat yours? I am pretty sure I have an obstruction so just researching I go for a ct tomorrow. My bowels have been decreasing the past few days. Today was the first day with no bowel movement. I can feel I need to go but it's not coming out. It's painful. But your experience with treatments are helpful.


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## Justanothercp

I ended up needing surgery. But now I still have partial obstructions many times year. I just have to stay on my Meds and REALLY watch what I eat. 
Once I have a partial obstruction I usually make myself get sick, go on a liquid diet for a day or two and I know it sounds crazy, but I swear my inversion table helps...
Good luck, keep us posted.


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## LTomes

Justanothercp said:


> I ended up needing surgery. But now I still have partial obstructions many times year. I just have to stay on my Meds and REALLY watch what I eat.
> Once I have a partial obstruction I usually make myself get sick, go on a liquid diet for a day or two and I know it sounds crazy, but I swear my inversion table helps...
> Good luck, keep us posted.



When you say watch what you eat? Are you referring to the low residue diet? Or what do you normally eat or try to stay away from?


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## Justanothercp

When not dealing with an obstruction, I have found the Paleo diet works for me. 
When dealing with obstruction, I usually will do liquid diet.


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## ronroush7

I had an obstruction five years ago and needed a resection.


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## ronroush7

Justanothercp said:


> When not dealing with an obstruction, I have found the Paleo diet works for me.
> When dealing with obstruction, I usually will do liquid diet.


I think my wife wants me to explore different diets.


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## LTomes

ronroush7 said:


> I had an obstruction five years ago and needed a resection.


Oh don't tell me that I just had a resection 4 weeks ago which I assumed after i would be magically cured.. I guess the jokes on me with that one right!!


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## Jennifer

For my last obstruction I was admitted into the hospital and stayed for 3 days. I was given a liquid diet after a day of nothing and was given IV steroids and they did an x-ray every morning to check on the mass (obstructions can be seen with a regular x-ray). Sometimes an obstruction can clear without needing surgery. An NG tube can also be used to help clear the obstruction. More than half of the people who have an obstruction don't need surgery but they do need immediate treatment. http://emblog.mayo.edu/discussion/the-truth-about-small-bowel-obstruction/

My obstruction was caused by scar tissue from a past resection. Whenever I feel a partial obstruction forming I immediately go on a liquid diet. Gentle massage on the abdomen helps push things through and helps to reduce the gas build up in that one spot (this and the liquid diet was suggested by my regular GI and the GI I see in UCLA). I can always tell when I'm dealing with one because the pain feels like a burning sensation to me and for me it also causes sulfur burps. Foods that pass through you quickly like fiber might need to be avoided or be limited if you tend to have frequent partial obstructions so you can do your best to avoid a full obstruction.

Hopefully yours can also be treated without another surgery. Keep us posted.


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## Layla

I got my last obstruction from a CT! It was the Metamucil, 4 or 5 cups of it, that did it. So if you're already (partially) obstructed I would pass on the Metamucil and ask if there are other contrasts they can use.

That last time I was in hospital for 5 days with an ng tube and lots of steroids. Nil by mouth for 4 of those days until the steroids finally kicked in. The previous 2or 3 times I went to the ER for an obstruction I was given morphine for the pain, which sometimes helped and sometimes made matters worse (it tends to slow down the gut, not ideal when you have an obstruction), but it came right in due course on it's own account.

I also used to go on a liquid diet as soon as I thought I may be having an obstruction and many times that was enough to resolve it. 

After the last one I never came right anymore despite all the pred and a resection was scheduled a few months after. I haven't had one since, fingers crossed you don't either!


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## The Real MC

I had several partial obstructions that didn't require hospital stay or surgery.  Pushing the fluids and rubbing the abdomen has cleared them, I could feel it breaking free.

The one time I had a complete obstruction it required the NG tube and steroids for three days, hospital was six days.  Thankfully did not require surgery.  I learned in the past not to wait too long for medical help.  My dosage of steroids was so high that I had to be on disability for five weeks.  Everybody has different reactions to steroids, the worst part of the withdrawal was the lethargy and my muscle motions were way off.


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## hawkeye

The two I have had have required an NG Tube, IV hydration and pain meds.


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