Bowel Obstruction

[uncas]

I was diagnosed with Crohn's 2 years ago. I appear to have a very light case of it. As long as I take my Pentasa and avoid dairy I can live symptom free. At least until last night. I was awoken by intense abdominal pain. I ran to the toilet and had a hard time pushing it out at first, but then all of a sudden I heard the levy break and this audible rush of fluid flow through my intestine. It seems apparent to me that I had a blockage in my bowels. However I'm not exactly sure what broke to relieve the pressure. The 10-15 minutes after the pressure relief was the most painful experience I have had with this disease. It hurt so much I wanted to puke.

My first reaction, or rather my first fear, was that the blockage didn't clear and that I had popped a hole in my intestine instead. I should mention that feces leaking out of a hole into my body is my biggest crohn's fear since researching the disease two years ago. So I may be feeding into my fear here. However the flow of bloodless diarrhea making its way into my toilet made me think I was probably OK. After 30 minutes the pain subsided. I still feel some discomfort in that area, but nothing to the degree it was last night

A few internet searches have me convinced that if I had a hole in my intestine I would still feel intense pain when moving around. So I was hoping someone who has experience in this area could let me know what their experience was. Am I good to just wait it out or should I go to a doc and have that area checked out?

Thanks,

-Joe

 

[BLM]

Hey Joe, I recently had a block in my illium. Same sort of thing you went through...intense pain, and when I finally went....a large blockage of hard stool dislodged and then followed by lots of blood diahreah and some more stool...and everytime it happened would have a substantial amount of pain...especially if I havnt gone in a few day. I left things be and went on like this for a few months, some days way worst than others. Its possilbe you have narrowing, or a block. Neither are safe but obstruction is worrisome. I would consider making an apt with GI to discuss the issue. If there were a hole in your intestins, you will become very ill and pretty quick from what I understand. Your pain will increase, possible fever, vomiting ect. So if anything like that happens get attention right away. Good Luck!!

 

[DustyKat]

Hi Joe and :welcome:

Where is your Crohns located?

I agree with Bev, this is a new symptom for you so I would be getting checked out to see where you are at with your disease now.

My daughter had a perforated bowel and her symptoms were constant pain that varied in intensity but mostly severe, fever, vomiting and no bowel motions. Even though she had been quite ill for about 10 days it was obvious when things things took a turn for the worst.

Have you had bloody bowel motions in the past? The only reason I ask is not everyone has bleeding as a symptom so don't necessarily look for that. Roo never bled and she never had diarrhoea either.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Take care,
Dusty

 

[Astra]

Hi Joe

Yeah I've had that too! Explosive diarrhea, excrutiating pain. But I ignored mine for 6 days, then I started projectile vomiting, I knew then something was wrong! GP saved my life, he got an ambulance, I was blocked, but infection had set in, and they told me 3 days later, when I came to, that I nearly died!!
So don't ignore this new symptom, go to see the doc asap!
I was bloody lucky! I was saved with Metronidazole.
xxx

 

[uncas]

Thank you everyone for your quick replies. I see the consensus is that I should see my doctor. Of course I have now successfully procrastinated my way into a weekend and won't be able to see him until Monday.

Bev, I may have read your post wrong, but did you just tell me you haven't seen a doctor but I should? I don't think I could handle multiple nights like last night. Now you have me worried about you!

Dusty, yes I have had bloody bowel movements in the past. In fact that is the symptom that lead to my first colonoscopy and the eventual Crohn's diagnosis. Also, thank you for giving me the proper term, Perforated Bowl. From everyone’s description I feel pretty good that I do not have that at the moment.

Joan, your experience is certainly the most eye opening for me. Today I have felt fairly normal except that I have not had a BM since last night's episode. Usually I am pretty regular. So I must still be blocked. I never thought about an infection setting in at the block.

Thank you all for sharing your stories with me. While it sucks to know that something serious may be going on, I gain comfort when I am able to better understand what is happening inside my body. So thanks for the comforting advice.

-Joe

 

[BLM]

Yes Joe, I didnt see the dr for that symptom in perticular....they actually found the blockage when I did 2 camera pills and it got stuck in the same place both times. I wasnt completely obstructed, but getting there quickly. So please go see your doc, better to be safe than sorry~

 

[CDDad]

When my small bowel ruptured, I was already in the hospital because of the two previous days of symptoms. No appetite, and pain. I was making rounds around the nurses station, and it must have perforated because I had the most intense pain of my life. The 1 to 10 scale would not even do it justice, they would have to make a new 11 to 20 scale, and it would have been a 20.

I remember stagering back to my room with the nurses following. I got back to my bed somehow and must have passed out because the next thing I remember is waking up from surgery the next day.

 

[archie]

Hi I've had a perforated bowel and it was the extreme dizziness, sweating (smell!!), nausea that let me know I was not alright, although I had pain it wasn't that bad which actually stopped me going to hospital at first. In hindsight I should've gone cos I obviously wasn't right. When I saw the doc the following day for a planned visit he took my bloods and admitted me straight away for ct scan which confirmed perforated bowel although by this stage it had contained itself so I only needed IV antibiotics and not emergency surgery... thankfully!!! I felt that 1 month prior to this I was getting progressively worse but didn't know what to do I had been in A&E and sent home so I have to admit that stopped me going back to hospital when I was getting worse this time... anyway my advice is go and get yourself checked out if your not sure.

 

[archie]

PS i should also add that I feel I have mild crohn's also I just suffered a serious complication with it and was symptom free (so I think!!) until easter this year. Hope this is of some help

 

[MADiMarc]

Joe,
Please do not delay in seeking ER help if the pain increases. A perferation is not good and infection could very well kill you. I am being blunt but this can be a very serious situation. Please watch for fever and an increase in pain.
Good luck to you,
Michele

 

[Zalanicht]

I agree with MADIMarc.

 

[acg101]

hey Joe - welcome to our forum -

Let me assure you that if you have a ruptured bowel, you will know as you will probably experience the most intense pain. With moderate CD you describe its less likely.

 

[nekogirl7]

Hi. I'm kinda new to all things Crohn's. I've had it for 3 years, but things still surprise me with it and scare me. The other day...I was constipated. Now..I am NEVER constipated. I was so scared I was begging my mom to get me Miralax or something. I went to work the next day, and after going to the bathroom, I felt nauseous, dizzy, and feverish. I was sweating! I felt like I had the flu or something! When I got home, and for the next few days, going to the bathroom was a nightmare. Every time I went my body automatically strained itself and it hurt something awful! I was literally bent over double, trying not to cry or scream it hurt so bad. We called the doctor, but we never got back to him (bad me). I thought it was cuz I wasn't drinking enough water, so for the next week or so I drank hardly any soda and had only water, but my appetite was real low. The...one day...it just stopped. I could go normally again. I don't know what it was but I'm thinking its this "Bowel Obstruction", but I don't know...for those of you who've dealt with this longer than I have...does it sound like Bowel Obstruction? And if it does...what do I do?

 

[Ckt]

Hi joe and welcome!i have had several bowel obstructions both partial and complete and 5-6 resections(I can't honestl remember at this point!)..my first presentation of crohns..they think..was a misdiagnosed appendicitis which subsequently ruptured. I became septic..blood infection..was delirious with a fever, had blood transfusions,and lost so much weight. I was in London and I live in the states so my mom flew over because I was dying. I had a liver absess and had another surgery on return to the states.I had never been that sick before but I knew right away the morning I woke up and my sheets were soaked with sweat and I had a very deep pelvic area pain that it just wasnt good.
I can tell you that like others have said..run..DO NOT WALK..to the er if you have another episode..increased pain, rigid belly,fever, throwing up,no stools..better yet,call an ambulance. It's truly a life or death situation. I lived only because I was in the hospital when it ruptured.
On bowel obstructions,I can usually point exactly where the obstruction is proven to be. The intense pain comes in waves that take my breath away.sometimes I had had tinkly bowel noises sometimes silent. The pain is the big key for me. I have only thrown up once or twice with an obstruction weirdly!

 

[Patricia56]

All good advice.

When in doubt, go to ER, call doc, get help. Better safe than sorry since you are talking about possibly loosing your life or part of your intestines OK?

Other helpful guidelines we have gotten from docs =

if you can't stand up straight or walk due to pain, go to ER

if you have belly pain and run a fever above 100.5 at least go to urgent care; if fever above 101.5 go to ER

if there are blood clots in stool go to ER

if you have pretty bad belly pain and see pus in stool go to ER

if you have diarrhea more than 10 times in 3 hours go to ER, sooner if you also cannot keep down fluids

if you vomit bile (green stuff) go to ER