Post operative bowel obstruction

[LauraJ]

My husband had a TI resection to remove a stricture from a previous TI resection 25 yrs ago.
10 days later he was re-admitted with a bowel obstruction. It is now 12 days later with no resolution and no end in sight. On day 11 they decided his resection must have leaked andhe needs pred and a different antibiotic.
Day 1-6 bowel rest, ng suction, iv fluids, cipro and flagyl.
Day 7. -12 bowel rest , ng suction, TPN, cipro and flagyl

The still haven't started his new treatment plan.

And they have decided he isn't getting better because he hasn't farted and isn't hungry, we'll call me stupid but as TPN is giving him all his nutrition and he hasn't used his stomach in 12 days (hen not even allowed to swallo his spit!) why would he be hungry ? And as for the gas, they are sucking everything out where is the gas supposed to mysteriously appear from.

I want to complain but he says don't. But surely after a certain. Umber of days if it hasn't resolved it's not going to? And surely after not even having saliva passing through hi GI tract isn't it going to start to atrophy?

If it doesn't resolve, and they won't operate what are they expecting to do? Let him be fed by tube in a hospital for the rest of his life while his insides slowly die?

 

[valleysangel92]

Hi LauraJ

I'm really sorry to see that things haven't been going well

I'm not that familiar with your health care system but I'm assuming the people he's being seen by now are the ones that did the original surgery? That's what would happen here if those doctors were available.

If you feel that your husband isn't getting the correct care, then you and he have got every right to complain, especially if they aren't implementing his care plan or suggesting a way out if this doesn't work.

You also have the right to ask to have a different doctor see your husband and offer their view on the best treatment plan and an alternative if the current treatment doesn't work.

 

[LauraJ]

We are in canada. Unfortunately general surgeons tend to do the mist common surgeries such as this. And his surgeon went on vacation for week leaving a scalpel happy fellow in charge, who kept giving us deadlines for surgery to be considered, then his surgeon came back and said no surgery.
They finally explained why no pred but only after I told my husband to ask why 2 days later thy hadn't started it.
To top things off my SIL things I am too stressed nod need to step back! Mmmmmm my husband is in hospital I have 3 young kids at home, there seemed to be no long term plans, things changing day to day, even me a dumb stay at home mom knew that normal post op swelling shouldn't be this bad, and I'd it was a normal infection antibiotics would work pretty much straight away given the strength of iv stuff.
She has taken it upon herself to go for rounds every second day, which ticked me off, but then I found out the doc is talking to my husband when she isn't there!!

 

[LauraJ]

My husband has been told they are going to do a barium follow through, and enema on Monday to fix what they think may be a kink.
Seems to be the news his body needed- he's hungry! We are taking it as a sign his swelling is resolving, he hadn't felt hungry in 2 weeks

 

[hawkeye]

The hunger may mean that things are resolving - after my recent resection surgery I wasn't hungry when I was released from the hospital and would up back in with a small bowel obstruction. I didn't have hunger until the obstruction was resolved a few days later.

 

[valleysangel92]

I'm glad there seems to be some progress with the treatment plan now and that your husband seems to be improving now. Hopefully the follow through will help make sure it is resolved and allow your husband to get home soon.