Bowel obstruction

[MaShawas]

Hi guys, I am new in this forum. My name is Gracious. My husband has colorectal cancer stage4. His bowel is obstructed at the moment. His bowel moved yesterday but he vomits when he eats something. He only had one round of Chemo before this happened. Has anyone continued with Chemo after this situation ? He is only 37 years. I feel so all alone and in despair.

[Lee]

Hi Gracious,

Welcome, sorry for the reason you are hear, butt you are not alone here.

I'm a bit confused, has your husband had surgery yet to remove the cancer? By obstruction, is the obstruction due to the cancer or is it something new? If it is something new and it continues for several hours, he should go the ER ASAP!

Is he doing chemo 1st, then surgery?

Lee

[crc2007]

Welcome Gracious, I'm sorry to hear of your husband's -and therefore your- problems. Lee asked good questions. He probably should be drinking only and not eating. If he is dehydrated due to the vomiting, he needs to get to the ER. Does lying down with heat on his abdomen help at all?
Keep in touch,
crc2007

[Jachut]

Chemo caused this problem for me too - I think I had 3 hospitalisations. They werent bad ones, but the first two times, I had a reduction in the 5FU (I had 24 weekly IV doses prescribed). The third time happened after the 18th dose and my onc decided to just finish me there. I was a stage II though.

[Swirdfish]

I second Lee's recommendation about ER. If he doesn't have an illestomy an obstruction could be bad news if it is the Tumor

As Lee said there is not much information to go with in your post.

He may need a day procedure where they will have a look similar to a colonoscopy.

I had my illestomy placed due to chemoradiation would of caused complete blockage initially but your surgeon should of looked at this.

I'm also 36 so I feel your husbands pain being so young.

[MaShawas]

He is currently in hospital. He did surgery to remove the part that was blocking the bowel. The situation is recurring now. The doctors said he must wait for six weeks to heal so as to start Chemo. He had one round and started vomiting. I rushed him to ER and the doctors said his bowel is obstructed again. He has a tube in his nose that is draining. I am just hoping that he gets strong enough to start Chemo again. I am glad that he "pooed" yesterday.( the doc said that is good news). He is not eating solids. Has anyone been through this and continued with Chemo.

[MaShawas]

He is currently in hospital. He did surgery to remove the part that was blocking the bowel. The situation is recurring now. The doctors said he must wait for six weeks to heal so as to start Chemo. He had one round and started vomiting. I rushed him to ER and the doctors said his bowel is obstructed again. He has a tube in his nose that is draining. I am just hoping that he gets strong enough to start Chemo again. I am glad that he "pooed" yesterday.( the doc said that is good news). He is not eating solids. Has anyone been through this and continued with Chemo.

[Swirdfish]

Sorry to hear but I've not had my surgery as yet so sorry I can't help.

If you post on what type of surgery he had, and at what section of the bowel as in colon or rectum and if it was a Tumor removal some other great people here would be able to help.

[MissMolly]

Hi Gracious:
I gather your husband had an initial surgery to remove/debulk a colon tumor and has now returned to the hospital with an intestinal obstruction - with an NG tube.

If so, he likely has experienced a small bowel obstruction due to scar tissue/adhesions from the initial surgery. The small bowel is in constant slithering movement, much like a snake/reptile, as it lies under the moistened layer of fat called the omentum. Scar tissue/adhesions tether a portion of the small intestine to another part of the small intestine or to a part of the abdominal wall. When this happens, a segment of the small intestine is kinked - analogous to a kink in a garden hose with running water.

Placement of an NG tube decompresses the build-up of pressure and can often resolve a SBO due to adhesions. That you husband passed a bowel movement is a good indication that the worst of the SBO has resolved.

Be aware that the lumen/inside of the portion of intestine of a SBO can be inflamed and swollen for several days/a week after a SBO has resolved. Be careful that your husband eats only soft, easy to digest foods in small quantities for the first week to 10 days. Do not overwhelm the intestinal system with large quantities of food. Avoid eating bulky food with roughage. Eat slowly and gently.
- Karen -

[Lee]

When did your husband have his surgery? Generally you wait 6-8 weeks following surgery to start chemo.

There may or may not be a connection between chemo and getting a bowel obstruction. I've had a few bowel obstruction myself over the past 10 years. For me they tend to resolve in 4-5 hours as long as I stop eating and drinking. I have not had to go to an ER yet, hope I never do. Butt yes if he had a bowel movement that is a good sign.

Do you know if your husband had colon or rectal cancer?

Lee

[MaShawas]

Miss Molly, you got it right...I am glad that the doctor said he will start chemo at the hospital.
@Lee.... He has rectal cancer stage 4.

[Taylorgage]

Hello everyone my name is Theresa,
I had my first hospitalization last Thursday due to scar tissue on my small intestine. I waited 4 days until I could not handle the pain anymore. I was able to avoid tube station in my nose and surgery. It was a partial block. Yesterday I felt the bloating coming back and I was so afraid I did a lot of reading on line and tried sea salt and warm water and it saved me from another trip to the hospital. My Dr said I could return to a normal diet no restrictions but this is not true I am still swollen and sore . How long will my stomach hurt after this incident? I have also read diets such as no grains low fiber. This is such a life changing incident.

[Thetoad]

Hi. Just some advice to anyone with a suspected obstruction. Don't wait before getting it checked out. (I don't mean the previous posters, you seem to be 'under control.) I didn't actually wait, but was given antibiotics for an infection for two weeks before being sent to A and E, where a CT scan showed an obstruction and emergency surgery followed quickly. 4 to 5 litres of stuff backed up causing swelling which could have been potentially life threatening. All ok now, but scary at the time. This is mainly a warning for any members who are concerned about symptoms. Get it checked and don't wait for another consultation if things don't improve. Stay away from Dr Google too!