How long can someone be kept nil by mouth?

[princesshasnocrown]

I have been nil by mouth for 2 days now.

I've had IV fluids of course but it's utterly miserable and I feel so dizzy without any food (sugar levels related I'd imagine)

How long can they reasonably keep me like this?

It is suppose to be until the surgical team come and see more on the ward. But they still haven't come

I kept being told 'you need to stay nil by mouth until the surgical team come and review you'

@ProclivityForPyrotechnics I know that. I meant when keeping people NBM for ward round or on the chance they might go to theatre.

There’s a big difference between being fasted for surgery and being fasted because the (usually) GI pathology requires it.

I was nil by mouth for 4 days at 33 weeks pregnant before my csection but was extremely unwell and couldn’t have eaten if I’d tried and feet from theatre and reviewed every few hours. Yours sounds very different.

Definitely not gallbladder thankfully. I don't have one anymore!

Sorry to hear this OP. I had a bowel obstruction last year & similar symptoms to the ones you described. Mine was only picked up during colonoscopy & then CT scan but I don’t know if these are options during pregnancy. I was also kept nbm for about 48 hours & allowed only fluids & those godawful fortisip drinks. Hope you get some sort of plan soon!

I've been NBM for a week before. IV fluids.
Mind you I was so ill I wasn't interested in eating. When I started to eat again it was tiny amounts for weeks.

@Madeintowerhamlets can I ask how you felt with the bowel obstruction? Surgical team reviewed me now and that's what it is, but they reluctantly went for x ray... and found it. Only because I insisted. Surgeon said I looked too calm for it to be an obstruction

Glad you've got seen eventually op. Do you know what the plan is now?

I had one when I was 15 weeks pregnant. I have Crohn’s disease and it’s quite normal for me but I had the Oreo they give you before a colonoscopy before they considered surgery as it could have caused a miscarriage

If you're on IV fluids you'll be fine. Your glucose levels will be fine because part of what we put through your IV is glucose. 🙄

If there is an obstruction then either it needs to be surgically fixed (drastic option) or they need to keep you NBM until the intestines relax and spontaneously get smoothed out - in which case you will pass out all that gas and poo that's stuck inside. This is the safer and conservative option for you at this stage. I have had the experience of both and been NBM for a week before I spontaneously recovered.

You'll have to be patient rather than push for drastic measures. If you are in no pain then there is a good chance it will resolve without surgery.

Every time I was NBM and nothing happened, they would let me eat something in the evening and then start again the next day. I was also given those sponges you could dip in water and suck

Except no glucose was given and they realised how bad it was when I insisted on them checking my blood sugar. Shock horror it was 3.5! They acted quickly then and let me have toast

Yeah nasogastric to try and suction it? Not sure how that works. And acting as a point for nutrition too

Said I'll probably be nothing to eat except liquids for a week and to rest it. Then review but may end up needing surgery If it doesn't work

OP, when the surgeons next see you please ask them your questions. Not only because they will give you correct information, but it will also help to build the relationship you need with them.

You poor thing. I had to fast for 23 hours while waiting for my c-section to be done. Then it was postponed to the next day and the lovely midwife brought me lasagne and 2 puddings. An hour later I had to fast again but thankfully I was first on the list this time.

I’ve seen my dh on plenty of drips of saline with no glucose.

Hi @princesshasnocrown , I was very ill with my obstruction. I had severe abdominal pain, vomiting & bloating. Unfortunately for me mine turned out to be bowel cancer. I didn’t want to worry you as it’s very rare in someone young & it doesn’t sound like they are concerned about that with you.

CT is normally used to diagnose as shows the extent of the obstruction. They can put a ryles tube in down your nose with a bag on to collect any vomit, stops you vomiting orally usually. Remaining on it fluids with/without glucose to keep hydrated. Laxatives aren't normally used because they don't work properly in bowel obstruction and can cause more damage. Sometimes a stool softener is used like docusate but depends on the extent of the obstruction and what is causing it as it may not be absorbed into the system but vomitted straight back up.

My dc was nbm for 10 days.

I was NBM for 6 days. Not fun but it was for a good reason and I knew the medical staff knew more than I did! 3.5 although technically hypoglycaemia isn’t a hypo worth noting to be honest