Wwyd? Obstructed bowel

[SillyFood]

I’ve had gastric problems for several years and had several stomach ulcers. For the last few months I keep getting intermittent cramping, stomach bloating and diarrhoea. This has been really bad for the last week but I’ve also had vomiting and watery diarrhoea and unable to keep any food down.

I went to my consultant today and a ct scan showed I have a bowel obstruction. She gave me some laxatives and said 72 hour liquid only diet and to call again on Monday if not shifted. I got home 3 hours ago and have been almost nonstop vomiting to the point I’m setting myself 😭. I’m in so much pain I can’t stand up straight, I have a fever and the cramps are getting so bad it feels like labour.

I’ve called 111 to see if I could get advice but they just said as I’d seen the consultant today I just need to stick out the 72 hours liquid diet before going to hospital. Should I go to hospital? She didn’t mention what to do if symptoms got worse/ I got a fever as she seemed really confident the laxatives would do it. I’m guessing I’ve thrown those up along with everything else though.

Op, also really hope you are ok
Please up date when you can

I am lying on the floor of A&E sobbing. I’ve been here 4 hours and have vomited all over myself and the floor. I fucking hate everything.

It's so shit, isn't it? Have you been seen by triage at least?

You left it until this evening to go, OP? I hope you’ve been seen by now.

Well done for going x

The original post was earlier this evening as in before midnight

I hope you get seen soon OP

@Bunnyfuller id already been to the hospital this morning and they sent me home after cat scan and some laxatives.

Still not been triaged.

How are you doing OP?

That sounds dreadful OP. I hope you've been seen by now and have some pain relief. Thinking of you 💐

My heart goes out to you, OP. I've had an impacted bowel, too; in my case it stopped me weeing. I was given a suppository in A & E and now keep some at home.

I hope you're being treated by now.

You poor thing! I hope they do something to help you soon.

Just seen your post.i really hope by now your are in a bed being looked after xx

This is bizarre, I've never seen a bowel obstruction not taken incredibly seriously, even ones that aren't particularly symptomatic. I wonder if it was only partially obstructed? Did they say what was causing the obstruction? You absolutely did the right thing going to ED and I hope you get treated soon. Cannot believe you weren't admitted this morning.

Hope you've been seen now op

An abdo xray could probably diagnose it.

Oh op hopefully you have been seen by now.
How awful!
We need to start taking our own camp bed's and equipment to a and e. I can't believe they couldn't give you something to be sick in!

Out of interest, how do bowel obstructions occur?

That's awful - hope it's been sorted

Really hope you are ok now op, and that they have got you sorted and comfortable.

@TheRubyRedshoes lots of things can cause it. Twisted bowel, impaction, hernias, inflammation (say from IBD or infections), tumours, gut motility issues, problems from previous gut surgeries.

Keep checking back for an update - hope you're ok.

My 76 year old mum spent 20 hours in a&e on a hard chair back in April.

She had diverticular sepsis caused by a bowel obstruction.

She nearly died.

I didn't even bother waprong for an ambulance abd took her myself - no point. She was basically left until the morning staff came on at 7am next morning.

I had to beg the staff for pain relief for her. She was delirious. It was horrific.

Hope you're OK op x

I’m still in hospital on an IV drip. Hopefully going home in a bit. I was seen about 12 hours after I got in but I genuinely can’t even remember it and apparently I had to be hoisted off the floor as I wouldn’t move and kept screaming 😳. I had a bowel X-ray which confirmed the blockage had gone from partial to total and then I had a colonoscopy and they inflated my bowel slightly which shifted it. I didn’t get any pain relief until the colonoscopy and even then it was sedation rather than pain relief. I didn’t fall asleep though and it was still insanely painful.

I’m still in a fair bit of pain but it’s a lot better than it was. I’m amazed they haven’t given me any painkillers still though. Apparently they could only give me iv ones which would either irritate my bowel more or risk giving me constipation. I’ve only been prescribed paracetamol to have at home despite still being in too much pain to stand up straight or walk more than a few steps. My mums gone to the pharmacy and bought me some Solpadeine and I’ll just take that instead

Poor you @SillyFood - that all sounds horrendous
did they give a cause for the blockage?
i had a colonoscopy w sedation recently and was totally with it and felt the pain too. V annoying.

Solpadeine causes constipation so you really need to investigate the cause of the blockage. Was it just impacted faeces? Do you know where in the bowel it was? Did they put you on a disimpaction regimen?
You really need to prevent this happening again.