Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone here can help me. My mother has recently been diagnosed with obstructed bowel.(she also has radiation colitis and ileus) She has been told that she is not a candidate for surgery because of her previous radiation. She said they told her to manage as best she could. i've researched obstructed bowel (don't know what "type" she has), but it certainly isn't looking very promising if they can't operate. Don't even know if she's aware of how critical this is.

I was just wondering if anyone knows of aything that can be done non-surgically or of any alternative meds that can help? The obstructed bowel issue is my main concern at this time....but am searching for help on her other problems as well.

If anyone has anything they can share...I would be so greatful.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,
mj

MJ,

Good grief! I can certainly understand your concern. I trust your mother has seen a colon-rectal surgeon. If so, maybe another opinion is in order. If not, then definitely an opinion from a colon-rectal surgeon is in order. Has a colostomy been mentioned as a possible solution? What is the cause of the obstruction?

MJ

Im no expert on this but from what I've heard you have to eat a low roughage diet. Foods that will pass though easy and to chew the food really good before swallowing,so it has time to start digesting first.

Does you mother have a partial obstruction? Maybe scar tissue from the radiation?

I have really got to call her and find out what type of obstruction she has....or if she even knows. She doesn't sound too informed on this recent diagnosis. Thanks for the tip on diet and chewing...I will pass that on to her....certainly can't hurt can it?

From the research I've done....this is not an uncommon side effect of the type of radiation treatment she had. The exact cause could come from a number of things. Irregardless....the outcome of leaving it untreated is the same....certain death. This is really hard to swallow....and I have a hard time believing (being in complete denial is possible) that nothing else can be done or at least attempted. But I do thank you for your suggestion...I will pass it on.

mj

Macsjuls,

I'm with you..also have a hard time believing that nothing else can be done for your mother!

If you will look at page 2 of Mrs. Fudd's post "very discouraged" you will see a post I made in regard to foods for diverticulitis flare ups. Husband's bowel was almost completely blocked from repeated diverticulitis flare ups and the low residue diet with citracel worked very well for bowel movements until he had his surgery. He's had a colostomy for a year and a half (due to be reconnected shortly)....that's why I originally asked if a colostomy had been considered. It's not a big deal and was sooooo much better than the alternative at the time...which was death, in his case!

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your mom. Cathy

Cathy,

Thank you so much for posting again. Like I mentioned before, I really need to get ahold of my mom and see if she has more info than what she originally told me. I just don't know how to go about it without raising suspiscion in her. I will go and check the mentioned post and pass the "word" onto my mom. I really need to get the total scoop on her "no surgery" diagnosis. According to reasearch, this "can't operate because of previous radiation" isn't an uncommon thing. It is just so frustrating!!

None the less...I will advise her of the dietary possibilities. I will also suggest she seek a second opinion.

Thank you so much for your suggestions and prayers. They are both truly appreciated. Hopefully I can share some good news.........

Forever greatful,
mj

MJ,

No problem at all...know that there are many here for you and your mom. Please let us know how she's doing.

Take care,
Cathy

Cathy,

I spoke with my mom.....and, sad to say, she is pretty clueless. I did pass along your dietary suggestions.....and oddly enough, she was familiar with them, as those were the ones given to her just after her radiation treatments, but as a diet for radiation recovery....not for anything else.

According to what she was told about the obstruction, she thinks it may be the small bowel and maybe a kink, the doc didn't really say. She did say that she asked him what she was supposed to do if surgery wasn't an option...and he told her he didn't know. He sad he had patients report to him that one thing or another seemed to work, but said he never really paid attention to what they were saying, just figured if it they thought it was working, that was good enough for him. Is it just me...or is this quite sad?

Also, she was not seen by a colorectal surgeon....she was seen by a vascular surgeon.....does this sound right? After talking to her...I seemed to find myself more confused than I was before. I'm assuming that she doesn't have complete blockage, as she is still having normal stools between the bouts of her ileus and obstruction problems. But I gave her enough imformation about what I had read, that she is calling her doc first thing Monday to "interogate" him. She's also agreed to go to Mayo for a "proper" diagnosis. (Her hubby's been after her to do this for years!!) So maybe she will get some better answers there.

Thanks again for your support....it has been greatly appreciated. If I learn anything new....I will certainly let you know!!

all my best,

mj

MJ,

Inasfar as a vascular surgeon versus a colon-rectal surgeon, if it was indeed the small intestine rather than the large intestine (colon), perhaps a vascular surgeon was the right type of surgeon...but don't quote me on that!

So happy she has agreed to go to the Mayo Clinic....that's ironic because as husband was in ICU after the emergency surgery, while on the ventilator and unable to speak we gave him paper and pen and he wrote "Mayo Clinic" on the paper. He doesn't remember doing that, but we felt at the time he knew he was a "sick puppy" (as ICU nurse called him) and needed the best treatment available! :) We were seriously planning on getting him transferred from Louisiana to the Mayo, but he quickly started improving and we knew he was going to be o'kay.

There again, as you said your mother is "clueless" as to what she was told. The more informed she can be about her condition, the better she can and will take care of herself. It's good to have a family member go with patient because a lot of what is told to a patient just goes right over the top of their heads....I even found that having one of our kids with us when talking to the doc occasionally was very beneficial because when you get a piece of bad news from doc your mind stops functioning and even if doc says something very good after the bad news, you don't hear the good part...you're still thinking of the bad he/she told you!

Please let us know what mom finds out Monday.

Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with you and your mom!

Cathy

Cathy,

I cannot begin to tell you what a valueable "life-line" you have become to me!! This is brand new territory for me....and as blind as I felt going in...I'm feeling less alone...just because you have so graciously taken the time to keep posting. I am in awe of your apparent knowledge and your compassion. Thank you again so much.

I am very happy to hear that my mom is willing to become more pro-active in her treatment. My family has run the gammut with medical problems...and with each subsequent turn..I find myself becoming more and more frustrated with the medical field. I have also realized that we cannot blindly put our faith in them (or our lives for that matter) and that we can only really get better if we don't take "no" for an answer.

I understand that death is an immenent end for all of us, and with this I am most comfortable....however, I see no need in going out without a fight!! Again, your support has given me reason to question her present care....and until I am happy with what she has been offered, or until I have exhausted all measures......I will not rest on this one!!

I will most definitley keep you posted....and plan to learn all I can in the hopes on being able to pass on to someone else a safer and more productive road to travel.

All my best to you and yours,

mj

MJ,

WOW! My thoughts about becoming more and more frustrated with the medical field, not blindly putting our faith in them, and "no need in going out without a fight", etc...are EXACTLY as yours!

I really feel that medical professionals are somewhat paranoid with malpractice suits that they sometimes now take little or no action just to avoid possible litigation if something does go wrong with their proceedure. However, there are situations where patients need to throughly understand the risks involved either way, so they can be the one to decide their future. Got a feeling your mom is going to know exactly what she wants to do very soon. Keep up the good work!

Take care,
Cathy

Cathy,

Just wanted to update you on my mom. She did get a chance to talk with her doc....and DID get her answers. Luckily, at this time, things are not as dismal as they appeared a week or so ago.

Apparently, she has a partial blockage in her small bowel, due to a "bump" that is causing a narrower area. Cancer has been ruled out!! Yay!! He did agree that she should still be seen by specialists at Mayo, so they have started that process of paper work to get the ball rolling for that. He said that he's done all he's been able to do for her here...but again agrees that Mayo may be able to offer her a little more. So all we can do now..is sit and wait....but can do it a little more calmer than before!! (Just wish he'd have shared this news before I hit the internet in search of answers!!)

According to her doc, with the exception of the partial blockage and the problems she is incurring due to her radiation, she is in excellent health and feels that she should be able to maintain well with proper diet, excercise and any addtional help from Mayo. So, again, no where near as dismal as it first appeared.

Again, I thank you for keeping me "grounded" and for your support.

All my best,

mj

mj,

That certainly is WONDERFUL and ENCOURAGING news!

No need to thank me...you did all the work! :) Your parents are very fortunate to have such a caring and intelligent daughter!

Please keep me posted on what she finds out at the Mayo!

Take care,
Cathy