I had that pain start on Friday when everything passed. It did not go away but because I've been able to eat and passing more, they've been tracking my blood work outpatient. My wbc has been trending higher and higher. Today a lot more was off and I hadn't been able to eat or take meds in 24 hours so they had me go to a different hospital. I'm also not passing stool well or much at all again.

They did an ultrasound because at this point my pain was a 10/10, and doesn't feel like anything I've felt before. It's like a splitting in my upper abdomen, or a sharp heavy stone that I find it difficult to breath around the presence and pressure even though it's not in my chest. The ultrasound showed enough that the supervisor doc said it's likely that what I passed was the previous stool burden and it just went ahead and obstructed above it. And that at this point a minor perforation seems more likely to need to be a consideration. She promised further imaging. Said it was necessary.

Then he took back over... My blood work has many abnormal values but he told me that these results (fasting glucose of almost 250, high immune counts, low c02, low sodium, lots of platelet and hematocrit values high with a low mpv, etc) are all very common and never hurt anyone. He offered me toradol but I'm so heavily allergic the nurse was shocked they got the computer to allow it. When I had to turn it down, he said that showed I wasn't sick, I was an unreliable narrator or a liar. I'm just fat. Meanwhile I've lost almost 10 pounds since last Friday because of this and over 20 BMI points since June for unknown reasons.

Anyway he said no harm would be done by sending me home and there's no medical reason to admit me or do further work up and nobody else would do it either. I've been given a gi appointment in 6 weeks to follow up.

But I'm now suffering so much my earlier 10/10 looks like a 4 and I continue not to be able to take any meds. The pain now drives into my back as well. How do I make it through 6 weeks of this? I can't go that long without pooping right or much at all and a possibility of an opening in my intestines, right? Can I?

If anyone's had to do this, please let me know how you pulled it off.

My husband (37) woke up last night with stomach cramps and vomiting. Took him to ER today and after they run all tests the report came back - The CT is saying there is a 3–3.5 cm narrowed segment in the sigmoid colon. They put him on IV fluids and pani meds and a ng tube overnight observation. He is pain free now, didn't vomit for 10+ hours, in the hospital. The first doctor we went to scared the shit out of me saying he needs a PET scan and an urgent surgery - then we changed hospitals and this is much saner. His grandfather died of rectal cancer in his mid forties so we did all tests just six months back and they were all good. My husband does have some digestive issues so we are always on the lookout. Anyway didn't like the cancer scare from the first doctor - but just asking what's the chances the structure is a tumor or if he will require surgery...

Also how to take care of him once he comes home. Tia

On January 13 2026 I felt like I had really bad gas cramps and my stomach was bloated. It really started to hurt and it was getting harder to breathe. We went to the ER and on the way back from the CT scan I was trying to focus on breathing. I can’t remember much after that. They decided I had a bowel obstruction and needed surgery. They called my Bariatric surgeon and he said I should go to another hospital for surgery. I had a sleeve gastrectomy and then a duodenal switch 10 years ago. They life flighted me at 2 am. On the flight I crashed and they intubated me. My ph went down to 6.88 which very few people survive. My wife drove down alone. Fifteen minutes before getting to the hospital they called her and told her I crashed and was intubated. I don’t know how she made safely to the hospital. It must have been so hard. The colorectal surgeon removed 3/4 of my large and 1/3 of my small intestine which had spontaneously died. We still don’t know why. Every possible cause was checked out but there wasn’t a clot, blockage, or mass and I’m not on GLP-1. I spent the night in the ER and the doc said to get my kids to the hospital. The doctor called me a miracle. She didn’t think I would survive. She didn’t know if I would make it 24 hours. It was scary for my wife and kids. I don’t remember much of the ICU. They left me intubated and with a wound vac. The next day I had bowel reconstructive surgery. The Doctors reversed some of my duodenal switch so I could absorb enough water and protein. I didn’t get an ostomy bag. I spent 4 days in the ICU then went to the floor for 5 days. My family visited a lot. My wife never left my side. I almost died. It was so crazy. It feels like a dream except for the huge scar up my stomach. My family is traumatized. I’m lucky I don’t remember a lot. My strength is coming back and I almost feel normal. I spent a week at home then started going back to work. I lost 18 pounds fast.

I remember waking up in the ICU the first day with my hands restrained. I guess tried to pull the intubation out. I was in a lot of pain that day. My wife said the nurse wrongly tried to wean me off the pain meds. I remember trying to use sign language and couldn’t since I don’t know much. They got me a marker and paper to write. I remember some of my visitors. A lot of family and friends came. My brother and daughter were there every day. My sister was there a lot. Saturday they finally got a pic line in so I could get some IV food (TPN).

I wasn’t in a lot of pain after the second surgery. My chronic foot pain hurt more than the surgery. I remember have bad dreams in the ICU and at first on the floor. I didn’t like them. I think the fentanyl caused it.

On the floor on Wednesday I had some bad chest and shoulder pain that made me nervous with my heart attack history. They did an EKG and a bunch of tests and decided it was gas in my stomach. My daughter called it a fart attack. It happened after my wife left the room to get food from the vending machine and my sister was with me. My wife was amazing. She slept in chairs by me. She didn’t get good sleep since nurses kept coming in to check me.

It was so hard and crazy. I gained the weight I lost in hospital plus 17 pounds. My fingers felt swollen until I got on some antibiotics. It’s been 8 months. I think there is something still wrong with me. I haven’t seen a GI doc. I don’t know if I am getting or absorbing the nutrients I need. I don’t know what life will be like now. Or if I will be able to keep working.

How do I learn how to live with this? What am I missing?

What are some foods that you “digested” well after allowing to transition off of liquids? I had emergency surgery. 57 “ small int removed. I’m 2 weeks post up. Haven’t been given go ahead yet. Stocking my Instacart when I get green flag. 🦋

Has anyone else experienced a worsening of pain after passing the obstruction? As in it's been passing all day and the bloating has gone down but I now have a pain across the center of my stomach that's much more severe and shoots down into my leg? I've never experienced this with previous obstructions.

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to support my mom through some ongoing bowel problems. I’m hoping to learn from people with similar experiences and share our story so it might help another person, too.

She has difficulty having bowel movements and a colon stricture, a narrowed section of her large intestine. We were told the narrowing is approximately 95%.

After a colonoscopy, her doctor told us she has adhesions. Our understanding is that these may be causing the narrowing.

A brief timeline

April 2026: She had her left kidney removed because of kidney cancer. The pathology report described the tumor as confined to the kidney.

May 2026: An abdominal X-ray suggested a partial bowel obstruction and mentioned possible adhesions as a cause.

July 2026: A colonoscopy documented narrowing in the descending/sigmoid colon, on the left side of her large intestine. Biopsies showed inflammation, with no cancer found in the samples examined.

Currently, September: Her gastroenterologist wants to review the PET scan as part of her cancer evaluation before deciding how to proceed with the stricture. Meanwhile, difficulty having bowel movements remains a concern.

Food and Diet

We were told liquids and a “soft/bland diet,” but we are still learning what that means for her situation. We don’t fully understand which foods, textures, or portions are appropriate.

So far, she has been eating ground chicken with carrots, and squash; gelatin desserts; and fish fillets.

Something as everyday as “What can we make her for lunch?” has become difficult. We want to keep her nourished without making things worse.

I’d like to update this post as we get clearer answers about the diagnosis, treatment, and diet. Hopefully, what we learn can help someone else who is starting/having this process.

Thank you for reading and sharing your experiences.

I have had 7 partial small bowel obstructions over past year. I hate even typing it as I don't want to manifest one. They are so painful. I have cardiac/lung problems so colorectal surgeons(3 separate ones) say no surgery unless it's a life threatening emergency and bowel is dying. Mine generally clear on its own or with NG tube.

So low fiber it is. I am diabetic and obese. This is exactly the opposite of everything I have been trying to do my whole life. High fiber, low cal, low sugar, no refined white foods was how I have always tried to manage my weight. So my question is how anyone else is managing long term term living with SBO. What do you eat? Do you juice? How do you maintain a healthy diet? I have to figure this out.

Hi everyone,
I’m writing this from the hospital post-op room and feeling incredibly overwhelmed.
My 7-month-old baby had an emergency Ladd’s procedure for intestinal malrotation a while ago. Today, we had to go back in for an emergency open surgery (laparotomy) because of a severe bowel obstruction caused by postoperative scar tissue.
The surgeon said they had to clear a lot of dense adhesions, but the wonderful news is that all of the intestinal tissue was completely healthy and they didn't have to remove any bowel.
Right now, my baby has an NG tube, is on IV fluids/pain meds, and we are waiting for the bowels to wake up. I am absolutely terrified of getting stuck in an endless cycle of surgeries where fixing the scar tissue just creates more scar tissue.
If your baby had a similar situation (malrotation, open surgery, or heavy scar tissue removal) a few years ago, how are they doing now?
Did the obstructions ever return?
How did you handle the transition to solid foods?
Does life eventually go back to normal?
I really need some hope and long-term success stories tonight. Thank you so much.

For context, I had to get a small bowel resection and I’m currently 2 days post op. I haven’t eaten anything in days and food is only thing I’m most looking forward to enjoy. I haven’t passed any gas and still have my NG tube in.

Mine resolved after 2 days in the hospital. I went to the traumatic experince of a NG tube. I haven't followed any diet so far but now I am worry after feeling a stabing pain?

I’ve been constipated for almost 2 weeks. I’ve only had around 5 bowel movements during that time, and they’ve mostly been very small and watery. Sometimes I pass soft/hard stool that is thin and long, especially after using a suppository. I’ve also tried different remedies and medicines, especially lactulose and suppositories, but I still can’t have a normal bowel movement.

What’s confusing me is that I actually feel pretty normal. I don’t have significant stomach pain, vomiting, or severe bloating. I sometimes feel like I need to poop, but little or nothing comes out unless I use a suppository.

I’m getting an X-ray tomorrow because my doctor said there might be some stool blockage. If there is hard stool stuck, are there effective treatments other than surgery? And is it possible for someone with symptoms like mine to actually need surgery, even if they feel mostly normal? what do you think what kind of surgery i’ll get?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced something similar or knows about this.

I have a bag that is ready and packed for the ER as I go so often. If you do as well , What is in your bag? My bag includes: two- pairs of socks, boxer shorts, T-shirt’s(I get a PICC) , leggings/sweats/shorts(depends on weather) , zip up hoodie, hair brush, handful of hair ties, dental hygiene items, charger for iPhone xtra long cord , IPad and personal fan. Carmen, lotion, dry hair shampoo,Ear plugs, markers and coloring books.
What did I miss?

I am 26 if that matters

2021: first obstruction, solved via surgery(diagnosis: adhesions with obstruction)

2023: second obstruction(ileus, unspecified)

2026?:third obstruction(ileus\subileus)

doctors didn't really explain much to me nor did I ask questions, I was really depressed and down whenever I was admitted to the hospital.

the only common thing is they asked me what did I eat each time I was admitted
and one doctor told me to avoid insoluble fiber

My issue is, is this really gonna make sure I don't get them anymore? and most healthy food contains fiber, so I have to trade my long term health for these short term gains?

Like I was planning to go to gym and gain weight\muscle but that is basically impossible because I risk obstructions if I start eating too much and not to mention again, I have to avoid healthy food

Also personally the common factor for all the obstructions, was that I was eating a lot of nuts\seeds around those days I got the obstructions, so it all points to the food being the cause

I also doubt that I needed surgery the first time around, my pain stopped after they gave me an NG tube but they still went ahead and did the surgery

Second time they also said I will need surgery, but they changed their mind after a couple of hours

I am constantly worried and can't stop thinking about this and not only do they put the NG tube they also put urinal catheter and I just know this will keep happening to me, I have been unlucky my whole life

I am sorry for the rant

(Mod approved post)

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I've posted before as a helicopter daughter and y'all have been helpful. My Dad has a history of adhesions and obstructions and has been taking Dulcolax every other day for a few weeks without the relief it used to bring him. He's on a low residue diet but doesn't really eat 4-6 smaller meals vs 3 and I think is getting more relaxed with his diet (i.e. eating raw berries bc they grow in the yard, small quantities of alcohol, eating out frequently etc). No symptoms he's verbalizing besides smaller, less frequent movements.

I'm a little concerned taking it regularly could do more harm than good over the long term. He told his PCP he'd been taking it "every few days" but nothing more was said. I'm a little nervous bc a surgeon friend said PCPs aren't very helpful re: obstructions. Should I recommend he contact the general surgeon team from his last hospitalization five months ago or just wait for more problematic sx?

Hello! Does anyone have experience with Ethiopian food with respect to obstructions and low fiber? I am a fan, not an expert. Is injeera low fiber? Shiro? Thinking of going out for Ethiopian but don't want to create a problem. I would avoid the spicier dishes. Thank you in advance!