Bowel Question...

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JSterlingH

Guest
Sorry if this is a disgusting topic but I wanted to see if I could get some extra advice. Saturday afternoon I started to experience some sharp pains in my stomach and they gradually grew worse and more often as the night progressed. I went to bed in the hope that by morning I would be fine. However, on Sunday they were every 5-10 minutes and severe sharp pains. I went to an Urgent Care (non-CF Doctor) and was told that it was a bowel obstruction and that I needed to go to the ER immediately to get this resolved. Instead I called an on-call CF doctor and was told just to try some Miralax and see if that helped. So I took some of that last night and today I seem to be a lot better. I still occasionally have a sharp pain with time varying from 10 minutes to 2 hours in between, and not as painful either. I had not had a bowel movement since Saturday but I think that was mainly due to the fact that I had not eaten anything after 12:00pm on Saturday and ate nothing on Sunday as well as when I am sick I tend to not eat, not because it is more painful, I just don't eat. Anyways, today I had a cantalope (yes a whole cantalope) for breakfast and a peach for lunch and felt fine. Then this evening I ate a hamburger and two helpings of baked beans. Within an hour after eating dinner, I had a bowel movement that from what I could tell seemed to be normal. I never threw up at all, I was able to pass gas quite often (probably more than normal) and was never really nauseous except for maybe a couple time on Sunday which could have been from not eating. So my overall question is, does this sound like it could be a bowel obstruction or does it sound like something that could have been very well caused by my CF? I have read and heard with an obstruction you can't pass gas, have bowel movements, and you throw up what you eat. I am just very nervous because I worry too much and from reading, bowel obstructions can be very serious, but if this is not one, there is no reason to have to pay the large amounts of cash it costs to go to the ER. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
So sorry you have this going on. With CF the poop can stick to your intestines and build up and build up and build up so you could have a partial blockage, where poop is going around it. When it is fully built up it is a full blockage and much more dangerous. Usually you can clear out the partial blockage/build up with higher doses of Miralax and milk-of-magnesia. I'd call your CF clinic tomorrow and ask if they wantyou to do an Xray to see if you are FOS (full of stool) and also to see if you should do a "clean out" with higher doses of Miralax and adding milk-of-magnesia. You don't want it to stay in there. Our son (3) does 1 - 2.5 doses of Miralax daily as maintenance and milk of magensia added if he starts to build up. He had one hospitalization when he had not gone a couple days, and then even after going vomitted water and was entirely lathegic (sp?). he couldn't tell me what was going on though--he was under 2. Now I know if he slows down in eating or his poop gets liquid/sticky alternatively it is building up. So, do another Miralax dose tonight and call doctor tomorrow. And see if they thi nk you should see a GI, as well as: 1) Xray; 2) the clean out (and how); and 3) maintenance dose.
Hang in there.
 
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MichaelL

New member
I was having some similar problems last fall. I was having problems with stool build-up in my digestive system as described in the reply above. I also was having pain caused by the medications I was on. I now take a daily laxative (Restoralax) to avoid a recurrence of this problem. I still have random days where I have pain, but nothing as severe as what you describe.

A couple other thoughts:
1) Some of my problems were being caused by my many antibiotics that I'm on. You may want to ask your doctor about side effects of your medications individually and together.
2) You don't mention if you're pancreatic sufficient or insufficient. I am pancreatic sufficient, but my doctor explained to me that this doesn't mean I have a fully functional pancreas.

I hope your pains go away, but I would encourage you to discuss this with your CF doctor.

Michael
 
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TreasureGoddess

Member
I agree on discussing this with your CF doc and asking to see a GI doc that specializes in CF treatment. Are you on probiotics? That can help as well. We do daily miralax and often have partial blockages to work through. Good luck!
 
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jbrandyn

New member
I had/have a ton of surgical scar tissue in my gut in addition to pancreas stuff that keeps giving me obstructions. I ended up needed surgery every now and then to reduce the adhesions "matting" or "wrapped around" my intestine. It sucks, but there is nothing that can be done except maintenance with diet, miralax, senna, enzymes, and the occasional surgery.

If you have had any work done in your abdomen I would highly recommend asking a GI doc about the possibility of adhesions.

Peace be with you, and your belly.

Brandyn
 
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scarecrow

New member
Back in the good old days, before they had time release enzymes and we had to try to eat low fat diet and put up w/ the consequences of our mistakes I got a bowel obstruction once. Believe me once is more than enough. If you get a complete blockage ANYTHING that goes down will come back up very soon. After a week of misery in the hospital one of the older nurses gave me a really thorough enema and problem solved. Thank God for old nurses.

You could have a partial blockage and that can eventually cause gangreen if it goes on for too long but it doesn't sound like you have a complete blockage. You might want to re-evaluate how many enzymes you are taking. I don't seem to have as much of a problem as some CFrs but if I don't get the right amount of enzymes it causes digestive problems for me.
 
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