GIST Support WikiAfter intestinal surgery adhesions (extra scar tissue, connective tissue that should not be there) may restrict the passage of food through the gut. If the GI tract becomes obstructed, nothing can pass through, and this becomes a medical emergency.
Bowel adhesions can cause chronic pain and dysfunction. Bowel adhesions form after trauma to the tissues, caused by the body's inflammatory response to tissue damage. As the body's tissues heal, bowel adhesions are formed. The tissues begin to shrink, which results in restricted function of the bowel. Adhesions create more mechanical irritation, perpetuating the cycle of bowel adhesion formation. Bowel adhesions tend to persist long after the original trauma has healed, attaching to nerves, muscles, and other neighboring structures. Bowel adhesions usually form following surgery, inflammation, trauma, or radiation therapy treatment.
Many people experience decreased function or increased tissue tension following injury, inflammation, surgery, or infection. Like scars that form on the skin, bowel adhesions create “internal scars.” They may become painful and inhibit proper function by adhering tissues and organs that are designed to move freely. When bowel adhesions form, pain and inconsistent bowel movements may result.
Some strategies for avoiding episodes of obstruction include:
- eat Soft Foods
- try physical therapy to break up the adhesions using techniques such as "cross friction massage" performed by a physical therapist who has experience in this specialty (NOT all PTs do this!)
- Try this: First, a Phenegren anti-nausea suppository so preventv/stop
vomiting. Then a 20 mg. OxyContin to reduce the pain and bodily tension. Then two or three Ducolax. If that doesn't work over the next 6-8 hours, a Fleet enema, even two (yep, directions are on the label). That gets the bowels working again.
For the next day, eat clear liquids. The day after that, maybe mushroom soup and clear liquids. Next day, some soda crackers, oatmeal, chicken noodle or mushroom soup. Fourth through sixth day, normal meals, but small ones.
I really can't eat beef any more. A steak just isn't worth it. Chicken is easier to digest, fish even easier. I also take a Colace (docusate sodium) stool softener if I've overeaten, or every third day just for good measure.