Partial Blockage Concerns After Thanksgiving

Started the day after Thanksgiving. Nothing unusual to eat, but I may not have chewed well. I also didn't drink my usual amount of fluids.
Since Friday: bloating and some abdominal distention, with a lot of liquid stool output.
For the past 2 days, I've eaten only a small biscuit and a scrambled egg for breakfast, and mashed potatoes with chicken broth for dinner.
Sunday morning, I woke up with heartburn that I still have, which is unusual for me.
I've tried knee-to-chest and walking. I drank some Coke (only 1/2 can) on Saturday, which didn't do anything, and grape juice yesterday, which produced a thick pancake-like stool. Since then, stools have been all liquid.
Last night, my stoma spit out some frothy yellow output when I pressed around it. Not in any real pain. I've had intermittent, dull abdominal pain.
I don't want to go to the ER. Any suggestions?

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Last time I had a blockage, warm tea helped the problem.

You can also try making your stoma hole larger if your stoma is enlarged.

If you haven't gone in the last 12 hours, you should seek medical attention.

Good luck 🤞🏻🙏

It sounds like a partial obstruction, and you're definitely doing everything right to get it out. The fact that you have output is good. Maybe a warm bath? Just warm up and relax your body while taking deep breaths and pressing gently on your belly. I just think a warm bath does the trick for so many ailments.

G-Day KDP,

Massage around the stoma area and don't be frightened of pushing too hard; really manipulate it. Drink lots of water with electrolytes, and if you start to vomit, head for the emergency department.

Never, and I mean never, be afraid of the emergency department; so many people won't go when they should.

Sending good vibes to you, Miss Georgia.

Regards, IGGIE

All great suggestions. A lot of things that you're already doing are what the ER will tell you to do. But use your best judgment. I would also suggest a massaging heating pad or a massaging device of some sort. In the past, when I had partial obstructions, I would pop a couple of GasX and use a massaging pad. It usually did the trick. There have been other times when the bloating and gas pain would get so intense that I would end up puking. But that would also clear the partial obstruction.

Yellow frothy discharge is pretty normal. It's just bile from your liver, trying to break down fats in the foods we eat. Hope this helps.

- Bain

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Hope that you are feeling better now. Sending healing thoughts all the way from England.

Tony

Hi K,

I hear you........the ER is never a fun place. Have you called your gastroenterologist to discuss? The point here is if you're having a partial obstruction, you need to know why. I don't know your history or current medical condition, but it's important to know why and what you're dealing with. That's because most things that cause a partial obstruction, other than not chewing well or swallowing quarters while playing bar games, typically don't get better....they tend to go the other way. Things like strictures, narrowing, physical bending of the bowels, and active disease are things you need to know about as soon as possible so you can deal with them. Even if things clear up, you still might want to get an MRI or CT to find out what's what. Think of it as 'peace of mind' and a Christmas gift to yourself.

;O)

With liquid output you can get dehydrated really fast. Be sure you are drinking and not just water drink electrolyte drinks. Hot liquids might help. Hot tea, hot cocoa, decaf coffee. If you start vomiting you really need to go to the ER even if you don't want to. I get frothy foamy output without a blockage sometimes. That's nothing to really worry about. Probably not a good idea to push on or around your stoma to force anything out. Try walking. Gentle exercise like walking may help move things along. I hope you are feeling better soon.

G-Day IC,

Why would you say don't push around your Stoma, that's how I got my blockage to give way.

IGGIE

Well said. I dealt with the occasional technicolor yawn when the obstruction wouldn't pass. Come to find out, I have

fistulizing crohn's disease so my small intestine is affected as well. And it did cause narrowing to the point that I had to have my second surgery.

My GI doc has me on Remicaid now to hopefully prevent it from happening again. But for not needing surgery for 30 years, I consider myself pretty lucky.