I just got out of the hospital after four days of having an NG tube jammed up my nose, down my throat, and into my bowel to try to relieve a bowel obstruction so I would not have to go into surgery. I never knew there could be such pain with no pain medication. The 4th attempt which finally worked was administered by an ER surgeon and he used Exacti-caine to numb my nose and throat. My clothes were soaked with blood, vomit, and urine and had to be cut off me and tossed.
I truly thought I was going to die. He left the tubing in ice for several minutes to stiffen it and when I started to gag/vomit, he stopped pushing until I could catch my breath. The other RNs and doctors just kept shoving the tube down and would curse and look at me with pure hatred when the tubing shot out of my mouth in a gush of blood and vomit.
I have never heard of this before and had no idea how to prepare mentally for this torture and fear. After reading up on it (now that I am home) I understand bowel obstructions are very common in the ostomate world, as are hernias and scar tissue (will this ever end?).
Anyway, they discharged me after days of agony with no instructions on how to prevent this. My large parastomal hernia and abundance of scar tissue are crimping my bowel down to the width of a small straw. The NG opened it up for now, but who's to say when this will come again. How do I predict a recurrence? Is there any way to prevent these obstructions other than surgery? Please tell me if you have had any experience with them? Anything will help. Loretta
Past Member
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