Small Bowel Series Test with Ileostomy

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2tired

I am scheduled to have a small bowel series test on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, and I am very nervous about it! The test was ordered after I had four bowel obstructions in 12 months following emergency abdominal surgery in November 2015. They tell me that if I hadn't had surgery within 24 hours, I would have died. They also tell me that having so many obtructions in a 12-mointh period is very unusual. The last time I was in the hospital (New Year'sEve to Jan. 4, one of the surgeons said she had noticed a pattern: all of the obstructions seemed to be happening in the same area. That's the reason for the small bowel series--to see if there is a kink or something else that can be corrected surgically to stop the recurring blockages.

I know that a lot of people blame blockages on the food the ostomate is eating, but all the surgeons I've seen say the cause is more likely to be scar tissue. On one hand, if the cause is the food I'm eating, I might have more control than if the problem is scar tissue, since I know that more surgery means more scar tissue. On the other hand, trying to figure out what is safe for me to eat is a major ;challenge. In addition to the ostomy, I have diabetes and moderate to severe kidney disease. I've talked to nutritionists about trying to find an appropriate diet, but mostly they just give me the dietary information for each condition separate from the others, not recognizing the interaction or the fact that I'm also anemic and having trouble maintaining my weight. (This morning I weighed 94.4 pounds. I'm about 5 feet tall.) In the end, they just recommended trial and error! Unfortunately, that method hasn't helped me identify specific food triggers for my blockages!

But back to the bowel series test and why I'm so nervous:

1. Just drinking plain water tends to make me queasy. I'm concerned that the barium solution will make me throw up.

2. Before my ileostomy, I was supposed to get an x-ray colonoscopy. I remember drinking the barium solution. Maybe because of the fact that I also have multiple sclerosis, I was unable to hold the solution long enough for the test. I know that this test will be different, but I can't help being concerned about the possibility of the fluid going though me and into my ileostomy pouch with enough force to burst it or cause a leak. As I said, I have MS. Although I can manage short distances with walking aids under normal circumstances, I would have a hard time getting to a bathroom quickly enough to change or even just empty my pouch. (And that's assuming there is a nearby bathroom that ;is wheelchair-accessible. )

Has anybody else dealt with similar issues? Any suggestions?

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ron in mich

Hi 2tired, about a year and a half after getting my ileo. I had a complete blockage after having a couple of minor ones beforehand and it turned out to be scar tissue. I had emergency surgery. I still get minor blockages due to certain foods like popcorn or carrots. If you don't tolerate plain water, how about green tea or Gatorade, but not the red kind. Good luck.

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2tired

Thanks for responding, but you misunderstood my question. My problem with the test isn't drinking water. The problem is drinking *anything*--especially a barium solution that is even more likely to make me nauseous. I'm also concerned about what the barium-infused output might do to my skin if any of it leaks or spills. In addition, I'm concerned that due to my mobility limitations, I will need extra help getting to a wheelchair-accessible bathroom in a timely manner to clean up, especially if I need to empty the pouch during the test. For all these reasons, I'm very close to cancelling the test. The more I think about it, the more I wonder what good it will do. The doctor seemed to be saying that whatever the result of the test, any additional surgery may cause more scarring, and I'll just have to wait and see anyway. I left a message for him and will wait to hear back for a day or so. If I haven't heard by Thursday, I'll probably cancel the test anyway. Thanks again for trying to help.

Mrs.A

Hi 2tired,

How did things go? Did you follow through with the test? Hope that if you did they have given you some insight on the blockage issue. Hope you come back and let us know how you're doing.

2tired

I decided not to have the test, pretty much for the reasons described above.

When my surgeon called me back, he confirmed that even if the test found that there was a "kink" in my intestine, it would be related to scar tissue and/or adhesions, and the only treatment would be more surgery--which means the potential for more, not less, problems with blockage. The upshot is that regardless of the test results, the surgery to correct the problem would be of questionable value. So there seemed to be no reason for me to put myself through the test.

Thank you very much for your concern, though.

 
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