r/BowelObstruction

I'm a 31M looking for people with similar experiences.

I was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia and had a major abdominal surgery as a baby. Around the age of 20, I had my first adhesive SBO. During the laparoscopic surgery, my small bowel was unfortunately perforated, which required an emergency open abdominal surgery. I suffered a lot of this surgery and had to recover a month.

10 years later (actually this year) I've had two episodes of adhesive SBO. My most recent one happened this week. A CT scan showed another obstruction, most likely caused by adhesions from my previous surgeries. Fortunately, there were no signs of bowel ischemia or perforation, and it resolved with conservative treatment (NG tube and bowel rest). However, doctors warned me if this occurs frequently, they will have to do another laparoscopic surgery. I'm so afraid for this since they will possibly create new scar tissue and this can cause new obstructions in the future.

Can anyone give me some good advice or tips which could prevent future obstructions?
I've read several things on this sub such as starting a low-fiber diet which i'm considering.
I do know I get signals some days before an obstruction is going to happen.
I know water is key and I chew as much as possible on my food but I feel I'm doing something wrong..

My husband had Jpouch surgeries in 2023. This year in April he had his first bowel obstruction the doctor said it’s due to messenteric defect from previous surgery. He was in severe pain 10/10, his body was shaking due to the pain at the time. They eventually had to cut 85cms of his bowel as it’s dead. Only left with 240cms. Another month in May, he had second obstruction now, the pain was 7-8, and the surgeon said due to adhesion (scar tissue). No bowel was removed, then just cleaned up scar tissues. Now June, he suffered from obstruction again, this time probably is just partial as the pain is just 2-3. Still in the hospital waiting and hope for it resolve by itself, 20hrs have passes, he had bowel movements and little gas but the outputs were very small, seems like still obstruction hasn’t been fully clear.

He also suffers from short bowel syndrome with dehydration issue but it’s sorted out now.

We feel every hopeless and depressed. As we visit hospital every month, we basically don’t enjoy life anymore. And the condition just goes from this extreme to the other extreme, from diarrhea due to SBS and to obstructed can’t pass anything.

Hope can get some advices from you guys as we are very devastated now.😢

I fell down an internet rabbit hole and have been reading about GLP-1 medications potentially causing obstructions on patients who already have adhesions or previous surgery.

Im wondering if anyone who has had a bowel resection has gone on to use these medications without any recurrence of an obstruction?

Thanks!