Bowel Obstruction - drastic surgery

[eh11g11]

Hello again everyone,

I just wondered if anyone on here has had bowel obstruction surgery? My mum is currently at our local hospice after being told due to inoperable bowel obstruction that there was nothing they could do and it is too unsafe for chemo. We have asked for 2nd opinion and tomorrow morning we are heading to London for a clinic appointment.

My mum (and us all) are understandably very anxious as this is the only hope we have and hoping so much they may be able to operate - I know this would be massive surgery. And tomorrow we want to ask as much as possible, we have a list of questions already - I just wondered if anyone on here had any advice on what to ask tomorrow and what they think is crucial we should try to find out? I still don’t feel like this is even happening and my head is all over the place!!

You have all been so supportive before.. please if anyone has any advice for tomorrow morning it would be very appreciated!! xx

[Caroles1]

Hi love,

Sorry your mum is in this place, I don’t know too much about bowel obstructions, but loads of ladies on here have had them and lived to tell the tale, just hope one of them comes on here to help.

Ask why it is inoperable

Can she have a stoma, reversible or not?

If they sort it out, can she then have chemo?

Don’t give up, a second opinion is always a good thing,

Love to you,

Carole xx

[eh11g11 in reply to Caroles1]

Thank you very much Carole xx

[Purple-iris]

Hi

Some good advice from Carole.

I haven’t had to deal with an obstruction (yet !) but have met someone who had secondary surgery by Cristina Fotoloupou

I heard her speak at the Ovacome day and have sent the link of the recording incase you haven’t seen and it may be helpful.

ovacome.org.uk/current-aspe...

There is also a section on bowel obstruction in the Ovacome newsletter

ovacome.org.uk/Handlers/Dow... ( page 8 and 9 )

and a link to cancer research page on bowel obstruction.

Cancer Research UK – a blocked bowel

cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

Sorry if you’ve already seen this but thought I’d post incase not.

Remember you can also ring Anna on the Ovacome helpline for advice and to discuss options.

Sending love and best wishes to you and your mum and hope and pray tomorrow gives you renewed hope and more options.

Kim x

[eh11g11 in reply to Purple-iris]

Hi Kim, thanks so much for all the useful info! My mum and I didn't make it to the members day as that was when she started to become really poorly - thanks for sharing the link. We met with her today, and she is going to try and see what she can do.

It has been a long day of travel, but soo relieved and pleased we have some more hope!

Hope you are doing well thanks again x

[19Mary]

I'm sorry to hear that your mother is so unwell. Christina Fotopoulou is very keen to operate on my bowel as (this is how I understand it) some adhesions on the outside of my bowel have stuck to my pelvis causing blockages. Also it's probable that OC lurks in these adhesions but it's difficult for the secondline chemo to attack them. I had two large anastomoses during debulking, on the junction of large and small bowels and one on my large bowel.

I was told that decisions regarding whether or not to operate depend on how much of the bowel is left from debulking. The operation should take 2-4 hours. My original debulking took 9.5 hours.

I'm not keen to have this operation at the moment as I'm just about to finish second line and feel OK when I'm not suffering from blockages which seems to be every 8-10 weeks and my CA125 is stable at about 95.

Wishing your mum the best possible treatment and outcome. X

[eh11g11 in reply to 19Mary]

Thanks for the info Mary! I hope the rest of your chemo goes okay and you continue to stay well! We met with the surgeon today and she is going to try and see what she can do, we are so so grateful to her and feeling hopeful xx

[19Mary in reply to eh11g11]

I'm being operated on by CF tomorrow as I've been hospitalised again with a blockage. The operation should take less than 2 hours but I might end up with a stoma.

Wishing your mother the best for her operation.

[eh11g11 in reply to 19Mary]

I’m sorry to hear you have another blockage thank you. You too! let me know how you get on, hope all goes well!!

[thomas62 in reply to 19Mary]

Hi 19Mary,

Good luck with your op. tomorrow. Prof.F. is the best! Keep us updated please!

Gwen Xx

[thomas62]

Hi,

I had a 2nd surgery with the brill Prof. 15 months ago. If anybody can help your mum it is her. I was warned by the Prof. of the possibility of a stoma and nephrosis but she managed just to do one bowel resection. A brill job by her and her team. Yes go with a list of questions and I wish your mum and yourselves the best of luck. Please report back. Gwen Xx

[eh11g11 in reply to thomas62]

Hi Gwen, we met with her today and she is going to try and see what she can do,. she was honest with us but was so lovely and has given us more hope! Praying my mum stays strong for the next few weeks before the surgery! Did you have more chemo after your operation? xx

[thomas62 in reply to eh11g11]

Hi eh11g11

I recovered from the surgery quite quickly. Myself and my husband had to remain in accommodation for a week once I was discharged from hospital just in case there were

any complications, which there weren't. Had to pop in though to have my stomach staples removed - easy pizzy! I was discharged back to my consultant in Manchester who prescribed Aromasin, hormone inhibitor, which I am still taking 15 months on and am still NED with a CA125 of 14. Chemo wasn't recommended for me post this surgery as I am low grade which doesn't respond as well to chemo. In case you need it, the hospital can give you details of how to book hospital accommodation which is pretty close upto the hospital. Good luck to you mum and please keep us updated.

Best wishes. Gwen Xx

[Bettyxxx in reply to eh11g11]

I was in hospital around the same time as gwen having my second surgery with the wonderful prof she was amazing and is very blunt so if there was nothing she could do she would tell you!

I had chemo after and remain well 17 months later. She takes no prisoners after the op so be prepared to be told to get in with it and i love that. I have had a couple of problems with scans being inaccurate since and she helped out after I emailed her, she is lovely

Hope that helps

Diane

[Solange]

I'm so sorry your poor Mum has this problem. I can imagine how you and your family must feel. I have no advice but just want to wish her well and so hope that Prof Fotopoulo can do something for her.

Love and hugs to you all, Solange 😊