Bowel blockage advice

[LouieB123]

Hi guys,

For those of you who don’t know about my Mums situation, my mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer (high grade serous) stage 3c with spread to peritoneal feb 2021, but after debulking surgery (St Mary’s Manchester) they also discovered that she had another completely separate primary cancer going on at the same time- a very rare appendix cancer, Goblet cell. She has now had a recurrence of the appendix cancer, she is incredibly unwell after waiting weeks for the peritoneal team to contact her, to no avail.

They suspect a bowel blockage and she has had a CT scan, the Macmillan nurse has just put the fear of god into me by saying sometimes they don’t do anything if it’s completely blocked and that she’s obviously no idea if it is blocked and how severe, but I may need to prepare myself. How could they not operate if she had a blockage. How. Any experience of this would be so appreciated xxxx

[SASSY196]

Hi,

Im really sorry you have had this news and hope it is not a bowel blockage.

I had a bowel blockage in late November last year. The surgeons reviewed all information and said they could not operate. This was because the surgery would have been very complex, if successful ( and it was if) the recovery would take a long time and be hard, during which time I could not get chemo. As I had cancer elsewhere they said the cancer would continue to grow in other places which would continue to be a risk. So therefore surgery wouldn't be an option.

My symptoms were relieved with a gastric nasal tube and my bowel rested by not allowing any food or drink. I was put on iv fluids and an iv nutritional supplement food called TPN as well as iv antibiotics and steroids.

Weekly Taxol was started after a week to try to unblock the bowel. I was told if this did not work there was probably not much else they could do and my life expectancy would be quite short ( weeks rather than months).

I was lucky my bowel unblocked, although I'm now on 4 th line chemo. I am very fearful of another bowel blockage as I don't think they could do much other than relieve symptoms.

Im not sure if this will have helped as its quite a hard hear. Also if it is the appendix cancer im thinking the chemo options would be different.

I hope the nurse is wrong in her comments. I am surprised that if they think she has a bowel blockage she isn't in hospital, my pain at point bowel blocked was immense and I couldn't have been anywhere other than hospital until they relieved the symptoms - maybe thats a good sign?

Sara

[LouieB123 in reply to SASSY196]

hi Sara, thank you for your reply, sorry for the delay, it’s been a rough few weeks. Mum did have a blockage and waited 9 days in the Christie for a stent, she was on the tpn etc and has been discharged after just over 3 weeks. She has been doing ok and trying to build herself up a bit for the next chemo, but she was sick again last night. Such a rollercoaster xxx

[Realistic]

Don't know if it helps but l had my debulking operation at St Marys Manchester then l had a cancerous nodule taken out in the bowel area it was supposed to be a biopsy but they took the whole thing out which was lucky for me because it was cancerous . I saw Dr Ail at M/Cr and can't praise him enough. I was then transfered to Christie's since then l have blockage in my small bowel and a hernia it doesnt hurt but thats causing my problems in the small bowel. Everyones been reluctant to treat me l already have a managed brain tumour. So although l look as fit as a fiddle on paper lm not so everyone is reluctant to do anything but l researched and found myself a surgeon that specialises in complicated surgery whos marvellous and will do my surgery. So there

are people out there that will do complicated surgery get 2nd opinions lm lucky l dont look or feel unwell. God bless hope my story helps you can pm me if you want. Sending love & hugs to everyone SheilaFxxx

[LouieB123 in reply to Realistic]

thank you Sheila. Xx