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  • Ileus Warning

    Hi...

    A friend of mine had her first revision surgery 10 days ago, and the second and third stages 3 days ago. After the surgery 10 days ago, she was sent up to ICU because it was too late to send her to recovery. While in ICU, she was encouraged by a nurse to drink something. She was told that it would help her to recover more quickly.

    I know that eating or drinking anything too quickly after a long surgery will almost certainly cause a painful ileus, but my friend didn't know that, and drank what she was given.

    So, I'd like to warn those of you who are scheduled for surgery, not to eat or drink anything beyond a few ice chips, until bowel sounds are heard, even if it's a medical professional making the offer.

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

  • #2
    Good to know, thanks for posting....
    Hugs,

    hdsluckygirl
    hdsluckygirl@gmail.com

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi...

      It depends on the patient and the procedure. If you have only posterior surgery, there is only a minimal chance that you'll end up with an ileus. At UCSF, patients are encouraged to drink fluids the day after surgery because there are studies that show that getting nourishment into the patient earlier results in better outcomes. After my 2011 surgery (both anterior and posterior), I was too sleepy to remember that I didn't want to drink anything. So, on the second day, I started on fluids by mouth. I did not get an ileus.

      As you can see, the original post was from 10 years ago. I think my best advice today would be to follow your doctors' orders.

      --Linda
      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

      Comment


      • #4
        Mine was an 8 hour posterior surgery (the surgery itself) and I developed an ileus that lasted 5 days. NPO including no ice chips. The IV must have been very strong stuff, as I was not hungry and ended up gaining 11 lbs. and it was not fluid retention. I was elated with the first little "blip, blip" of gas... hooray! Before that I was walking the halls with my IV "cart" (and helpers) and wishing I could have something to drink... and real food. I actually did not feel hungry, though. It was ok. We get through what we need to.
        71 and plugging along... but having some problems
        2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
        5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
        Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

        Corrected to 15°
        CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
        10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

        Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi I just had that done as part of my last surgery.I got the opinion that the surgeon just looked at the fusion .he did tell me afterwards that the fusion was solid. He also removed part of my hardware in the same surgery. It was an easy surgery to recover from.they did not take all of the hardware out just the part that was bothering my nerves near my left rib cage.
          Last edited by jackieg412; 11-11-2014, 06:47 PM.
          T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
          C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
          T2--T10 fusion 2/11
          C 4-5 fusion 11/14
          Right scapulectomy 6/15
          Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
          To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
          Broken neck 9/28/2018
          Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
          Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
          Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
          Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
          Osteotomy

          Comment


          • #6
            I see Crystal has been digging.......and how neat to re-surface one of Linda’s old posts! 10 years next week!

            Dixie, Here is a video by Dr Hey that will show what a non-union looks like. There is quite a bit of movement....(near end of video)

            Warning.....Graphic surgical video!

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiQtaqzjPUY

            I had a 9 day ileus with an NG tube that sucked my stomach contents....Massive anterior surgeries pretty much guarantee ileus. I did get my ice chips but the NG tube would suck the water right out....

            I was pretty big, but not training wheel big. (smiley face) Tonight’s entertainment....
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ieNEtkQOiw

            Ed
            49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
            Pre surgery curves T70,L70
            ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
            Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

            Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

            My x-rays
            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by dixiesmommie
              My four other spine surgeries were all posterior. This one is going to be posterior for fusion exploration then as a backup possibly anterior. I go Friday for pre op. I have searched everywhere to see what fusion exploration involves. I think they take the hardware out but not sure. Linda do you know?
              I'm not certain, but I think they need to remove the rods.
              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
                Massive anterior surgeries pretty much guarantee ileus.
                I know I've heard from more than a few people who had an ileus, but I don't know if it's even the majority. I didn't have an ileus with either of my anterior spine surgeries (nor any of the 3-4 non-spine abdominal surgeries that I had).
                Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                Comment


                • #9
                  The Dr did not remove my rods except where he removed the 4 screws and 2 connectors. He cut the rod. This was on a nerve in my ribs. It was the answer and has helped. The nerve isn't perfect but better. It is only 2months and Dr said nerves take time. But from people I know everyone says I walk straighter and stronger. He only removed the left side and left the right alone. I see him next week for cervical surgery and will ask him just what he checked.
                  T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
                  C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
                  T2--T10 fusion 2/11
                  C 4-5 fusion 11/14
                  Right scapulectomy 6/15
                  Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
                  To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
                  Broken neck 9/28/2018
                  Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
                  Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
                  Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
                  Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
                  Osteotomy

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Linda...am wondering how your friend did after drinking whatever
                    fluid the nurse told her to drink...sounds like it did not lead to
                    anything good...???

                    Susie Bee...wondering what the weight gain was from if not fluid
                    retention...? if you could not eat anything...and it was not fluid
                    retention...what would cause 11 pounds of weight...?

                    Dixie's Mommie...wishing you good luck, successful operation and
                    uneventful recovery....

                    jess...and Sparky

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      From the IV solution. Sometimes they give you a super IV -- Ti-ed could tell you a little about that. But it is heavy duty stuff. I have a really low metabolism so it doesn't take much for me to gain weight. My body goes into starvation mode right away and shuts down (doesn't burn up calories). I went 10 days without eating with influenza once and only lost 2 lbs. That kind of thing. It happens to me a lot. I eat bird-sized helpings... I'm trying to work on improving my metabolism now, but it's been that way all my life. I wonder if it has to do with the CMT. We think I might have 2B. It's axonal-based, anyway, not myelin. Working on it. I went there Monday, he wasn't done working up my EMG tests, but had been looking through the info and had gone through all the blood work. Good results from my brain MRI (for my migraines) -- I have one!!! (big smile!) No problems with my brain. We're trying a beta blocker along with the topiramate to see if that works. If not, he says I'm a good candidate for botox injections -- but we have high deductible insurance, so that doesn't sound good to me. (sad face).
                      71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                      2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                      5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                      Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                      Corrected to 15°
                      CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                      10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                      Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by jrnyc View Post
                        Linda...am wondering how your friend did after drinking whatever
                        fluid the nurse told her to drink...sounds like it did not lead to
                        anything good...???

                        Susie Bee...wondering what the weight gain was from if not fluid
                        retention...? if you could not eat anything...and it was not fluid
                        retention...what would cause 11 pounds of weight...?

                        Dixie's Mommie...wishing you good luck, successful operation and
                        uneventful recovery....

                        jess...and Sparky
                        It's been long enough that I don't have a clue to whom I was referring.
                        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
                          I see Crystal has been digging.......and how neat to re-surface one of Linda’s old posts! 10 years next week!

                          Ed
                          blushing.... why yes, I have been digging. The more I know the better I feel in making my decision =) Sure did open a can of worms. lol
                          Hugs,

                          hdsluckygirl
                          hdsluckygirl@gmail.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hi, everyone -

                            I won't bore you all with the details of my recent ileus here, but in my case, when I woke up from anesthesia, I was "with it" and relatively pain free. My only complaint that my lips were dry. I asked the male attendant/nurse if I could please have something for my lips...an ice chip, whatever they call that swabbie thing, whatever. I was miserable. Felt like someone had dumped a used cat litter box into my mouth. Nurse/attendant told me I couldn't have any ice chips until I had had a bowel movement, which makes perfect sense to me in ileus land, but I believe they could have at least wiped my mouth or let me swish and spit, or something. There has to be something between "litter box mouth" and ileus. If there is, Barnes hasn't found it. And, even with no swabs, ice chips, or anything else, I ended up with the ileus anyway. I also had eight (yes, eight) IVs that occluded and had to be restarted before they finally gave up (this over the period of six days that I was in the hospital). I felt so bad for my roommates. The IV kept occluding all night long, and instead of just turning off the monitor or whatever they do, I had to press the call button to get the nurse in there so she could reset some button. Thirty minutes later, the alarm went off again. Went on for two or three nights (can't remember). Pretty sure I was a very popular roommate. (ha) Had hubby bring her a gift bag full of wine and other stuff for when she is on the mend (she had a hip replacement). I was a terrible roommate - alarms going off, puking, crying, etc.

                            So hey, if you know someone named Joanne who had her hip replaced at Barnes a couple of weeks ago, her roommate from hell is terribly sorry.

                            Good luck to you!
                            Fifa

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              hey fifa
                              sorry for all u went thru....
                              sounds like maybe they should have chosen to put in a catheter
                              for IV and left it there...but guess they wouldn't know that
                              ahead of time...there are "integrated catheter systems" that
                              help prevent IV problems from developing.
                              people who have bad veins...like me....know....and tell
                              the nurses...
                              i had a catheter in for a long time for IV for Lyme...
                              i knew my veins couldn't take daily IV tx or even heparin
                              locks of a few days...

                              hope you are feeling better and better...
                              jess....and Sparky
                              Last edited by jrnyc; 12-07-2014, 01:11 PM.

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