ARG! So Continues the Odyssey...Part II: Stricture! - ThinnerTimes

aesidwell · 05-09-2006, 03:02 PM

So I went to my 3 month check up appointment today and showed them my documentation on what I've been eating, how much I've been throwing up, what I've been throwing up, etc. (most anything more solid than a cottage cheese kind of consistency) and FINALLY the surgeon has said, "It might be a stricture." So I have to schedule an endoscopy/dilation procedure sometime in the next few weeks.

Help me out, my forum family! I mean, I have really mixed emotions about this, and I have to admit a big part of this is fear about eating more after the procedure, but confusion because I KNOW it's not healthy that I can barely eat right now. Also, from our resident medical folks, can someone please explain what exactly happens during a dilation and is this anything I should be worried about? Am I being a big ol' scaredy cat?

brookscn · 05-09-2006, 03:18 PM

Amanda:
I asked the same question a few weeks ago - here was the response from LisaBoston:

The whole time to fix my stricture was 2 hours from the time I walked in to the time I walked out. They prep you, give you happy drugs and do the scope which takes less than 5 minutes. It takes a little while to come out of the happy drugs, so they kept me for an hour after to wake up, have a drink of water and dress myself to leave. Its a conscious sedation, so some remember it, others done. I would have it done again in a heartbeat....no problem at all. I went out an hour after the procedure and ate shrimp and rice.

aesidwell · 05-09-2006, 03:21 PM

Thanks Carolyn. Did you have this done? How are you feeling now? How much are you eating? (That's what scares me the most!!)

LisaBoston · 05-09-2006, 03:31 PM

Amanda....as I posted and Carolyn reposted, its no big deal. You shouldn't be vomitting and not keeping solids down, so even if its not a stricture and they scope you, they can see with the camera what is going on and then you can make educated choices based on that. You do eat a little more RIGHT after a scope, depending on how much they dialate you...BUT it does shrink down again. I was at 12mm the day of surgery, 7mm on the day of the scope, 15mm after the scope and the doctor estimates that I am back down to 12mm. I can eat less now then right after the scope...the honeymoon only lasted for about a week!

Strictures are quite common, but one of the easiest to fix!

Hope this helps.

HeatherT · 05-09-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aesidwell

Thanks Carolyn. Did you have this done? How are you feeling now? How much are you eating? (That's what scares me the most!!)

i had several scopes and once did get a sore throat from scrapping i am guessing.. but the other dozen times they went in it was fine i had no trouble...here is what i went through....

I had surgery 10/18/05 healed really quickly because i went in on 11/6 and they said it was closed so tight they had to probe it - they dilatated me from 0 to 10 (9 balloons) then i stayed in the hospital overnight just because it was a lot of baloons at once.... they went back in on 11/9/05 they dilated to 13 then i went home...on 11/16/05 i went back in because i was now scared when i was throwing up a LOT they dilated me from 10 to 16 as an out patient i got thre at 9 and was on my way home by noon. but I had to return 12/4/05 they did the dye test & saw thing were going slow again they did blood tests because i was telling them how much i threw up and found they had to give me potassium and get things under control before they took me back in for more scopes...so i stayed in the hospital for several days this time and they decided to do the scope a little differently....on 12/6/05 dilatated from 10 to 14 on 12/7/05 from 13 to 16 on 12/8/05 from 14 to 18 than on 12/9/05 after breakfast i went home... i have not had a problem since they did the dilatations in December so i think the series is what made it work for me.... yes there are times i think the pouch empties faster maybe because of the scopes but i read others posting wht they eat and i dont think its any faster i think i am just further out and everone says that the 6-9 month mark is when you feel like OMG I am eatting to much - i do fill up very fast still i only can eat a little bit maybe half a chicken breast but i feel like now i can eat a lot more nuts but not more chicken so i think its the consistancy of the foods!

but you dont want to keep throwing up because potassium hurts thru an IV!
Have they checked your potassium? you'll want that checked before they put you under as it could be deadly if you have low potassium and they put you under....at least that is what the Nurse told me and why they postponed the scopes for 2 days so i could get my potassium back up...

i hope you will only need one little scope and be all better - but it doesnt hurt to have it done that i can tell you from experience...but i know others have said it didnt feel good because they woke up with sore thorats and scratching so good luck

i hope all this info helps you

Dyann · 05-09-2006, 09:00 PM

The experience of it is described well above... The national average is 14% of patients get a stricture.

It is much better to have it done at your stage then when nothing stays down. It is more successful and you are less likely to need more than one procedure. As I have typed before
25% who have a stricture get dilated once
50% get dilated twice
25% need it 3 x's or more.

The drugs are great and with enough you won't remember any of it.

You can do this.

Bypassingme619 · 05-10-2006, 05:32 AM

Amanda you hang in there. I am sure you are in good hands. The eating habits you are picking up now are not healthy and need to be taken care of before other issues arise later. I understand your concern about being able to eat more then you are now but you want to go with what is going to be healthy for you in the long run.

goblin · 05-10-2006, 09:07 AM

I went through hell with my surgery, but the dilation is the easiest thing I've ever done. And the best part is that you can eat normally afterwards. You realize how it SHOULD be. I have been dilated twice, and I'll do it as many times as I have to (despite the long drive) because it makes such a big difference and it's an easy procedure.

Lisa A.

brookscn · 05-10-2006, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aesidwell

Thanks Carolyn. Did you have this done? How are you feeling now? How much are you eating? (That's what scares me the most!!)

Amanda:
I haven't had it done (but I'm a constant worrier - so I thought I would find out what it entails - one less thing to worry about)! Lisa made me feel so much better......

MiladyB · 05-10-2006, 09:34 AM

Amanda, I am so glad you are finally getting this checked out. I remember the first time you started posting about having problems with not being able to keep food down and problems with dehydration. I thought it sounded like a stricture then and I still think it is one. I'm just sorry you had to push your physician so hard to get it checked out further.

Don't worry too much about the scope. I haven't had one but I've assisted in plenty of them. I'm one of the nurses who gives those "happy drugs".

One of the meds that you get has an amnestic. It's a wonderful little drug! If it is a stricture you should fell so much better after they dilate it.

Good Luck!