6 wks out and not feeling great !

HI.. I am six weeks out tomorrow. I thought I would be feeling so much better but... Has anyone had a stricture who can give me some tips on what the systoms were? I have had nausea since last week, and some days I eat things fine, and other days not. I have 'd twice since surgery. Drinking water or ice tea does not feel great, lost of grumbling in the tummy and I cannot place the way it feels, but I sure hope this is just temporary? It almost reminds me of when I used to get really really hungrey and then sort of have a tummy ache. i am at a loss. I have an apt with my doctor this week, just to make me feel better, I bet he says everything is fine.. Jane

Jane, I don't know what the symptoms of a stricture are but I can tell you that some days I can eat certain foods and then other days they won't go down. I just had my 2nd bought with ing today and both times it has been on food that I have eaten before without any problems. I think this is just natural. I too am having problems drinking. The only way I can drink is if my water, tea or SF kool aid is ICE cold. If it is even moderately warm I feel like it gets stuck in my chest. Hopefully, you do not have a stricture. Good luck on your journey. Kim

Hi Jane, I'm like Kimmie. Some days I just can't tolerate foods that I have eaten with no problems in the past. That feeling of something stuck in your chest might be signs of gas or eating a couple more bites than your pouch can handle. Mine was mostly from gas. I called my nutrionist and she had me take Gas-X and said I should walk. This helped. As far as the food not staying down sometimes, this sounds pretty normal to me or least what I have been feeling. As always, check with the DR. if your problems still exist.

I, too, am 6 weeks out and have been sick twice in the past week. My first at being sick and today it was just on water. I can't get my energy up but I also still have a 1/4" drainage tube sticking out of me. I feel like when that goes maybe I will finally get it together....I HOPE! I did really well the first 4 weeks and lost 22 pounds and then it just stopped. I haven't lost anything the past two weeks and that just adds to the discouragement. I haven 't even heard of a stricture, do you know what it is supposed to be? Let's just keep smiling!

I had a really tough time around the fourth to sixth week it does get better at times. It may get worse before it gets better, just hang in it is all worth it

I had my surgery on 1-31-05 and I too have experienced the same tight feeling in my chest, I didn't barf but I thought I was going to. I figured it out that I ate one bite too much. When that happens you need to just wait it out. If you are getting nauseated you should call your surgeon. My surgeon said to call immediately if you are nauseated they want to know in case you have a stricture which is when your opening starts to close due to scare tissue. They go in and scope it out. This can happen several times or may not happen at all. Just make sure your doctor knows what is going on with you. They are there for you. Don't hesitate to call. Better safe than sorry.

Hi Jane, My surgery was Jan 20th and I had a stricture 2 weeks ago. I went from doing just fine, to not being able to keep any solid food down. I would eat and then just start feeling fuller and fuller until the point that I had to throw up. I was extremely nauseous. In fact, it felt an awful lot like being pregnant! This went on almost 2 weeks before I was able to have an endoscopy when they fixed it right there with a certain type of balloon. I immediately felt better when I woke up. It was tough getting my energy built back up since I hadn't eaten in such a long period of time. I hope that your doctor gets to the bottom of this for you and that you feel better soon. Tammy

Hi Jane, I had a stricture when I was just 2 weeks out. Got to the point were nothing stayed down not even liquids. I ended up in the ER with dehydration and malnutrition. They hospitalized me for a week, giving me fluids and lots of vitamins and potasium through the 2 IV's they had running. They couldn't stretch me till I reached the 5 week mark (that's were they go in with a scope and use a series of balloons to stretch out the stricture.). I went through that procedure 3 times before I started feeling better. But before that I was ing all the time. Seems nice not to have that happening as much. Now it only happens when I eat something the pouchy doesn't like. Jane if you don't feel right, you need to let your doctor know and keep on them. You know your body and follow your instincts eveyone is different and you know best. Keep us posted on your progress and what happens with you. Take care of yourself, Melva

Thanks everyone for the tips. I really appreciate it. I just got back from Bakersfield CA went on Monday nite,and got back Wd around 1pm. Now I seem to be feeling much better and all the food is going down just fine. So maybe I was just jumping the gun. But after all the great tips from those of you who have had a stricture I will be watching to make sure if that is what I have that I call the doc right away. Thanks again gang !!!!