It was a stricture!

Having trouble keeping some foods down? particularly more solid things (even if you chew, chew, chew) It might be a stricture. I had my surgery March 27th and started throwing up things around a month out. It wasn't everything I ate, but often enough to be a pain, about once a day. I had an upper endoscopy yesterday and it was a stricture! I'm so glad I had it done. They dilated me 4 sizes (? whatever that means) but I can tell already there is a change for the better. Don't worry if you have to have it done. It was a breeze! They put me all the way under (heavy sedation) and I just went to sleep and woke up fine. I don't have any pain today and went to work like normal. If I would have known how easy it was, I wouldn't have been so apprehensive about it. (I almost cancelled several times because I could still get down some foods and thought maybe it wasn't a stricture and I would just have to "deal with" my new stomach!) I am eating much more than before and have not had any vomiting so far. Yippee! Katie

Im glad you got it taken care of early! Hubby lived with a stricture 6 months and got very sick, dehydrated and ended up hospitalized! My surgeon say's the stoma should be about 13 mm in diameter, so I imagine when they said they dialted you 4 sizes they probably dialated you 4 mm's. They normally dialte you a little bigger, like up to 15 mm's because it retracts a little afterwards. Big difference huh? Hubby's was like night and day... he is doing so much better now. Darlene

One of your other posts mentioned your hubby and encouraged me to go ahead. You start to think maybe you're crazy because you can still get some things down! Hope he's doing well with it. It must be so fun to have a hubby to share the experience. I think my husband's a little tired of his own cooking. They said they dilated my stricture from 8 to 12, so I hope that I don't have to go back, I know people often do need a return visit. I really was getting discouraged and now feel like maybe things will go a little more smoothly. (p.s. thanks for all the snack and recipe suggestions. I'm a little overwhelmed with kids, work, new eating, and don't have time to experiment much, it's fun to see what other people eat to get ideas! I just got a boatload of Laughing Cow lights from COSTCO!) Hugs, Katie

Hubby is doing great! He is like a completely different man once they got his stricture isue resolved! Im so glad you got it taken care of straight away! If they only dialated you to 12, hopefully you won't need another---- my surgeon say's it retracts a little, and you dont want to be going back under 12 mm's (12-13 mm's is good). You know the signs though.... so your prepared if you ever need anymore dialation. 8mm's was the sizes of hubbys stoma... not good, barely able to eat or drink.. I think you'll be so much happier now that youve had this done! Darlene

Katie, Can you tell me which Laughing Cow cheese you found at Costco? The Babybel Light or the flavored foil wrapped kind? I may have to go to Costco on the way home.... Thanks! Elizabeth

The flavored foil-wrapped kind. Original swiss and herb and garlic. YUM! Katie

I was sick for 2 days this past weekend. My surgeon's rule is that if you are throwing up, and it is not because you ate too fast, or too much to call right away. I did, and they had me in his office within 3 hours! They put a scope down my throat, and I was fine, but they are very careful about that! He gave me some medicine that calmed my stomach down, and I was fine after that.

I'm glad you got checked out. I had trouble deciding if I was eating too fast or too much, it's very subjective... Hope you continue to feel well! Katie