You know your body better then anyone else

I just wanted to post about an experience that I just went through. About two weeks after my surgery I started having trouble with the protein drinks, chalked it up to being lactose intolerant. At that point it was getting harder and harder to get in all my water and protein during the day and i was starting to just feel yucky allot. I moved on to pureeds and it was going okay. By the time that i was ready to move onto soft food it took all i had just to get in my water everyday. I called my surgeon and explained to them what was going on, they had me come in and said it sounded like a stricture. I was scheduled to have it taken care of this coming Mon at 8:30, on saturday i couldnt even drink water so i called the on call number. The surgeon called me back and said we need to take care of this now. So i drove 2.5 hours to my surgeon, was put on IV fluids to re-hydrate me and then off to OR. The procedure was simple and painless, they go in with a scope and stretch the stoma. I was released about 1 hour after the procedure. Your stoma outlet should be 10-12 millimeters (the size of a plain M&M) and mine was 2 millimeters ( just slightly bigger then a straight pin head). This being the reason that I hadnt kept any food down for at least a week and water was a struggle as well. The dr said had i waited until Mon i would have been a raisin and would have been hospitalized for a few days because of dehydration. This was probably starting back when I started having problems with protein drinks at two weeks out. So please listen to your bodies. If you think there is something wrong call your surgeon. If that doesnt work, become his worse night mare. We know our bodies better then anyone else. Sorry it was so long! Hugs, Stacy

Thanks for posting this Stacy I have been wondering what s stricture was and would I recognise it if I had one. Can this happen any time or just after surgery? I'm glad you got yours sorted out. Good for you for being persistant. You're right - we do know our bodies better than anyone and when something doesn't 'feel right'. Thanks again for the advice