anyone know about strictures?

I am still having a bad time eating. I only eat a small amount and then have a very uncomfortable feeling. I am 5 months out and I still eat a basically a soft food diet. I find some foods just too dense. Sometimes I think I just eat too fast, because it doesn't happen every time. Fluids don't bother me, except if I gulp. I'm never nauseous, I just get this discomfort. I've never had a carbonated drink or drank from a straw. I am wondering if I could have a stricture? Anyone ever have one or know anything about them? I see the surgeon next month, I am scared of having a endoscopy, or another surgery .... Any help is appreciated!

Hi Linda, With a stricture you can not hold the food down because the stoma is too small to let the food pass into the intestine. It would make it even difficult with fluids. I think you need to chew a lot and put your spoon or spoon down talk or even read and then a couple of minutes late eat another bite. Before surgery we were so used to wooffing our food down that we forget we have to eat very slow now. When I catch myself eating fast I get that uncomfortable feeling in the middle of my chest. If you was to get another endoscopy to make sure if you have a stricture suring that same procedure your doctor will dilate the stoma. So there wouldn't be another surgery involved. I hope you get to feeling ebtter soon. By the way if I take a big gulp I hold the fluid in my mouth and drink it by making like 5 small swallows. I hope this helps some. Hugs, Cira

Look at your sexy avitar!!!!! You go girl!

You are too funny Amy!! That picture was taken the day we all had the gathering at Timbuktu. My daughter took it when I got home from seeing all you wonderful ladies. That big crabcake I ate had me day dreaming! Hugs, Cira

Love the new Pic!!

Thanks!

Linda, I'm the stricture-kid!!! I was probably about 5 months out when I started having problems with getting food down and keeping it down. My stricture was an esophageal stricture rather than with the stoma. I let it go for over a month thinking it was something I was doing wrong .. eating too fast, not chewing enough, etc. I really could have made myself sick, I ended up having 3 endoscopies and dilations. I still think that my esophageal opening is more narrow, but I'm not going to complain. I have issues even now at 3 plus years with some textures and I get full extremely fast with dense foods. If you are having problems, do not wait until next month to see your surgeon, call him NOW. This is could be a serious situation and speaking from experience, you run the risk of dehydration and malnutrition. Hugs, Mo

tell me about endoscopy - do you have to go to the hospital? Do they put you to sleep? Why did it take 3 to fix your problem?

Linda, I had my surgery at PRMC in Salisbury. When I needed follow up for the stricture I went back there. It is done as an outpatient procedure (similar to a colonoscopy). The first time they could not sedate me (because my blood pressure was too low), but each of the subsequent times, believe me .. I was out and I don't remember anything about it!!! My doctor explained to me that it wasn't unusual to need the procedure 3 times. He did tell me that he wouldn't keep sending me for dilation indefinitely though and if I needed another dilation it might mean that I needed a revision to the upper part of my surgery (where the esophagus connects to the pouch). I had an ulcer that developed from the original surgery/healing and that is what caused the stricture. Have you ever had a colonoscopy? An endo is very much the same, just from the other end! Hugs, Mo