Stricture Advice

I am about six weeks out from surgery and had an endoscopy last Friday where they found a stricture and dilated it. Before that, it had been three weeks of not eating, drinking water with difficulty, and always being nauseous unless I took Zofran. I am happy that the doctor finally decided to do the endoscopy and could clearly see what was wrong, but now I'm not really sure if I'm better.

According to my plan, I am supposed to now be able to eat any proteins and cooked vegetables, but I am struggling with solid foods. I tried to eat chicken yesterday and today and both times could only eat less than an ounce, around one tablespoon. Tonight I tried a softer turkey in gravy which seemed to go a little bit better but I could only have two bites and had to spit out the third from nausea. 

Is this normal at this time? I called the nurse with my doctor's office today and she helped me get a Zofran refill and said they wanted to give it some time before doing another endoscopy. I will of course keep following their directions, just wondering how much nausea and difficulty eating others experienced at this time and any tips? It has been so long I have just been drinking water and broth and not eating I don't really know what my expectations should be. Thanks for your help. 

Sorry to hear what you are going through. I didn't have a stricture however I had severe nausea constantly daily until about 2 and a half months post op. I ended up back in the hospital around 2 months and all tests came back normal but I stayed for 5 days because the only relief I got was from the IV meds  

I couldn't eat or drink. Couldn't tolerate plain water or most foods. One day my stats were 25 calories and that was from SF freezies. I couldn't get in any protein at all. I would just start gagging. I couldn't even get in all my vitamins because I'd gag on chewables. I switched to patch vitamins and kept trying new foods - just a bite at a time. I lived off frozen homemade slushies **** and water and a squeeze of sugar free koolaid but could only tolerate grape flavour in the magic bullet) I also found I was more nauseous around "that time of the month"  

Now im just over 4 months and can tolerate any food I've tried and also can happily drink plain water. My daily menu is all protein. I've lost almost 80lbs and my quality of life is amazing and my 3 month blood work came back perfect. I remember wondering if I'd made the right decision - all I can tell u is to hang in there, keep trying and don't give up. Also the amount of food they said I could eat was way off - I still can't eat as much as they recommend. 

Good luck - hopefully you will wake up one day and go "omg I don't feel sick!" That's how it happened for me. 

Most of the time, strictures need to be dilated 2 or 3 times before everything flows as it should. It sounds like you need at least one more dilation.

Hi Grim. Need your advice. I have a bad stricture   I ve had RNY 9/14/16. Been dialated twice and it s back 

do you have any experience with strictures?  Thanks.  Steve

Could it be that you haven't had "real" food yet since you've been struggling since the beginning?  Are you taking a gradual approach to the new foods?  Chicken is still hard for me to eat at 2+ years out, as well as turkey.  Maybe try some canned tuna, soft crab meat, or a soft egg, or even just some refried beans.  Make sure you're really chewing and eating very slowly.  Good luck!

Even liquids are difficult. Ended up in ER and admitted twice

sorry your going through this. I understand. I've had two strictures myself and have had to go in and have an endoscopy and be dilated twice. I'm just over 2 months since my surgery (July 29th). After being dilated my surgeon told me to go back to soft foods (stage 3 I think) and drink protein shakes. I did feel a lot better after they did second one. The first one I still felt nauseous so they put me on nausea meds which I haven't had to take since the second one I do however have to take a rx that helps coat and protect my stomach because they are so sensitive right now. My Dr told me that I might have to be dilated again and that's because they can only dilated it so far because they don't want to rip anything and do damage.  Not sure if any of this helps you but I hope it does.  It's no fun but do know you will feel so much better after you get past this.  

...and sorry YOU have gone through two strictures yourself.  One of our eight-year veteran support group members had three dilations early post-op.  He reports a strong feeling of food restriction to this day.  It makes me feel a twinge of jealousness and wonder if his restriction hasn't contributed to his weight maintenance success.  

Ty