Question:
Anyone heard of your pouch being too small

I am 3 months out and vomit al the time. 1 bite and if I am lucky it satys down. My surgeon is sending me to have dilition (where the insert a balloon and make my stomach larger). He says that the pouch healed and has too much scar tissue, now being to small? Anyone else had this?    — cbarrientez (posted on March 18, 2007)

March 18, 2007
It's called a stricture. It can happen anytime while the stomach is healing. Alot of people get this so don't worry you will do fine. Hope this helps some.
   — OMCameron

March 18, 2007
Are you sure it's your stomach that your doctor is stretching? I was five months out whenever that happened to me and it was my stoma that was stretched, and not my stomach.
   — Belle

March 19, 2007
I didn't have this probjem Cheryl, but I have heard of it. Like another personal said, they called it stricture. But stricture is the narrowing of the stoma as it enters the stomach, you make it sound like your surgeon believes you have scar tissue in your stomach and that is preventing digestion? If this is true, how does he know this without tests? I would suggest you question him well about this and see if it is a stoma issue that needs stretching, or what is the scar tissue issue and how does he know that this is your problem? Do your research and be sure to question them well. You need answers and certainty that you can trust that they have your health at interest, not just another procedure on the plate. Many have had this issue though, the stoma issue, and it can be helped, but be patient and protect your surgery and pouch. Maybe stick to warm liquids and soups for a while, small bites of soothing stuff that goes down very well and slow. As liquid as possible. Puree foods, and warm broth or decalf tea might go down. You definitely need to be looked at, but don't lose heart. This is just a bump in the road, you still have a lot of possible success on the road ahead of you, so dont' lose heart. Take care, and be pro active in your own health. They are the surgeons and doctors, but it is your body, and they need to remember that and educate you on what is going on clearly! Take care, Patricia P
   — Patricia P

March 21, 2007
I had my surgery on Feb. 16th, 2007. After going through the liquid diet and soft foods, I found myself unable to eat more than a teaspoon. If I ate more, then I simply induced vomitting. I went back to my doctor and was referred to a gastroenterologist. I was told that the hole had enclosed. So, today I went in for the proceedure amd it worked without a hitch. It took a total of 20 minutes to open my esophagus from the size of a pin head to a half dollar. 12 hours later I am eating normal and able to keep it down.
   — DMAC1963