Question:
Stricture

I have a stricture and it has been dilated once already. I am scheduled to have it dilated again this Friday as it has closed up. Anyone out there have this experience? How many times have you needed to be dilated? Thanks! Ana Villa, RN    — nursevilla (posted on May 27, 2008)

May 26, 2008
I have had 5 strictures. this is no big deal just an inconvienence. After the 4th one they will add a little hormone around the stricture, and this will kill it off. Normally 1 or 2 of them could occur. The reason you have strictures is because you are healing to fast. I have known people that have had up to 10 of them. Good luck
   — Steve Cohen

May 27, 2008
I had three dilations before mine would stay open enough to allow food to pass. I had no problems with the dialations just a minor inconvenence. I was told that this happends to 5% of Roux en-Ys. My surgeon said that he opened it to 15mm and wanted it to stay at 12 - 15mm.
   — azbill

May 27, 2008
Just had my first one last week. Dr says there's a 15% chance we'll have to do it again. He's never needed to do more then 3 for the same person in his seven years.
   — mbrendel

May 27, 2008
I was SCHEDULED for 4 dilations, but they perforated me at 3, and that's the worst thing that can happen. So we're DONE. But since the perforation healed, I've not had any of the bad stricture-feelings I had before. Each dilation was an improvement. But be aware -- if AFTER your dilation, you have pain down below your sternum, or in your back or shoulders, TELL SOMEONE. But a perforation is pretty rare - it only happens if they try to dilate you too much too quickly -- OR, if you just try to have too many dilations over a shorter span of time. That was what happened to me.
   — crydecker

May 28, 2008
I had my first stricture dilation in Feb, then another 2 weeks later... then a follow-up 6 weeks later. I'll go in for another follow-up check 4 months from the last dilation. Each time, the amount of dilation has been less. When I went in for the first one, the doc promised me I'd need atleast another. The total varies by person.
   — gonnadoit

May 28, 2008
I had a stricture 2 yrs after rny. I was told it could happen again and but have had no problems since. Except I can eat a whole lot more than i could 3 yrs ago and I beleive too much was opened up/dilated. I started gaiining weight after the dialtion. Not very much but non the less a gain in weight.
   — mspisces

June 1, 2008
My husband has had four dilations after his procedure. He was 2 months post op, losing weight at a steady speed and feeling great, then started with severe vomiting. The procedure "worked" for a couple weeks, then he would start vomiting again and then have another procedure. Finally the doctor told him he can't have any more of these procedures, since the scarring was bad plus it seemed that the last one showed the stamin was still open. So his gastric surgeon decided he had a lazy stomach that didn't process the food, so that it stayed in the pouch and when it was overly full, it would come up instead of out and prescribed Metoclopramide HCL (10 mg tab) taken twice daily to help his stomach perform. These helped for the most part. He still occasionally vomits and so he takes the pill just in case for the next few meals. His pouch is stretched and he hasn't lost any weight in the last few months. That is the downfall, since by now he should have lost at least another 40 or so pounds. He weighed 374 prior to surgery and now he weighs 252. Other than the vomiting he has had no side effects and he tolerates most foods, except chicken and eggs.
   — Marlies