Stricture Questions

[ThisTimeIsIt 71]

For those of you that have had strictures can you describe the process? Is it a one time fix or do we have to keep having it stretched? What's the recovery time? Is it back to liquids and purees after?

I go in for egd and possible balloon stretch of the structure on august 10th. Barium swallow i just did shows sleeve narrowing/stricture. With all the problems i had finding a digestible Protein and lactose intolerance I am really bummed to find out I have a stricture now!

[Sleeved&Hopeful 182]

Oh goodness. I do know one lady who had a stricture. She had hers stretched as well. Unfortunately, it came back at 5 months post op. She had to have it stretched again. It sucks. I think hers was rare. I'm pretty sure most of the time it works the first time. She said she had to eat very tiny amounts and I know she was on Protein Shakes a lot. I hope yours gets fixed right away.

[ThisTimeIsIt 71]

Thank you for the reply!

[abbybeep 53]

Let me know how your procedure to fix the stricture went! I notice that it's today! I just found out today (5 days since my surgery) that I have a stricture. The doctor said it could be inflammation since it is so early after surgery, and I haven't been able to find too much info on what happens if you have a stricture this early on, seems like it is something that comes later. I hope yours goes well!

[Rootman 1,101]

While not the same as a stricture I had / have a schatzki's ring which is a narrowing of the esophagus, the treatment is typically the same: balloon dilation.

A small balloon is pushed down your throat to the area and inflated and the narrowing opened up. I had mine dilated twice and was still having problems. Rather than go through it again I just elected to have the VSG thinking that what I really needed was to not eat so much so fast - that's what was causing me grief, food getting caught up and not going to the stomach. Now, going on 1 3/4 years out I've not had any issues so far. Then again I can't pack it away like I used to either and may well still have it but it causes me no harm.

I've heard of a few having strictures, most all were helped or cured by dilation. My sister had to have another surgery to open up hers, she is always having issues with surgical adhesions as well, seems here tissues just have an affinity to grow together and cause her problems.

[ThisTimeIsIt 71]

Let me know how your procedure to fix the stricture went! I notice that it's today! I just found out today (5 days since my surgery) that I have a stricture. The doctor said it could be inflammation since it is so early after surgery' date=' and I haven't been able to find too much info on what happens if you have a stricture this early on, seems like it is something that comes later. I hope yours goes well![/quote']

Well it went better than expected. The new medicine I've been taking helped a lot and for now we did not have to do a balloon stretch.

[abbybeep 53]

That is good news!!!! Were you on medicine to specifically help the stricture?