Please help! Could it be a stricture?

[Daenerys Targaryen 109]

I am going to call and get advice from my doctor in the morning. But for tonight, I would appreciate any advice anyone can give.

I am 6.5 weeks post op band to bypass. I have had not one single issue for six weeks. All stages of food went down with no problem. I was getting in all required fluids, Protein grams, and Vitamins. My NUT at the 6 week visit was very pleased and cleared me to begin solid food of any texture.

I went home and tried a cheddar cheese cube. Then, I threw up for the first time since surgery and experienced sharp stomach pouch pain for several hours. I thought maybe I didn't eat slow enough or something.

The next few days I continued to try small portions of solid food with no issue. I felt lots of restriction but could get an ounce or two down. Yesterday, I managed about 3 oz of salad including raw veggies.

Then today for lunch I had a couple of bites of chili, which I have been eating the past few days with no issues. Then, I started throwing up and have had lots of restriction the rest of the day today. I can get small sips of Water and premier shake down, but I have to go very slow and there is slight pouch pain. It feels like it did right after surgery again.

So, do you think it sounds like a stricture, swollen/irritated pouch, or this is normal when starting solid foods? I appreciate any advice or shared experiences.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Daenerys Targaryen

[SharBear617 146]

@@Daenerys Targaryen I'd appreciate if you'd either post back here or send me an PM if you call tomorrow about what you're describing. I'm a Dr. Weaver patient too, am at 11.5 weeks post RNY, and have had very similar experience. I'm not getting sick as often as I was, but I will still have an "episode" about once every week to week and a half. I've identified that usually my pouch rejects any meat or poultry that's too dry (like I can tolerate chicken salad, but not just chicken), and I'll have some tightness and then my mouth starts watering like crazy (my definite clue that something wants back up), I don't even want to swallow my own saliva until I get rid of whatever is causing the issue. BUT, it has gotten better. I was wondering about stricture too, but I feel like if it were that, getting anything down would be a problem but that's not the case. It's just some days I have really good days when I'm able to eat and enjoy anything I try, and then some days when 1 meal will be totally fine, another one not, etc. I agree with you that it's hard to figure out when you know you've tolerated something before just fine, and then you don't tolerate it, it's frustrating.

Hope you're doing better soon. It's not fun getting sick, and it makes it difficult to make sure all Protein and fluids are getting in, but I am glad that my "tool" is working, because it definitely keeps me in check on what and how much I eat.

Thanks for posting this, I'm hoping that some of the very wise veteran post-oppers on here will weigh-in (no pun intended ).

[ams1962 2]

I'm not sure that I could be described as 'wise', however, I'll weigh-in with my experience.

I experienced the same issues as you both, but was sleeved in New Zealand in September 2015. I had a number of months with a normal recovery, then started to experience the same as you both - difficulty tolerating food that I could previously tolerate (but this was erratic), and also worsening restriction over time. Several dilatations did not help and I needed a stent. The stent helped enormously and although it was awful when it was in it was like a miracle when it came out!

Although I still have trouble at times almost a year out I've realised that it's about how well I chew. I can now eat anything I like (last night sirloin steak) but need to chew the food very well. Obviously very small amounts. Even minced beef or cooked onion is not good if I don't chew it well enough - I read somewhere food needs to be the consistency of apple sauce when swallowed ie, soft, pulped and wet!

If I have trouble I tend to have a couple of days of trouble and wonder if it is because the stomach is irritated or swollen. My symptoms are as you describe SharBear, tightness and gloopy saliva until I get rid of the food that is causing the problem.

My advice (for what it's worth, and I'm sure you are doing this already) is to see your dietitian or Dr and to record what is giving you trouble, and to pay attention to what (and how) you are eating. Keep fluids up. I don't think you should be experiencing pain.

What ever you do, don't let it go on and on, I found the problem to be very draining and impacted on my day to day life significantly. I also lost weight very, very fast (far too fast to be healthy) and was very weak and unable to work.

Good luck and keep us up to date!