Stricture? Gradual or sudden?

Hi!  Is a stricture something that you notice developing gradually?  Or does it come on all at once?

I am 4 weeks out from surgery.  Since Sunday, I feel like it is much harder for me to eat things.  (I threw up for the first time on Sunday.) In general, I feel full much more quickly, like after 1/2-1 oz. I am also moving back to more softish foods like lentil soup and ricotta, whereas last week I had been able to eat well-chewed poultry and ground beef).  I feel like things are stuck in my esophagus a lot.  I get a real pain behind my breastbone--it is the feeling I usually have when I think I am full--but now it comes more quickly and more strongly.  I have a lot of little burps and air bubbles when I eat or drink.  Drinking also seems to give me the painful feeling.

Another thing I have noticed--my doctor had said I could swallow large pills early on.  So, in the second week, I was swallowing some large calcium citrate pills.  These always seemed to feel a little stuck on the way down, but I could swallow them.  Later, I decided I did not like swallowing those pills and changed to all chewable.  Well, tonight, I needed to swallow some pills for something else.  They were small, and even they got stuck going down.  And then I threw up.

Anyhow, I wonder if I could be developing a stricture?  Also, if so, is it something I have caused somehow?  Or do strictures just occur even with no "user error"?  

Thanks for any insight.

It sounds like a stricture. It is nothing you did wrong, just the way your body is healing.  It is something easy for the surgeon to fix, so please call.

Of course check with your surgeon to be certain you arent getting a stricture.  I had a similar expierence it turned out it was actually that my nerves had grown back and I was actually able to feel the fullness.  I was very careful with measuring but once i could feel my actual stomach again ..or start to I had to readjust!  I have never had a stricture so I dont know but I think you should contact your surgeon for sure!

Call your surgeon as it sounds like a stricture. It's a simple procedure to check and treat and is nothing that you did caused it. Keep us updated please!

Thank you all for your encouraging words.  I called my doctor's nurse this morning.  She said this is not normal at this stage, to have that kind of progression, and that it might be a stricture forming that would need a scope.  However, since I am still able to keep fluids and soft foods down, since I have only vomited twice, she wants me to try that for a few days, watch things, and get back to her.  Which I will do!

Hi! I was just wondering if you had an update because I have the EXACT same situation going on. I am four weeks out, can eat less now than before, same exact pain, threw up for the first time a couple of days ago. I had my one month appointment with my surgeon, and she said I could possibly be developing a stricture, but to watch it for a few days. I was curious to see how things to turned out for you. I was also wondering if it was just the nerves healing too. Thanks!

Hi, mysty888!  For a couple of weeks after posting, I really did wonder about if I had a stricture developing.  ButI could still eat, and I could still drink, although it was less than before--more challenging.  My doctor's nurse said to watch it, and it just stayed the same.  Then, a few days ago (that would have been in my 7th week), I noticed that I can drink water better.  I can swallow pills better.  I was able to eat some tender steak last night.  So I have assumed that, back when I made that OP, things were still healing, but that maybe I was more aware of them because of--like you said--healing nerves.  And also perhaps I had pushed things without realizing it.  I also felt that the vomiting I did aggravated things, and I felt that I needed to control the vomiting or I would have a bad circle of trouble.

Good luck to you!

Thank you for responding! Like I said, you described my situation exactly. I was also told by the Dr to watch it over a few days. I can still eat and drink, but it has been more painful with more dense foods. I also think it's just part of healing at this point. I've slowed down how fast I eat, and when I feel almost full, I stop and don't pu**** with just one more bite. It has helped, no more vomiting. It definitely feels tighter than before, but I didn't feel a lot of tightness in the beginning, so maybe it is the nerves healing now. Thank you for your help!