Stricture Dialation with Stent- Last resort before surgery
Well I guess this stricture thing is finally running its course. I have a stricture and it has been dialated three times. On times 1&3 I have perforated and ended up in the hospital air only leaked upper gi showed no fluid leak. Time 2 the took it from 5mm to 6 mm and things were fine.
I went to see the "invasive endoscopy doctor" the other day and he is suggesting they try to dialate with a coated stent as a last ditch effort to avoid surgery. I knew this was what he was going to suggest however I was unprepared for a few of the things we discussed. Such as:
1. The surgeon who performed the original surgery must be performing surgeries at that hospital that day due to the possibility (likelihood?) of having to go in if there is another rupture. The other scopes seemed routine and as though no one expected a perforation. Now we have a dr on stand by ready to open me up (no lap surgery this time) and revise my surgery.
2. The size of the stent. It seems that the coated stent they are planning to use will dialate to 18mm. My understanding is that the coated stent will be left in place and for a couple three months and the coating makes it sort of self sealing. 18mm just seem huge. Isnt a small stoma important to the future success of my surgery? I thought the dr who was doing the original dialations was hoping for 1cm or 10mm dialation?
So I guess right now I am scared of two main things.
1. Being opened up and having another surgery.
2. The size of the stent seems to guarantee a perforation and has me worried about my future success.
Any insights, guidance encouragement is welcomed.
Thanks,
Jon
I guess another thing that has me a bit worried is that I have heard people compare obesity to addiction and say that when a junkie quits he changes the people places and things associated with his addiction. Based on my stricture preventing me from eating I have been relying on tube feeding for my nourishment since early November. Am I missing out on learning new eating habbits that are critical for my future success. What is going to happen when I am able to introduce food back into my life?
I don't know anything about the stint, Jon, but I wish you the best. I do know about addiction, and one thing you can rely on is that you have disrupted the pattern of addictive/compulcive eating since November. That will make it easier to learn new habits any way you look at it.
When you are able to introduce food back into your life you will do it like we are all doing it ... carefully, trial and error, with support and guidance and with a knew attitude!
Finally, I had an open RNY and it was nothing like the nightmare I thought it would be. I was discharged in the same amount of time as a LAP, I got off all pain meds in 3 days, and I have healed well. Of course, we are all different, but my advice: Don't sweat it!
Good luck,
CB
Hi Jon,
Best advice I can offer is don't think too much. The size of the stint etc. is decisions that the professionals make. They have your health in their best interest and you'll just have accept what they decide on faith in them. No one want to go through another surgery. But if that is what it takes to get you back to normal then you'll do what you have to do. Keep us posted and if you ask for prayer help, you'll get it.
Addiction transference is an issue we all deal with. Food was our alcohol so to speak. I think this issue is one reason why we read about guys on this board going balls to walls with exercise. Being addicted to exercise is not a bad thing. So if you're feeling you may be prone to a new addiction, just become addicted to something more positive. You'll figure something out.
God bless you brother and try to remember that this too shall pass.
Doug
Most Active
Recent Topics
