Do ALL RNYers know what a stricture is??
It occurs in maybe 5-7% of RNY patients.
This is a repost...but if it can help even one RNYer who is wondering "WHAT DID I DO WRONG...I can't keep my food down. I followed the doctor's orders to a tee". This may help.
What is a stricture? This question comes up weekly, if not daily on OH. Below is a copy and paste from Wikipedia. If you are a few weeks out post op from RNY and have problems keeping well chewed food (even water) down, you might have a stricture. Very common and very treatable. Also do not freak out if you have to go back a second or third time to get treated for one. The Gastroenterologist will go just below the pouch and air up the "balloon". It is an outpatient procedure and you will be sedated.
As the anastomosis heals, it forms scar tissue, which naturally tends to shrink ("contract") over time, making the opening smaller. This is called a "stricture". Usually, the passage of food through an anastomosis will keep it stretched open, but if the inflammation and healing process outpaces the stretching process, scarring may make the opening so small that even liquids can no longer pass through it. The solution is a procedure called gastroendoscopy, and stretching of the connection by inflating a balloon inside it. Sometimes this manipulation may have to be performed more than once to achieve lasting correction.
This is a repost...but if it can help even one RNYer who is wondering "WHAT DID I DO WRONG...I can't keep my food down. I followed the doctor's orders to a tee". This may help.
What is a stricture? This question comes up weekly, if not daily on OH. Below is a copy and paste from Wikipedia. If you are a few weeks out post op from RNY and have problems keeping well chewed food (even water) down, you might have a stricture. Very common and very treatable. Also do not freak out if you have to go back a second or third time to get treated for one. The Gastroenterologist will go just below the pouch and air up the "balloon". It is an outpatient procedure and you will be sedated.
As the anastomosis heals, it forms scar tissue, which naturally tends to shrink ("contract") over time, making the opening smaller. This is called a "stricture". Usually, the passage of food through an anastomosis will keep it stretched open, but if the inflammation and healing process outpaces the stretching process, scarring may make the opening so small that even liquids can no longer pass through it. The solution is a procedure called gastroendoscopy, and stretching of the connection by inflating a balloon inside it. Sometimes this manipulation may have to be performed more than once to achieve lasting correction.
I wish there was a way to keep this post on the front page forever so everyone would see it! It seems like everyday someone posts about the symptoms of a stricture and it seems they have never even heard of one. I even remember a poster a while back being mad because she didn't know what was wrong with her and basically was angry at the other posters on this board for not talking about it more. It irritates the crap out of me when people don't just use the SEARCH!
I have one, it was only opened 2 mm @ Christmas time and spent 7 days in the hospital :( I've been dilated twice and have to go for another on 3/15. I still haven't been able to progress to real food :( I'm now on soft/liquids.
Mandy
Mandy
HW-298 SW-251 Loss/Month post RNY(1)-23.5,(2)-23.3,(3)-9.9,(4)-10.6,(5)-8.9,(6)-7.7,(7)-4.2,(8)-7.5,(9)-1.7,(10)-10.8*first goal reached*,(11)-6,(12)-1.3,(13)-0.3,(14)+2.9-*changed scales that weigh 2lbs heavier*,(15)-0.3(16)-4.7(17),+5.8(18)-1.5,(19)+4.4,(20)-+4,(21)-1.2,(22)+3.5,(23)
It's not always scar tissue tho. The one I had stretched yesterday was fibrous tissue. Closed right down the center, I had two anastomoses. Weird!
Mandy, I feel your pain! I'm still on mushies too. Can't go forward until it's fixed, can't start the excessive regime until the energy is there... Going nuts in the meantime. ^_^
Mandy, I feel your pain! I'm still on mushies too. Can't go forward until it's fixed, can't start the excessive regime until the energy is there... Going nuts in the meantime. ^_^
It is what my mom was with me compared to my brother. He got away with everything and I got away with nothing!
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
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