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Ever had Stricture surgery?

Went in for a barium x-ray and have discovered I have a stricture about 8cm long... the actual passageway (or lumen as officially called) was string like... meaning it's almost totally blocked.

I knew I had a narrow passageway but was shocked at how bad it was. A colonoscopy only partially revealed this area - so if anyone out there has these symptoms - you too may have a stricture... well, these were my symptoms.

Vomiting sometime after eating a meal... bloating (usually if you eat a meal with risky foods such as vegetables - french fries do me in as well).

Uncontrollable bowel movements with little time to get to the bathroom.

Occasional discomfort/tenderness in the area of the stricture.

You take tons of different meds for Crohn's but nothing works (indication of heavily scarred area of intestine that meds cannot fix).

On a final note, after learning of my stricture it almost angers me at the books and other info out there claiming you can be cured of Crohn's based on your diet. In the case of a stricture with scarred tissue this could be a dangerous path to follow as diet won't do a thing for that and you could end up with compete blockage.

Anyway... curious to hear of other stricture stories out there...and how surgery affected your quality of life :)
 
Hi I had a stricture about 1 ft long that failed to heal with meds. It eventually perforated and I got an abscess. Surgery was the only option so I had an ileocecal resection and have been good since. Recent colonoscopy shows md inflammation at surgery site but no active crohns. Small bowel series and bloods all normal so so far it's worked for me. Goodluck but my understanding is if the stricture is caused by scar tissue then surgery is really the only option.
 
I am now trouble with my stricture problem. Pred is not work for me, and I am taking aza now, waiting for the effect of the aza. i am very afraid of scar.

How long do you have symptom before the surgery? I think the formation of scar maybe needs years of symptom. Am i right?
 
I am now trouble with my stricture problem. Pred is not work for me, and I am taking aza now, waiting for the effect of the aza. i am very afraid of scar.

How long do you have symptom before the surgery? I think the formation of scar maybe needs years of symptom. Am i right?
 
Had plenty of strictures taken care of - nine were included free of charge with my first three resections! From what I understand of how they are done (I could be wrong), an 8 cm stricture might be too long. That would put a real bend into your bowels that would really invite further blockage. Wouldn't be surprised to see that end up being a resection. Aza likely won't do much to reduce it as it works on inflammation,not scar tissue, but it could keep it from getting longer.
 
I have what my GI calls "Stricturing Crohns" - i got my first stricture removed with a re-section in 2005 follwoed by my 2nd in 2009 - had lots more surgery 2009/2010 and it now looks like i am again strictured.

My Gi is reluctant to refer me for surgery as my bowels simply stricture in the same place - there is no other option though!

For me i flare, take meds to reduce the flare, this leaves scar tissue. Repeat this and eventually the scar tissue becomes a stricture which gets narrower and narrower.

Tis a never ending circle!
 
Had plenty of strictures taken care of - nine were included free of charge with my first three resections! From what I understand of how they are done (I could be wrong), an 8 cm stricture might be too long. That would put a real bend into your bowels that would really invite further blockage. Wouldn't be surprised to see that end up being a resection. Aza likely won't do much to reduce it as it works on inflammation,not scar tissue, but it could keep it from getting longer.
Then which med could work on the inflammation? I don't want a surgery.
 
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