I saw a surgeon at my dr's request due to a stricture in the small intestine close to the ileocoecal valve. I have been on pentasa and prednisone since mid June and Entocort since the end of August. I am not fully convinced that I need surgery. My dr. feels that the inflammation has been taken care of therefore I do not have the severe pain I had before taking all the meds yet I still have a "fixed stricture". I have asked both the surgeon and my dr. about the biologics and immunomodulators. Surgeon says he would consult with my dr. He did and my dr. still feels like the biologics/ immunomodulators would not do me any good. I also asked about balloon dilation and my dr. said he would not attempt it b/c of danger of bowel perforation yet I've read on this forum of other people having it done. Surgeon said he would have to take the cecum and the ileocoecal valve as well as diseased part of small intestine but this is a big issue for me. No one can guarantee that I won't have diahrea worse than what I'm having now. They have not done another small bowel follow through since I have been on all this medicine but I am having the diahrea symptoms now that I'm only on 5 mg of pred and I can feel a dull ache in my right quadrant; not painful but I can feel like something is there. I am having trouble believing that I need surgery. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated as I cannot make the decision to have surgery as I am not as bad off as I was before the meds I am currently taking. Thanks.