Stricture at the pouch and duodenum? Anyone?

[Laura M 10]

HI Everyone,

I'm relatively new here but hoping someone might be able to help provide me some guidance. I'm 7 weeks post op and been nauseous since week 3 but the nausea has gotten worse. I've been suspecting a stricture but my surgeon does not believe it. While I can get Water and food down, it feels like sits in my stomach forever and I have nausea every time I eat. The other night, I tried upping what I ate because I'm not getting enough Protein. Mind you, I ate slow and small amounts. I was super nauseous that night and all day yesterday. Now every time I eat or drink anything, my stomach is gurgling. Especially with water, like it's trying to get through stuck food sitting in my stomach. My surgeon is on maternity leave and won't be back until February, so I'm going to see another surgeon in her office (that doesn't do bariatric surgery but acid reflux surgery) on Tuesday of next week. Can you tell me if an upper GI would diagnose a stricture? I've also thought it could be an ulcer but I don't have much pain, just nausea. Any thoughts would be great! I'm so miserable right now and at that "I wish I had not done this" stage. : (.

Thanks.

Laura

[kcuster83 1,504]

Hello, sorry you are struggling. It will get better when they figure it out!

Yes, a scope will show a stricture.

Good luck to you, hope you feel better soon.

[Laura M 10]

I'm sorry Kcuster83, I meant an upper GI series barium swallow. Since my surgeon is out, they can't do the endoscopy. I'm so frustrated. Thanks for replying, did you have a stricture?

[kcuster83 1,504]

12 minutes ago, Laura M said:

I'm sorry Kcuster83, I meant an upper GI series barium swallow. Since my surgeon is out, they can't do the endoscopy. I'm so frustrated. Thanks for replying, did you have a stricture?

No, I didn't have a stricture. I just know it will show it. However, I do not know if a barium swallow will show it or not.

That is crazy that they can't have someone else scope you while she is out! They could refer you to an upper GI specialist to have the scope done!

My surgeon didn't even do my pre-op scope because he was too backed up, so he referred me to their hospitals GI to have it done.

[Laura M 10]

Thank you for that idea! I am going to suggest this to him on Tuesday because I'm miserable. They keep saying it will get better in time but they have done nothing to know if it is something structural. Considering I'm at 7 weeks and have had all the symptoms for 4 weeks this is ridiculous! Thanks so much again for responding, I so appreciate you!

[toodlerue 452]

I’m sorry you are dealing with this.
Have they given you anything for the nausea? They should give you something until you can have the GI done.

[Laura M 10]

Hi toodlerue-

I have Zofran but it doesn't work great. Any ideas of better meds? That is all they would offer me so far but I could ask at my appt. next week. So frustrated but thanks for your reply. : )

Laura

[toodlerue 452]

There is also Compizine You might have to use a suppository 😬

[Laura M 10]

Thank you so much!! If it works to keep me feeling better all day, I will be happy. I just really want to find out why it is happening! I don't want to take nausea meds the rest of my life. Did you have nausea bouts with your surgery?

[GreenTealael 25,330]

You might just be experiencing the normal healing process but definitely get it checked out if you think something is really off.

I had a stricture right after revision to RNY and the symptoms was not nausea and gurgling but a hard lump in the throat followed by projectile vomiting without notice. The only thing that stayed down were Clear Liquids.

An endoscopy will diagnose a stricture and if they do a dilation you should feel some relief pretty quickly.

Get well soon!

[St77 87]

I had an upper GI barium swallow to check for strictures about a week after my surgery and while they didn't find one, they did find that the anastamosis to my duodenum was the size of a pencil eraser. After a few weeks there was more space for things to move on through, it was just a matter of healing.

I've also had an endoscopy to check for strictures a few months past my surgery because I still can't consume more than a few hundred calories a day and have nausea and vomiting. Nothing was found.

[Laura M 10]

43 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

You might just be experiencing the normal healing process but definitely get it checked out if you think something is really off.

I had a stricture right after revision to RNY and the symptoms was not nausea and gurgling but a hard lump in the throat followed by projectile vomiting without notice. The only thing that stayed down were Clear Liquids.

An endoscopy will diagnose a stricture and if they do a dilation you should feel some relief pretty quickly.

Get well soon!

Hi greenttealael-

i think my stricture would be at where the intestine and stomach go together (if I have one) because I can swallow ok. But the food seems to sit there forever. Monday I tried to eat more regular food and I was nauseous again in about 20 minutes and when I woke up the next day I was nauseous all day. I spent the afternoon dry heaving into a trash can because nothing comes up. If I stick to mushy the nausea passes in a couple hours. I used to be able to drink fine. Now even Water is making me nauseous. Where was your structure?

glad you got it fixed! Thanks for the reply.

laura

[Laura M 10]

43 minutes ago, St77 said:

I had an upper GI barium swallow to check for strictures about a week after my surgery and while they didn't find one, they did find that the anastamosis to my duodenum was the size of a pencil eraser. After a few weeks there was more space for things to move on through, it was just a matter of healing.

I've also had an endoscopy to check for strictures a few months past my surgery because I still can't consume more than a few hundred calories a day and have nausea and vomiting. Nothing was found.

Hi stt77,

so sorry you are having a hard time too. This is awful. Do you just take anti nausea all day? I’m on zofran but it doesn’t work well. I’m hoping to get some answers soon. Will update after my appt next week. Happy holidays. I will be eating very little, just like Thanksgiving.

[St77 87]

1 minute ago, Laura M said:

Hi stt77,

so sorry you are having a hard time too. This is awful. Do you just take anti nausea all day? I’m on zofran but it doesn’t work well. I’m hoping to get some answers soon. Will update after my appt next week. Happy holidays. I will be eating very little, just like Thanksgiving.

Thanks! I'm on Zofran because I'm allergic to all of the other anti-nausea medications. It works ok for me, I just wish the nausea would go away. One thing that the surgeon figured out was everytime I had dry heaving episodes it would almost cause swelling, which kind of exacerbate the problem. She gave me Ativan to try and relax the muscles when this happens and it helped a bit.

I hope you get some answers and relief soon.

[Laura M 10]

13 minutes ago, St77 said:

Thanks! I'm on Zofran because I'm allergic to all of the other anti-nausea medications. It works ok for me, I just wish the nausea would go away. One thing that the surgeon figured out was everytime I had dry heaving episodes it would almost cause swelling, which kind of exacerbate the problem. She gave me Ativan to try and relax the muscles when this happens and it helped a bit.

I hope you get some answers and relief soon.

Are you nauseous all day or just when you eat and drink? It was first when I was eating harder foods but now it’s starting to be after drinking too. I just don’t understand why it’s getting worse. I hope you find some relief too.