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Big step backwards - first stricture

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 6/12/2009 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I just found this message board so I thought I would post my diagnosis and see what ya'll think. I have diagnosed with Chron's for about 12 years. The first doc said Chron's after the first colonscopy (but he couldn't seem to remember who I was or why I was there so I changed). The second who I like very much said not so fast - I think ulcerative colitis. And after a prednisone dose pack, I was on a maintenance dose of Asacol. about two years ago, i thought I knew better and quit taking everything. You just get tired of taking 6 pills a day, ya know?

Fast forward to yesterday, it was time for my every three years colonoscopy yesterday - this is the second time for a colonscopy and EGD. I was about six months late but had to do it before the end of june for insurance reasons. After the procedure he came out and said I had a very tight stricture and even used the pediatric scope and could get past it. There was some drama because he thought he perfed me. Now he says Chron's. Good news is no perf. Bad news is that I really don't know much about self diagnosis and got myself on a 40 mg dose of prednisone (which made me some what crazy last time).

So here are my questions...
Is it possible for a stricture to heal? How long did it take?
Any thoughts on Lialda? He switched me to that about a week ago and I have to say i think it was working although i seem to have some constipation from it. Does anyone else take it?
The symptoms obviously didn't jump out at me. What should I be looking for with strictures?

I should have known something was wrong. When i did my prep, I had terrible vomiting and a horrible gut pain and it took much longer to get to the clear stage.
Posted 6/12/2009 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi me and another person on here is going through the same thing as u right now as far as I know I need a double balloon dilatation to fix my problem,I'm 90% sure there is no way 4 them to heal on there own.Talk to your GI about it I'm sure he can shed more light on this problem then I can good luck.Jenn

Posted 6/13/2009 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
As for the stricture, it really depends. If it is scar tissue I don't think any medication is going to heal it. If it is just immflamation then medication like Prednisone will do the trick.

Good Luck!
Posted 6/13/2009 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the advice. I have an appointment in a month - after my course of prednisone. we shall see what he says.

Have you tried Lialda Wolfie40? I noticed that you are on Asacol - which I was on it for a long while. It never seemed like it did much for me. Probably the reason why I thought I didn't need it at all.

I notice that you both do b-12 injections. Does that help you guys? I don't have any trouble dropping weight so I don't think I am having problems getting the nutrition I need.
Posted 6/13/2009 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi JKLinOKC, and welcome to Healingwell. As you can see we have some wonderful and supportive folks on this board. Wolfie is correct if the stricture is from inflammation the Pred will help, but if its from scar tissue, no meds will work. I too take Asacol and it works well for me, its keeping me in remission. Lialda is in the same med family, probably just works in a different manner. As for the B12 injections, I have to take my B12 injections because my terminal ileum was removed and I no longer absorb it correctly. I am sure thats why the others are taking it too. Again welcome and we look forward to hearing more from you soon.

Hugs
Gail *Nanners*
Posted 6/14/2009 4:14 AM (GMT 0)
I have a stricture too, right at my ileocal valve. I see my GI next month to discuss it. I'm going to ask about strictureplasty and stents.
Posted 6/14/2009 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
Please post again Spookyhurst and let me know what comes from that visit. It might be somethign i should discuss with my GI. Has anyone else out there had experience with strictureplasty or stents?
Posted 6/15/2009 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
I also have stricture, continuing inflammation, and penetrating crohn's which periodically lands me in the hospital. I am pushing my GI doctor to approve Double Balloon Endoscope. I will know next week if it is approved or not. If that does not work I will go for strictureplasty.
Posted 6/15/2009 4:00 AM (GMT 0)

JKLinOKC said...
Please post again Spookyhurst and let me know what comes from that visit. It might be somethign i should discuss with my GI. Has anyone else out there had experience with strictureplasty or stents?

Sure thing! But I don't see my GI till the end of July. It's hard to get an appointment with her.
Posted 6/15/2009 12:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi JK --

I had my first stricture scare a year ago. I too should have known something was wrong (vomiting, etc.) but the symptoms didn't match my normal CD flare ups. At any rate, I have some scarring at the location, so my GI put me on prednisone with the hope that the stricture was part scarring and part inflammation. It was scared for many weeks, but eventually the pred worked. My doctor then put me on imuran, which has kept me in remission but creates its own set of potential problems. I hope pred works for you too. Keep in touch. I've found this website to be very supportive and informative.
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