Stricture and need HELP!

I have a new diagnosis of Crones this year at age 43. I have a stricture in the Ilieum that is small (in length) but causing a lot of problems, pain, lowest weight ever, hospitalized for partial blockage/vomiting, toxic headaches that wont go away.....on and on...I am on Imuran but need to choose between a small bowel reconstruction or trying Humeria? Any thoughts from you with experience? Doc thinks it may be scar tissue but not 100%

Strictures can be scar tissue or active inflammation (or a mix of both.)

My doctor took a similar approach as kazbern is asking about: A course of steriods to see if the flare resolves. Steriods would reduce inflammation, making the strictured area a little wider. If it responds to steriods, it means that medicine could help (but cannot stay on steriods long-term), hence another maintenance treatment like Humira could be helpful. However, if it is scar tissue, steriods won't reduce that. Steriods made me feel better at higher doses, but as I weaned off, the stricture symptoms came back. It makes it more likely that it is scar tissue, which may lead to an operation.

After struggling with my symptoms for a few months in the latter half of 2010, I had to also substantially alter my diet to a mostly liquid diet. Over half my calories at the beginning of 2011 were liquid calories. I started eating yogurt once or twice a day. Gatorade/Powerade. and Ensure or Boost as a calorie supplement/replacement. My doctor recommended starting at one a day and working up to 4-6 per day (that's 1000-1500 calories per day.) I found that this did help my energy levels a little bit and also helped lessen my symptoms (because I wasn't eating as much.) I did eat other stuff, but I stuck to small, easy to digest foods.

I did eventually have surgery in the summer of 2011. The diet above didn't alleviate symptoms 100%, it just made the less intense and less frequent. My doctor said that in her opinion, I was eventually going to need surgery. I wanted to have a planned surgery with a doctor recommended by my GI, not risk an emergency surgery by whoever was on call at the time of my emergency. After surgery, my surgeon was amazed how narrow my stricture was and how I was able to eat much of anything.

Hi Nicole, welcome to the forums.

Very sorry to hear about the issues you're having and not feeling well.
It took for me, 22 years of having Crohn's, the flare ups to get to the point of having a lower bowel resection (surgery). I had scar tissue built up and flare ups caused complete blockages. Only vomiting relieved some of the pain and bloating until the inflammation subsided somewhat but I was getting sick and having flare ups a lot.

Are you saying that you were diagnosed with the stricture or Crohn's in March? Would like to clarify that.
IBS is numerous symptoms that occur together. Common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain, along with cramping, constipation or diarrhea.
What tests were completed to come to the diagnosis of having a stricture, IBS or Crohn's disease?

When I had my lower bowel resection, it was the best thing that could have happened to me but it was desperately needed. Typically surgery is the last option for fear of short bowel syndrome.
Once the surgery had been completed, I had been on Questran to aid in bile absorption for about a year.

I had 15 years or so before Crohn's returned, for some it comes back much quicker, some longer.
When diagnosed with Crohn's, medical literature states we should always be on at least a maintenance medication/s.
Also after surgery, I still had some urgency issues, still lactose intolerant, could eat many more things than I could previously with active Crohn's but still watched what I ate.
Over all, I had a great 15 years with many Crohn's symptoms, gone.

Just a note, they did say after my colonoscoy in Oct this year, that I may need surgery...but he said it was too restricted to get the scope through? Maybe half the size of normal bowel? Could the scar increase this fast? I am on full fluids right now to stay safe... :(