HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Stricture with crohns in remission?

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/1/2021 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all, do any of you know if you can develop a stricture with crohns in remission? Everything points to me being in remission but about 2 weeks ago I started having a dull ache in my lower right side. I’m starting to think it’s not muscle pain (although it may be idk). Going for bloodwork next week. Just curious because I had a stricture in that general area 4 years ago but assumed after several follow up scopes it was not likely for it to return. TIA
Posted 1/1/2021 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
L, strictures are caused by inflammation & as the inflammation heals it turns into scar tissue. The strictures do not go away. My guess is in your prior scopes nothing changed that would set off an alarm bell with your dr.

Good luck with your lab work.

Happy New Year!
Posted 1/1/2021 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Straydog,
Thanks! I had a balloon dilation of the fibrotic stricture that opened it up to normal and had not reoccurred 2 years ago.
Posted 1/1/2021 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Lab.

I am sorry you are going thru this. I hope your outcome is better than mine.

I have been in remission since 2016 because of Remicade.
I can personally attest to scar tissue and strictures. I had a colostomy in 2016, scar tissue suddenly grew so much that in 2019 we had to relocate the colostomy and this month in 2020...another scar tissue area has caused a partial obstruction. I am surviving on Milk of Magnesia and pureed food...well until we can locate a vaccine...and if we can hold off that long...another surgery which will be for my kidneys, colostomy and gallstones will take place soon.

My GI said this happens to a few of his Crohns patients...recurrent strictures and scar tissue leading to obstruction. There isn't anything that can really help-except staying on your meds to prevent further damage and scar tissue. I shudder to think how bad it could have been if I had not been on Remicade. Oh...my blood work did not indicate that I was in a flare or that there was inflammation. A sudden low grade muscle ache and poof...suddenly an obstruction. They had to scope me to locate it in 2019. CT scan I just had does not show the current obstruction - but nothing will go thru if it not liquid. We are waiting on the scope. (I caught chicken pox when I went in just for the scan.) Plus-Dallas is packed with Covid19 patients. The number of healthy patients catching it at the hospital is higher than my doctors are comfortable with right now.
Crohns...it just keeps on giving.

I hope you feel better soon!
Clo

Post Edited (clo2014) : 1/1/2021 2:46:09 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/2/2021 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
L, I didn't know you had a prior dilation done. Here's a couple of thoughts, have you tried a heating pad in this area? Are you having any issues with constipation? I know you mentioned you have labs coming up, however, I would call the drs office & ask that a faecal calprotectin stool test be done too. This test targets inflammation in the intestines only. My gi will order yearly labs, but he says since this test is targeted it's the most reliable. When I start having issues this is the first test that he orders.

Take care.
Posted 1/2/2021 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
Clo!!! So good to hear from you! Have thought of you often and was wondering how you are doing!I hope they are able to get you in soon to get it fixed. I’m so sorry you are going through this during COVID sad.
That was kind of how the stricture hit back in 2016 for me though I was in between meds briefly at the time so I kinda think it was related to what ever had healed a few months prior idk. Hopefully this turns out to be a false alarm.
Straydog, yes! I had two dilations that cleared it and two scopes since than that showed it stayed open. Due for another one in mid 2021. He did order faecal calprotectin and infections stool tests. I had about two weeks of mostly diarrhea including multiple accidents where I couldn’t get out of the bathroom without loosing it. Now it’s somewhat better but goes back and forth with more normal bms.
Posted 1/2/2021 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
L, will you be meeting with the dr to go over your labs, or will it be over the phone? What about maybe asking for an MRE? Just some thoughts.
Posted 1/2/2021 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
clo2014: Since you are taking milk of magnesia, I guess you are having constipation with your strictures?

Labradorite: You are the opposite. You are having diarrhea with your strictures. Am I reading it correctly?

I am having alternate of constipation and diarrhea with my strictures.
Posted 1/2/2021 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Straydog: we will be meeting via video call. I’ll ask about the MRE though not sure if he will recommend it. The last one did not show up on MRE or CT, only during the colonoscopy. Thank you for your suggestions 🙏

EruditePaul: yes aside from about a week of extreme diarrhea I tend to go back and forth between the two. I usually have coffee or prune juice if the constipation gets bothersome and that’s usually enough right now.
Posted 1/3/2021 11:21 AM (GMT 0)
This happened to me too. I have had Crohn’s for 24 years and had never had a structure despite flaring regularly. Two years ago I went into remission and had never felt better, and then out of nowhere developed a rectal stricture. I was so surprised as I otherwise felt the best I’ve felt. On the scope aside from the stricture I was also completely healed except for a couple of centimeters of inflammation. They stretched it but now I’m worried as I feel it recurring and I’m not too sure what they do once stretching it doesn’t work.
Posted 1/3/2021 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have a 25 centimeter stricture and was hospitalized in November with a partial obstruction. I was informed that a resection would not be possible and if I had surgery it would be an irreversible colostomy. I am wondering if there are any other options. I am 82 and the doctors were very reluctant to operate. Any ideas?
Posted 1/4/2021 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
EruditePaul,
I am not constipated. I have a colostomy. I could feel that something was off and suddenly it just stopped working one day. I called my CRS and he advised me to try the Milk of Magnesia 2 or 3 TBLS twice a day--until it was thin enough to come out. If I was totally obstructed nothing would come out and I would have to go to the ER. Then we would try to wean me off the MOM. So far there is No weaning going on here. If it is thicker than oatmeal it is very painful. (TMI...Sorry for the visual folks...)We have been trying to hold off with anything until covid surge is over. LOL...
Posted 1/4/2021 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
Clo2014: my small bowel strictures were first detected about 20 years ago. At that time, it was not clear if they were inflammatory or fibrotic. Fast forward to 10 years ago, my GI doctor confirmed those initial strictures had turned into multiple (30+cm in total length) fibrotic strictures. Doctor said nothing can get rid of fibrotic strictures except surgery. Since then I have had multiple partial obstructions. But you were just diagnosed 10 years ago but your Chron's strictures look like progressing so rapidly that you cannot eat solid foods. Cannot believe your strictures came back after the surgery.

Sorry for digressing from Labradorite original post.
Posted 1/7/2021 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Lab,

How are you doing?
Posted 1/7/2021 2:47 PM (GMT 0)
Lois,
Are you currently on any medications?

My CRS does not like to operate on anyone over 65. The mortality rate rises sharply after 65.

To help avoid obstructions I was placed on a low residue diet. I avoid raw vegetables and bread products.

What suggestions has your doctor made?

Am unsure if we are hijacking Labs thread....if so....I apologize in advance...

Clo
Posted 1/7/2021 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
Worried,
Lab and I both were having our strictures dilated in 2016... Hers worked. Mine immediately failed-within a week it was completely closed-and I required surgery. I now have a colostomy. After dilation I was placed on a low residue diet...and am still on it today. A friend had a resection after her dilations failed. She also is on a low residue diet and she avoids all bread products. Every partial obstruction for her...has been caused by bread products.

Clo

Post Edited (clo2014) : 1/7/2021 7:58:06 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/7/2021 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
No worries at all with the conversation, continue!
Family emergency earlier this week so things have been upside down. I just went to get the lab work done today. Still have the discomfort so we will see.
Clo, yeah I was rather lucky that mine was rather short and fibrotic. My doctor was not necessarily confident it would work so I was very fortunate. Did you have inflammation at the same time as your dilation? I think that impacts it.
Posted 1/8/2021 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Lab,
I did have severe inflammation. I have been much better since the colostomy....but all that inflammation has been healing and scarring and it has wreaked havoc. My GI has said from the beginning that I have been one of his patients with the most severe cases of fistulizing Crohns he has. I am frustrated that we relocated the stoma in Dec 2019 and in Dec 2020 strictures have once again caused issues. My CRS said the whole colon has so many adhesions and strictures he's amazed it works. He's thinking about an ileo...but my GI is worried about losing that much intestine. We will see. In the meantime I will just keep drinking Milk of Magnesia, wait for the vaccine and then finish having it checked out.. Lol...

I hope you feel better soon! Please let me know how the test turns out.

Clo
Posted 1/15/2021 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Lan,

How are you doing with things on your end?

Thinking of you....

Clo
Posted 1/16/2021 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Clo!
Blood work came back perfect! So thats good news!
Waiting for the results of the stool tests. I just dropped them off today. Long story about how that ended up taking so long but in an episode of perfect timing two required freezing and I have been waiting for my broken refrigerator to be replaced. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦‍♀️
Side still hurts but no worse.
Posted 1/21/2021 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
Lab,
I posted on the hernia thread...then I saw this and just wondered... Could this have anything to do with your maybe hernia pain the other night? Hmmm??? Just a thought.

How are you doing?
Clo
Posted 1/24/2021 1:11 PM (GMT 0)

WorriedUCer said...
This happened to me too. I have had Crohn’s for 24 years and had never had a structure despite flaring regularly. Two years ago I went into remission and had never felt better, and then out of nowhere developed a rectal stricture. I was so surprised as I otherwise felt the best I’ve felt. On the scope aside from the stricture I was also completely healed except for a couple of centimeters of inflammation. They stretched it but now I’m worried as I feel it recurring and I’m not too sure what they do once stretching it doesn’t work.


They take your rectum out and give you an ostomy bag is what they do. I am going through the same thing right now as an inexperienced doctor dilated my rectal stricture and now im almost completely blocked up.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply