Colonic stricture

I have the same issue... I understand the reluctance to do surgery to correct adhesions from another surgery but don't know what to do. Linzess & amitiza don't seem to help & that's all the keep prescribing. Trying to do "medical management" before they agree to surgery??!!

I have the same issue... I understand the reluctance to do surgery to correct adhesions from another surgery but don't know what to do. Linzess & amitiza don't seem to help & that's all the keep prescribing. Trying to do "medical management" before they agree to surgery??!!

Gosh how long do you think you can carry on with medical management then? Would you opt for the surgery if it was offered? It's a terrible position to be in isn't it. I hope your keeping well.

Thank you... I would definitely opt for surgery... but the appointments are impossible to get for a second opinion. I'm perplexed as to what they think "medical management " will do other than wait for a taotalky closed stricture??!!

mbiagio,
Yikes 😳 I wish you all the good healthy luck for your surgery and recovery. If you would, please, share as much info about your surgery that you know. Like, what part(s) are being removed; how many inches are they removing; what were your other surgeries for and where were they?
Do I understand this correctly: the diverticulosis started with diverticulitis forming and irritating tiny pockets on the sides of the colon...if the diverticulitis flares up a lot, then the pockets become larger and permanent, causing the colon walls to thicken????? My dad had diverticulosis with bouts of diverticulitis, that came and went.
I should be home from my parathyroid surgery by then. I am traveling to AZ from Northern California for the surgery. I found it extremely difficult to find a specialist surgeon closer to me, but could not get any that are taking new patients. Compared to your surgery, I'm told mine will be a walk in the park. I'm 65, I don't know about you, but I didn't think getting older was going to be this downright painful and exhausting. My mom was a great mom, taught me so much, except that getting older is yucky. She was born with congenital heart problems that she knew nothing about until her first heart attack at age 60. Even after her pacemaker was implanted, she and my dad were still traveling. And I act like I am half dead now. I guess that's what I get for being born to such a smart and strong mom.
Do you have to travel for your surgery? Do you have some helpers that you can count on, for your recovery? I sure hope so. I would loan you the very bestest helper ever, my hubby, but he will be busy taking care of me😇
Best wishes, ShelleyW

I know exactly what she means by medical management because I do it. It is up to me to maintain myself to keep stool soft. Constipation is my enemy! It is trial and error with foods. Fresh fruit and whole grain bread along with vegetables and 4 oz protein. Miralax 1 capful every other day and 1 teasp of Metamucil after evening meal. My sigmoid colon was severe with stool less in diameter than my pinky finger. I wasn't sure I would last until I had Balloon Dilation. Look it up and ask for a referral to some one who performs it. Insurance pays for it. I had it done in Feb and now stool is thunb size. It will never be normal and that is okay. I maintain a daily regimen! Good luck!

Thank you very much Shelly for your good wishes. Yes the surgery would be on my sigmoid colon removing about 12 inches. Evidently I’ve had diverticulosis forming for years and then if it gets inflamed, that is when it’s diverticulitis. I’ve thought since my 20s that I had IBS. And I know that I did not have bad diverticulosis in 2007 when I had my last colonoscopy. I had an attack of diverticulitis last December after high doses of ibuprofen following Dental work and then I had an attack in January. My colonoscopy had already been planned from last October for the end of January and we were all just shocked at the stenosis and severity of the diverticulosis. I’ve been trying to work with diet, supplements Metamucil, MiraLAX, magnesium and still Having difficulty…I don’t go daily. Even drink abiut 60oz h2o daily.

The surgeon told me it was not a matter of if but when to have the surgery so I went ahead and scheduled the surgery. However, as it gets closer, I’m having second thoughts. 😩
I worry about potential complications in the future, such as perforation, fistula or obstruction, from diverticulosis, but I wish I could find a way to management medically.
I’m not sure about the balloon dilation just because the surgeon said there is a narrowing south of the sigmoid colon that she thought was from adhesions from a prior surgery, which I had my appendix out at nine and my right ovary about 14 years ago so on the right side. So again, I’m not sure if balloon dilation is an option, but it may be something to think about before I go ahead with the surgery. 🤷‍♀️

That sounds great, Catherine. I’m glad you found some thing that’s working! As I said to Shelly, I wish I could. My store is not always super tiny, but I don’t know if it’s the obstruction or just how my body works in that I carry my stress in my gut, but I don’t go daily and the surgeon feels the diverticulosis and the narrowing in the sigmoid colon as well as a narrowing after that…or a a little twist south of the sigmoid may be causing that. For that reason, I am really unsure what to do. I worry about an emergency from the diverticulosis. 😌

Surgery is terrifying, but emergency surgery is worse! So thats my dilemma. Lets keep in touch