Anal Stricture - Surgeon recommending dilation ...then what?

My procedure yesterday was kind of more than I bargained for. They had to do a balloon dilation, and the sedation they used was something new to me they made me kind of sick. I had chills all night long. Never had a reaction like that before. Anyway, hope yours goes well. Let us know.

@Aimc Aw, darn it, I'm sorry you had such an adverse reaction to the new choice of sedation. I hope you got the name of it to note it in your chart/medical records to avoid in the future. It's really unusual to have post-anesthesia chills last all night. That sounds perfectly horrid, on top of balloon dilation, and I hope you are feeling a lot better today. Do take care.

@CTBarrister What a nightmare for you and your family for your father to die from a complication of cardiac catheterization, I'm so sorry. I appreciate the time you took to explain exactly how the endoscopist approached your dilation. At this point in time, I do not know either the width of the stricture or the approach my G/I doc will take to dilate. From my current symptoms, and from having scoped me 6 months ago and seen narrowing at that time that she dilated, she is reasonably certain I have an even narrower anal stricture now (not at a stricture at the j-pouch inlet, that was fine 6 months ago). She said the flex-sig will allow her to take a look and dilate if that will help resolve the problem. I will def be asking her before I go under just how she plans to dilate, and that I hope to be on a long road trip a day and a half after the surgery. From what I am reading in everyone's helpful posts, it very much sounds like the gentler approach is the way to go, even if it means needing to return for additional dilations.

Color me grateful for all this priceless advice and caring. I hope to return the generosity of knowledge and spirit someday.

@JimInMaine posted:

Hi Cliff (BTW: I shared your screen name with my wife - we had a good chuckle and discussed whether there might be a story accompanying the "Mega Colon" monicker) 

I was very glad to hear from you. The doc was pretty clear about the fact that the dilation he does in July will most likely NOT be a one-time, permanent solution to the problem. I am not at all adverse to the idea of self-dilation. Hey, if I can spend a few minutes a week, make myself more comfortable and extend the interval between 4 hour drives to MA I'm all in favor!

I would welcome your thoughts and recommendations. Please feel free to PM me if this forum is a bit too public. I had taken my surgeon's suggestion and searched "anal dilator" on Amazon and found a lot of "related products".  Actually, I'd bet that 90% of the hits were for vaginal dilators.

I expect I'll be asking the doc for his suggestions on size (diameter) for "start" and "finish". Amazon displayed a flood of products: hard plastic and silicone to stainless steel. The prices were CRAZY. It was obvious that some sellers figured if a product has a "medical" use they could up the price 1,000-fold. There was one brand, "DDP" making professional looking "sets" of stainless steel "Hegar Sounds" (??) dilators -- the prices of the sets were sensible. I'm betting they were for uterine dilation.

Oh well, I guess all the pieces will fall into place as more of the unknown becomes known.

Thanks again for taking the time!

Jim in Maine -- looking forward to my first lobster of the season this afternoon

Hi!

Im from Maine also and had Dr. Schoetz, the worlds best colon rectal surgeon!  I have a flex/sig scheduled later this month with Dr. Marc Branda.  He’s very good.  I’ve been seeing him locally for a while now - got a little tired of driving to the Lahey Clinic, although I do miss seeing the doctors there.   I don’t have much to say at this point just happy to hear from someone from Maine and having the same surgeon in common.  I had my surgery in 1996, so It’s been awhile.

Regards,

Hazel