Dilation advice

AwwwwwCrapMember

Okay guys and gals. Don't post much around here because I generally do pretty good.

I just want to make a recommendation that if your doctor recommends you self-dilate at home...HAVE HIM DEMONSTRATE WITH YOU HOW TO DO THIS.

I was told to use the Hegar dilators, working my way up to 18 (currently on 15). It hurt but I must have a high pain tolerance because, as it turns out, I started feeling like my BMs were made of shards of glass and I was causing the problem.

His verbal instructions were to angle the dilator towards my back but I wasn't angling as much as I thought I was. This was causing ulceration and damage to the rectal pouch, therefore the wonderful shards of glass feeling.

When he demonstrated in his office the correct way for me to do the dilation, it was COMPLETELY different and, even though I was already "damaged," it didn't hurt when done the correct way.

Moral of the story...make sure you are doing it correct even if it means a visit to have your doc show you the proper techniques. In the long run, you'll save yourself a lot of pain!!

Jen

9/30/1312:34 PM

❤️ 0

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

mgmt10Member

There is no way in hell I would self dilate but that's just me! I had some stricture issues a while back and my surgeon suggested I could do it myself. I told him no way that's what I pay him the big bucks for!

9/30/131:33 PM

❤️ 0

jeaneMember

Jan,

Can you better describe this? I know my anastomosis is on a deep angle and I am not sure if everyone with a jpouch has this issue or not or if that contributes to my stricture and emptying issues.

I have had several dilations in the office and under anesthesia and sometimes out of sheer desperation, I will use the glove approach and try and maneuver a finger into the pouch outlet to try and open it up and hold it there for a minute or two as my GI does under anesthesia. I am sure he is able to go in way father than I am, but it does seem to help me when I am having emptying issues.

I often have the glass shard feeling when emptying my pouch as I also have some ulcerations in my lower my anal canal (beneath the pouch anastomosis connection) that can be very painful if having repeat trips to the bathroom due to my stricture acting up.

How were you able to insert the dilator if you were not angling or inserting correctly?

9/30/131:58 PM

❤️ 0

AwwwwwCrapMember

Jeane,

Apparently, I was only off by degrees so it would put pressure on the wrong area before the dilator kind of "popped" in to place. That is how I was creating an issue for myself.

The doc taught me at the visit to barely put it in, pull back to kind of stretch our the anus before proceeding with rest of insertion. It has made a huge difference.

Again, if you are having problems, I would go with your dilator to the doc and have him work with you to practice and show you.

Good luck!

Jen

9/30/133:45 PM

❤️ 0

jeaneMember

Thank You for this useful information. This makes sense because that's the approach they take when they do a balloon dilation

9/30/134:38 PM

❤️ 0