Self dilating twice a week is OK. I sometimes have to do it daily depending on how narrow mine gets. The more you dilate, the more open it will stay so the frequency makes sense. 

Thank you for the response! Mine IS staying open, now, with one-a-month dilation.  That's why I wonder what benefit there is for me to have to go through the process twice a week.  The doctor said it would be less traumatic to the stricture area if I did it twice a week, which was new to me, completely.

My previous doctor seemed to think the less I did it, with it still working, the better. I admit doing it one a month, hurts a little, compared to doing it more often.

I still don't know what to think and hope I will get additional responses.

Your new doctor has a point: the less constricted the area, the less damage done when dilating to 18 mm. Rather than thinking of this as two choices (once monthly vs. twice weekly), you might consider all the frequencies in between. For example, I would propose to the doctor finding a frequency that doesn’t hurt at all (compared with monthly), but possibly less frequently than twice weekly. The pain is a useful signal that might be best to avoid, when possible.

I like it! Maybe just once a week would be just as good, less obtrusive in my life and work just as well to accomplish what my doctor wants!  Love it!

THX!

Larry, 

By indicating going in th wrong direction ate you only referring to how often you dilate versus the method you are using to dilate? My colorectal surgeon suggested daily dilation but I think that’s ways too often.  I think the point is if you dilate more frequently than once a month you are keeping the opening functioning which is less trauma to the connection than trying to reopen the stricture once a month. 

My surgeon is suggesting scar tissue removal as he indicated once you withdraw the dilator the stricture  just automatically closes back up , but i am all for your approach f it’s wirking and saves on more surgery

Thanks!  My doctor was talking about how many times, vs the method. It sounds from what you, and the other person who responded say, that I need to do it way more often than once a month, to avoid trauma, but maybe one a week rather than twice a week might be fine. I'm gonna do t twice a week for a couple of weeks, and then go to once a week and see how that goes. I won't do it less often than that, for sure. Thanks, again!