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As a result of having had a stricture that closed down the connection between my J-pouch and my anus, I began to self dilate almost a year ago, with my doctor's blessing. I started by doing it every evening, and eventually, over several months, worked up, or down, depending on how you look at it, to doing it once a month.

I just moved to a new state, and met with my new colorectal doctor. She said that I had gone in the wrong direction with myself dilation, and instead of doing it only once a month, which she says is causing trauma to the stricture area, that I should do it twice a week.

I'm looking for advice and opinions about whether that makes sense to other people who have been self dilating (by the way I dilate to 18 mm) or nurses/doctrs who have experience and opinions. Thanks for any advice I can get!

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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.

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!

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