I'm having trouble keeping food down 7 weeks post-op. Is that a symptom of stricture or normal recovery?
Strictures occur in about 5% of patients after gastric bypass surgery at the connection between the stomach pouch and small intestines. The sign of this is difficulty tolerating any solid foods. This usually happens between 6 - 8 weeks after surgery. The treatment is to perform an endoscopy and dilate the stricture with a balloon. We usually perform this procedure right in the endoscopy suite in our office as an outpatient.