Strange Symptoms Please Help!!!

[Finein09 0]

Hello Fellow Bandsters,

I have been banded since March of 2009 and up to now have lost 128 pounds, which I am very proud of!! I do also admit that I have the first bite syndrome of eating too fast.

Well, the past several months I have been experiencing some symptoms: In January of 2010 all of a sudden I felt I could eat very rapidly without the feeling of being stuck or food not going down. I went to my Dr. who is a nurse practitioner and immediately went in for a barium swallow. It showed that my esophageal diameter was 3.4. She had also discussed with the radiologists that my esohpagus was not expanded or ballooned out and it was ok to go in for another adjustment. Well since then I found myself eating and drinking at the same time (not all the time) so food would not store or hang out in my esophagus as it has been feeling. I also have been feeling that my food is being averted or going somewhere else instead of the stomach pouch. In the mean time I still do not have the PBing, sliming, or the getting stuck feeling. One strange symptom I have been feeling however is my ear pressure going up as I would eat. When my stomach cleared itself of food the ear pressure would go down. I have also been coughing more. Again I told my Dr of these symptoms and again I did a barium swallow recently in April. My esophageal diameter went down to a 3.2. She also loosened the band to see if this would make a difference. It did not. I have been afraid to eat, in order to try and heal what may be a dialated esophagus. I have not had any feeling of satisfaction when I eat and I still do not have the it's stuck in my throat feeling. I have been stopping eating food at a palm of food to try and heal this. Recently I had the band unfilled because I do not know what else to do. Ever since the band has been unfilled, I feel like there is a hollow hole of air in my chest, and even when I drink liquids I still feel my ear pressure going up. My voice is very hoarse, and I feel like I have to burp to get food through my esophagus. I am seeing my surgeon on Wednesday. I am feeling fed up, frustrated, tired from not eating much as I am afraid to because of my symptoms returning. Has anyone ever experienced this?? I am sick of trying to research it on my own and figure it out. I am tired, frustrated and really scared. If anyone can shed some light on this, it would be greatly appreciated! Thank You so much!

Not Feeling Finein09

[chrisdirects 0]

No wonder you are frustrated!

Just on a guess, you might want to consult with an ENT (ear, nose and throat physician), since it sounds like your eustacian tubes are involved. If it were me, I'd also want an upper endoscopy done by a GI physician. Between the two, hopefully, they can come up with what's going on, and get you treated.

I wish you well-

Christine

[sandylane 0]

So what happened, are you feeling better?