My surgeon thinks I have esophageal dilation but he doesn't think its a big deal. My family dr disagrees so she ordered an upper GI.

I drank 2 oz of super thin barium. After 15 minutes most of it was still sitting in my esophagus and hadn't gone through my band yet. The radiologist was concerned about that.

With a band it's supposed to take longer to go through right??

I asked the assistant if esophageal dilation would cause that and she said she wasn't sure.

Thoughts?

I should have official results tomorrow. I'm trying to see a surgeon who specializes in bariatrics but he requires you do the upper GI first.

Unfilling a bit' date=' reduces the pressure. You might lose better with less. I still go 4-5 hours without hunger and my band is just sitting there like a loose ring on a finger. It takes me forever to eat, I drink Perrier with meals, cause it helps to open the LES, and still get the hunger dimming response.[/quote']

4-5 hours?? I'm hungry every 2-3 hours:( but then for the most part it doesn't take me all that long to eat. I'm normally done within 30 minutes.

He said that it was esophageal dilation. He said that my band had been too tight for a long time (i lost my insurance so didnt go back for a long time) and I had been eating too much. Since my band was so tight the food had no where to go but to pile up in my esophagus and stretch it. He took all the liquid out of my band ang gave me a few prescriptions to take and it cleared up. www.biscuitsandexcuses.blogspot.com

I so hope this is the case for me but I'm really worried.

He said that it was esophageal dilation. He said that my band had been too tight for a long time (i lost my insurance so didnt go back for a long time) and I had been eating too much. Since my band was so tight the food had no where to go but to pile up in my esophagus and stretch it. He took all the liquid out of my band ang gave me a few prescriptions to take and it cleared up. www.biscuitsandexcuses.blogspot.com

That is just one way of developing esophageal dilation. A malfunctioning LES also causes dilation, often to the extent the pt develops mega esophagus and requires esophectomy.

PS to Britney, there are no medications to treat the esophagus once achalasia sets in, at least in the US. Take care of it now, so you don't have to suffer later

I had to have an upper GI the day after my surgery. I had to drink that really gross stuff. I got to watch the liquid fall into my pouch and then almost immediately into my stomach. I was told my band was behaving normally and as expected.

My mother and my father-in-law both had issues with their esophaguses. It's a nightmare. I suggest you see a specialist immediately. Seriously, don't mess around with your esophagus.

I'm so mad now. I just talked to my family doctor about my results. There is no issue at all with my band. The radiologist that did my test spoke with his colleagues and they said that my band is at a perfect fill level and that is why the barium went down slowly. They also said there is no signs of any esophageal problems at all.

Grrrrr. He made me worry for nothing.

I personally think that your medical team needs to be fired. Barium, food or water retained in the esophagus isn't normal under any circumstances.

PS to Britney, there are no medications to treat the esophagus once achalasia sets in, at least in the US. Take care of it now, so you don't have to suffer later

Thanks. He just gave me some steriods and anti inflamatory medicine to try and shrink my stomach back. I have been checked since and everything is fine.

I'm having trouble eating and drinking it hurts it feels like someone is stabbing me in my chest what could that be I have no fluid yet and had my surgery on march 6th

My surgeon thinks I have esophageal dilation but he doesn't think its a big deal. My family dr disagrees so she ordered an upper GI.

I was diagnosed with MS in 2006. Three years ago I started having difficulty swallowing so was sent to a throat specialist. He did an upper GI and found that because of the MS, I was having difficulty with esophageal dilation and stretched the bottom part of my esophagus. I still have problems once in a while, but it's helped.

I thought this would cause problems getting banded, but it didn't cause concern. The surgeon said that he can tell I had the stretch done, but that it is not in a place that should cause concern with the band. I'm only 6 days post-op so don't know how it's going to react with real food, but I'm optimistic.