I went in for a barium swallow today and found that my esophageal pouch is too large - no slippage yet. I had 1/2 of my 7.5 cc (10 cc band) removed and have to stay on liquids for a week and mushies for another week. Anyone had this problem? Did it resolve? I am almost to my goal weight....maybe this liquids/mushies time will jump start me again.

I have posted that I have to have a revision surgery to fix my dilation (Revision Surgery for dilated esophagus). I had my second child almost two years ago, and ever since then I have been able to eat anything. I started getting fills very aggressively and we finally realized that something was wrong. Had the Upper GI and found that I was stretched. They took all of my fill out of 4 cc band, on liquids for a week, unfilled for 4 weeks was the plan. Had another upper GI, was still a little stretched so no fill again, had to wait another 3 weeks. Went to get my fill, so excited, and NO fill. The nurse said the DR said my pouch was stretched up over my band. So now I have to go talk to the surgeon on Tuesday to see what my options are, but regardless I have to have surgery for this to ever work again! I hope being on liquids really helps you and gets your pouch back down, because I do not wish this on anyone!

Did they do a barium swallow on you to see what the issue was? I'm curious b/c I am experiencing heartburn, terrible weird burping up of burning stuff and coughing when I lay down, etc. I have never had a barium test. I"ve had three fills total about 2.75 in a 4 cc band, and when I mention it to the doc who I go to for checks (not a surgeon, but a doc with the band) she just gave me antacid. At this point I am terrified - I told my husband that I was going to go to an ER tomorrow and camp out until someone sees me and can tell me what the heck is going on. :thumbdown:

I was banded in Sept 2006 and am goal weight - lost 89 pounds...

Sue, the heartburn is supposedly one of the signs of dilation....I didn't have it, though. I was continuing to get fills every 6 weeks or so since surgery in Dec 07 (I have a 10 cc band) but I still seemed to be able to eat too much (not like binging...for example, a Lean Cuisine entree dinner). With the last fill, I could only tolerate liquids, so I went in for an unfill. My physician assistant noticed I hadn't had a barium swallow since my surgery and that is when she found the dilation. I would guess that many people who have the lap band over a year, have most of the band capacity full, and have gradually been able to eat 1 - 2 cups of food at a time, have stretched their pouch. Just a guess, but it makes sense.

txbandit, Just wanted to put in my 2 cents for what its worth. I had a problem over a year ago.

I had thrown up a hot dog that I ate too fast and couldn't stop throwing up. Then that night I had heartburn really bad for about a week and I finally could hardly sleep.

I had a barium swallow and my stomach had come through the upper part of the band, which led to a type of erosion. Anyhow I had an unfill to let my stomach get back under the band and to relax. It took many months to get better. But I didn't need surgery.

Unfortunatly I gained 40 pounds in this whole process.

This time around I've had to get more fills to feel restriction due to my stretched stomach, And I finally have restriction and I'm loosing again. Yay! But I'm up to 10 cc in an 11 cc band, so I have to be careful this time around..