8 months on

[Mickymar]

Hello.

I had my operation 8 months ago and was doing well.

I now find I am having trouble swallowing again. It feels tights and I feel very full very quickly.

Has anyone else hado this problem. I really do not want to go back to the hospital as I had 7 weeks of being poked and prodded after the op.

Will it settle down again? And what is this stretch some of you talk about?

[kiddy]

Hi there you probably need to have a barium swallow test and endoscopy. The stretch is where they put the scope down and inflate it either by a balloon or by Botox injections. It is simple and doesn’t take long. Don’t leave it I know its hard going back to hospital but you will only worry about it. Remember to slow your eating down ,chew everything well and don’t overeat. It may be nothing to worry about.

Good Luck

Debbie

[slobjohnb]

As kiddy said you probably need a dilation via an endoscopy, outpatient job, takes 20 minutes, little or no pain, makes a heck of a difference, I haven't looked back since.

[Rayslife]

Its been three years now since I had this op and I still struggle swallowing, especially bread and meat.

My consultant tells me this is just the way it is now?

In other words tuff

I sometime feel they are complacent to our plight?

[smjones in reply to Rayslife]

It is reality now to adjust your eating patterns to what works now. I no longer eat much meat or bread. Fish works much better as the flesh is softer. Chicken in small amounts. I've also had 3 balloon stretch procedures since a partial esophagectomy in January, & another one scheduled in 10 days. I've found each person has their own isues and experiences, though it's good to hear the many things we also have in common. when we share this and encourage each other, it really can help.

[monikaf]

Hi Mickamar,

I had this problem 4 months after surgery. Endoscop couldn't get down to the stomach, narrowing 7 cm. Was dilated during endoscopy. 3 weeks after a check, it was not to be dilated again. Still I experience trouble, mostly in the morning. Like a stone in my throat. But that's obviously due to inflammation of the juncture. I don't have any confirmation of doctors, but I feel better, after a day or two on meds to reduce acid.

[JanA in reply to monikaf]

Yes I had to have 2 stretches before it worked, but that's nearly 8 years ago & it was fine after.

I'm afraid I'm a big coward so was put out completely for the stretch & all is fine now.

All the best to you & I hope it works as well for you as it did for me.

Best wishes

Jan

[Alan_M]

I understand your reluctance to go back to the hospital because there are always bleak memories involved. The stretch, or dilatation, is something they do with an endoscope, stretching the sphincter (pyloric sphincter) at the bottom end of your stomach to allow better flow of food through your system. It is a straightforward procedure from their point of view (miniature camera/pipe put down your throat, often with a sedative) and nothing like the surgery you had before. It probably does count as being 'poked about' but there is a good chance that you will feel better afterwards, and it would be worth the trouble. But they would need to do something like a barium swallow (the white stuff you drink with an x-ray running) to check where the problem is.

They will probably ask you other questions about how your digestive system is performing because sometimes these things are related to potential bacteria imbalances in the gut.

I think it is one of those things that count as 'after service maintenance' and a bit of fine tuning that may be required after the major surgery you have been through.

[Mickymar]

Thank for all your replies.

I am new to this group but both myself and my partner are really pleased to see so many of you on here years down the line. As if we believed what the books we were given said, the outlook was very bleak.

It is at the same area I had a tightened feeling a few months after the op as the scar tissue healed. This passed. So now I think maybe it has finally settled and I may need it stretching.

I constantly feel the need to clear my throat.

I had come off the morphine last week but suffered very bad withdrawal and lost a lot of weight. So have now been put on tramadol which is helping.

But all in all I doing a lot better than I ever imagined when I 1st came out.

Thank you again for your help and support.

[Mickymar]

I have been to the doctor and they have booked me in

Has anyone any experience with feeling tired. As up until now I have been ok. I am 8 months on and only now starting to get tired during the day.