Rhonda are you okay?

Hi Rhonda, wondering how your app't went and if you're feeling any better. I hope you are. Betty

Hi Betty, I had the barium swallow on Monday. The radiologist felt that he could not see any pouch above the band (although he has never seen a lap band before). It looked to him as though the band was around the gastroesophogeal junction (on the internet it said the band should be 2 cm below this junction) and not around the stomach. He said the first swallow of barium did not go through the band at all and at the second swallow the barium began to trickled through very slowly. I bought the CD of the x-rays and looked at them at home before I sent them to Dr. Joya. In some pictures it looks like there may be a small pouch, but one thing is for sure the band is very restrictive around the stomach. On his report the doctor stated that 12 minutes after my last swallow of barium there was still trace amounts that were in the esophogus that had not past through the band. The pictures show the barium only trickling through very slowly. The pictures look like I am filling up my esophogus and then I have to wait for that to empty into my stomach. I sent the CD and report to Dr. Joya yesturday and it should arrive Thursday afternoon or Friday morning for sure. I am hoping that maybe my stomach is still swollen and this is causing the restriction. I am having a really hard time getting anything down and now take in below 500 calories a day. It takes me all morning until after lunch time to drink one Boost (237 ml) which has 240 calories and then I have 1/4 cup of soup for supper. Sometimes in the afternoon I will eat an ice cream bar or pudding. I am starting to lose the desire to eat all together and drinking enough water is out of the question. Thank you so much for the message. I appreciate your concern. I have also heard from Ramone, so when I hear from Dr. Joya I will post a message on this board to update you. Take care, Rhonda

Hi Rhonda, I've been thinking about you a lot. How are you feeling? Had any results yet from any of your doctors? I really hope you're doing better. I'm doing pretty well, no fill yet and I think I will need one when I see Dr Mitchell on the 23rd. I'm afraid I may have to quit my job though. I am a dietary aide in a seniors assisted living home where the food is very good, especially the desserts, which I have to plate and serve. These desserts are a large part of why I gained so much weight. I'm hoping that when I get good restriction I won't want to eat them as I won't be hungry. I enjoy the people I work with as well as the residents so I don't want to leave, and I'm 55 years old and don't really want to start something new, so we'll see what happens after the fill. Anyway take care of yourself and keep in touch. Betty