finally got referral for gastro testing -- need help

Hi all, Well, after months of practically begging my surgeon to send me for testing to rule in/out enlarged stoma or fistula, I gave up that route and convinced my regular doctor to send me to a gastroenterologist for testing instead. Phew, finally!!! What are the names of the tests I need to have arranged? My doctor just wrote me a general referral for a visit, I would like to be more specific when I make the phone call for an appointment. Thank you all for bearing with me through this, and any advice. BJ

The only test that I know of is called an Upper GI. That is where they go down the throat and look at the stomach. YOu need to know who you go to though and they must know that you have had previous stomah surgery and that you DO NOT have a normal sized stomach. I would meet with the GI dr before you go in for tests. I went one time to a hospital, years ago that knew nothing about the VBG. The put me on the table and looked at me as if I were a freak. They had people coming in and out of the room to see my stomach. That was very strange. Then the tech said that you have problems with your stomach. When I took the films to the surgeon, he said that is a normal VBG stomach, they do not know what they are talking about! Why cant you go back to the regular surgeon? My surgeon just so happen to be a GI/Stomach specialist. ~DiANA

Thanks for your response! I will be going back to the gastroenterologist who did my pre-op EGD, he has a lot of experience with WLS pre and postops so I trust there won't be any problems. My WLS surgeon continues to scoff at the idea that I am always hungry, claims it is all in my head, won't listen to me for the past several months when I tell him the only reason I'm losing weight is because I am weighing and measuring each morsel. I feel like I am never sated. I never have felt restriction from day one, I don't have to chew my food, I can eat and eat and not feel full I suspect that my stoma is not small enough and everything I consume goes right through me, he refuses to refer me to gastro for tests. My regular doctor (PCP) doesn't know a lot about WLS but he is concerned that I am able to eat so much at a sitting (again, not something I do on a regular basis but I did experiment a few times as I don't feel I am having a "typical" WLS experience when I read others' post about how they are full off of, say, 4 shrimp, or can't eat oranges due to membranes, etc. I can eat anything, everything, unfortunately, and no I don't even dump. I had this WLS because I have never been able to successfully diet. I wanted to have restriction and feelings of lasting fullness. I have neither and I want to know why. Don't feel I got what I (er, my insurance) paid for at this point. -BJ

I am in the process of going through this at present. I just had an upper GI done Monday. They had me drink two different types of barium dye and then had me do flip flops on the table a few times to get the dye moving and took some pictures. Nothing painful just the stuff you have to drink tastes terrible. On Thursday I'm scheduled for an endoscope. This is where they put you out slightly (this is an outpatient procedure normally done by your WLS surgeon or gastroenterologist). Then they put a scope down to see if they can see any problems like an enlarged stoma, fistula (holes in the lining), ulcers, etc. You won't remember a thing and you have to have someone drive you home. Normally takes about a half hour prep time before the procedure, procedure takes about 15 minutes then about 20 more minutes for you to come around. Good luck.

Thanks for the info on the different tests! Are you going through these tests because you are suspecting enlarged stoma or other mechanical problems, just curious? -BJ