Endoscopy

Hi all,

I just spoke to my surgeon, and after the results of my upper GI test he now wants me to have an endoscopy. I am 3-1/2 months out is surgery and am unable to eat (and keep down) a lot of different foods. He said that it looks like there may be an issue where my stomach connects to the intestine...that the entrance might be too small. Has anyone gone through this? I am a bit nervous about the whole process of an endoscopy...and what the outcome might be.

It sounds to me that what the doc thinks is wrong is a stricture. I did not have one, but they aren't completely uncommon and it should be fixable. You'll undergo an endoscopy and they will dilate the stricture.

( I'm not sure HOW they'll do it. )

It could take 2 or 3 treatments to be completely fixed. If you search the forums for stricture, you'll get quite a lot of hits.

Hope you can find the info you're after!

Sorry for what you are going through.

Endoscopy is easy as can be just to ease your mind. I have acid reflux (prior to my RNY surgery) and have had two Endoscopies done. I am a complete scary cat so believe me not bad at all. They have a tiny little plastic mouth piece they put to your lips barely in your mouth then they put medicine in your IV and your out. Whatever they do after that you have no idea. No pain or idea what happened.

Good luck to you.

megan

I thought endoscopy was standard for pre-surgery?

its no big deal. It takes about 15 mins. They do knock you out though. I think if they find the opening too small they'll put a little balloon in there and stretch it out a bit.

I never had an endoscopy before my surgery, but I've heard that others have.

I didn't either. Some surgeons do them, some don't. In many cases, it's used only if the surgeon thinks there might be an existing issue.

Yeah I guess there was a question of whether I had a hiatal hernia or not.

Anyway good luck

I had two strictures - one at four weeks out and one at eight weeks out. They're an easy fix. They just dilate it during the endoscopy. You'll feel a million times better afterward.

the PA at my surgeon's office said they happen to about 5% of RNY patients, so they're one of the most common complications - and fortunately, a very easy fix. They almost always happen within the first 3-4 months after surgery, so you'll likely never get another.

My husband wasn't able to keep food down after the third time of being 'stretched' out he is doing fine. Good luck to you!

I had an endoscopy before surgery because I was having GERD and bad heartburn. It wasn't bad at all, I have issues with narcotic pain medications so I talked to the anesthesiologist to make sure I wouldn't get sick. It was clean for me, so I have to assume my extra weight was what was causing the issues. Since surgery I haven't had any problems.

I hope they can figure out what is wrong. I wish you the best of luck! Take care of yourself.