Question:
I have problems keeping my food down.

My doctor called me yesterday and gave me the results from an Upper GI that I had. He says that there is a delay in food emptying my pouch, which is causing me to have reflux which then causes the food to come back up. He says I need to have an endoscopy done. Has anyone else ever had this problem? And how did it turn out? What do you they have to do to fix this problem? Any help is appreciated.    — Shara L. (posted on June 28, 2002)

June 28, 2002
This sounds like what I had at 3 months post-op. I couldn't even keep water down. I got so dehydrated that I fainted several times and ended up in the emergency room for IV therapy. My surgeon sent me to a gastroenterologist who did an endoscopy and discovered that I had a stricture and an ulcer. I have been taking medication for the ulcer and he stretched the stricture and injected the tissue around it with cortisone to soften it so it would stay stretched out. THe endoscopy is nothing to worry about, they give you great drugs and you do not remember a thing after it. Do ask to see the tape afterwards though, it is very educational. Congratulations on your weight loss. I wish you well on your journey.
   — Julia O.

June 28, 2002
I had 2 strictures with endoscopy/dilation. Mine were at 2 1/2 weeks and around week 5. I was throwing up so violently that I developed what they call a Mallory-Weiss tear in my pouch and was throwing up blood. I also became dehydrated. They admitted me until the endoscopy. The procedure is painless and you will feel SO MUCH better afterwards. In fact, they encouraged me to go eat something solid as soon as possible and I was able to eat a portion of a chick-fila sandwich. I felt so much better after being able to eat real food again. I had become so very weak. Just so you know, a stricture is a result of 'over-healing' and occurs in about 5% of the WLS population. And it is common to have it twice although not always. We are just really 'good' healers! Lucky us, huh? You will do great! Oh, and what they do to fix the problem: they insert a balloon type apparatus down into the stoma and dilate it by slowly and carefully expanding the balloon.
   — Cheri M.