Question:
Has anyone heard of an Esophagul Stomach?

I had my surgery 11 weeks ago and have worried since week 2 that I don't have that full feeling, I also don't get nauseous, nor have I ever thrown up or even felt like I would. At 4 weeks PO, Surgeon had me have an upper gi, he was looking for a staple line disruption, but it was ok. Now at 11 weeks, I can eat way more food than anyone at my stage (like 3 slices of pizza... or shrimp cocktail, lobster tail and steamed veggies..or 8 shrimp, baked beans, and roasted vegetables...or a chinese dinner(like kung pao chicken).....and, I can eat like I did preop, fast, shoving it in. So now surgeon is going to have me do some more tests, he suspects I might have an esophagul stomach, where my esophagus has stretched and is now acting like my stomach. Has anyone heard of this, or had it? He said it is not real common, but can happen. I have lost weight, so something is working. I normally do not eat like those meals above suggest. I work so hard at sticking to a regimen of 5-6 mini meals a day. The reason I did eat like above, is because of life, I had skipped some of my mini meals and by the time we got to dinner, I was ravenous and wolfed down my food. So, to avoid eating big meals, I do work hard at eating my several mini meals, that keeps the hungries at bay. If anyone knows anything about this, let me know :)    — DarlinIYQ (posted on January 31, 2003)

January 31, 2003
I have similar similar but in a different direction. Although my surgery was in 7/2000, as of January this year, I rapidly began gaining (now over 65lbs) and after exams, second opinions etc. learned I have a bowel distention/dilation. Just the opposite end but the same as you---the intestine just below the pouch attachment has "grown' and is acting as a second stomach. As the doctor feels that "cutting" this out will not be a long term solution as there will be a propensity for this to recur, I am having a revision to a distal with some other modifications on 2/7. Yes such things are unusual but can happen. Please contact me after surgery if you wish more info. Best to you and hope this lets you realize you are no alone!!
   — Joanne M.

January 31, 2003
I was cautioned at one time by my doctor to not eat as much as I was eating at 2 months post-op (3/4 of a 10 oz lean cuisine) because if I continued to eat and fill the pouch and the esophagus (which is what he suspected), then I would cause the esophagus to stretch out. I'm wondering if that is what happened to you. If it has, can they do anything about it?
   — Cindy R.

January 6, 2005
I have the later problem. The connection of the stomach and intestine was enlarged, maybe when I had a hernia and ulcer removed. I was gaining rapidly, but the doc would not do anything about it. Attempted to get a doc in Oklahoma to do something, but insurance said that since I was not obese again, they denied. So I went to Mexico (Hermosillo) and a non adjustable ring put on my stomach to give me some restriction. that was May 17, 2003. I lost 27 lbs since then, now 5'11 and weigh 162 and do not ever gain. I still eat all the time, but I eat very healthy and I am full fast, but hungry again really soon. The doc in Mexico is excellent, I had great care. It was $9600 total and that was also to change to 140cm distal. I was proiximal.
   — Cheryl C.