Question:
My esophagus is dilated and it also appears my stoma is coming loose!

Hi, this is Debbi in Ohio. I am 3 months postop and have been complaining since week 1 that I never feel full. At week four surgeon ordered an upper gi to check for staple line disruption, news then was no disruption. While it did not answer why I never felt full, I went forth. I happened to talk to surgeon last week at support group meeting and told him I am really upset that I can hold a big meal (3 slices of pizza, or dinner of shrimp cocktail with lobster tail and steamed veggies, or a dinner of fettucine alfredo with a chicken cutlet) and I don't feel the fullness at all. He was very concerned and said he would get films from my upper gi and we would discuss them at my next appt. That appt was today and he in looking at them said my esophagus is dilated so it can hold alot of food (acting like a stomach) and I would never feel fullness since there are no nerve endings there. It also appears my stoma has a broken stitch and is working loose, so my stoma is enlarging. I am so worried. He is ordering more tests, a scope to look at stoma to see exactly what is happening and a barium meal (I am to drink as much barium as I can to verify I can hold alot at once and to see where it is going/where I am holding it). I know this has not happened to many people, I wish it had not happened to me. I don't feel full, I don't dump, I don't throw up, and I am not even sure if anything is fixable. I asked surgeon today if all this came back as a problem would he operate and he said not now, maybe in 6 months, but in the meantime to stick to the pouch rules diet and do the best I can. This is a very hard journey for me, I feel doomed. Has this happened to anyone else??? signed devasted and brokenhearted in ohio    — DarlinIYQ (posted on February 6, 2003)

February 6, 2003
Dear Devastated and broken hearted, I do not have an answer--only a question. Why did you eat 3 slices of pizza when you thought you only had a 1-2 ounce pouch? The thought of it is really scary. I am still pre-op, so I haven't been in that position, and I certainly don't mean to offend. Weren't you scared you might blow something out? Take care and let know how you are doing--I've never heard of anything like this. It will be interesting to see how they fix it. Have you lost weight?
   — sm S.

February 6, 2003
Dear Devastated and broken hearted, I do not have an answer--only a question. Why did you eat 3 slices of pizza when you thought you only had a 1-2 ounce pouch? The thought of it is really scary. I am still pre-op, so I haven't been in that position, and I certainly don't mean to offend. Weren't you scared you might blow something out? Take care and let know how you are doing--I've never heard of anything like this. It will be interesting to see how they fix it. Have you lost weight?
   — sm S.