Can the Dr. tell if you have a problem

nickie456 · October 29, 2005

I went to day and got my second fill. I am now at 3.1cc. At both fills the Dr. has had me drink the white stuff that taste like chalk (guessing this is a barium swallow) and he always does the fill with fluoro. What I'm wondering is if there was a problem with the band, eroson, slip etc. Would he be able to see it with the barium swallow and fluoro?

GeezerSue · October 29, 2005

Most of what they are looking for--positioning (a slip) and how fast the barium move through the band--they can find with the barium swallow at the adjustment. They can also see if the esophagus is widening (dilatation.)

Then, it can get tricky. Esophageal dysmotility is not necessarily an easily found problem. Sometimes my food went through. Sometimes it didn't. You have to be lucky and run a test at a time it's acting up. At an Upper GI, they saw it, but didn't document it well. This time, as I got unfilled, they could see the barium just sitting there, so THAT'S how they were able to diagnose the dysmotility.

Ersosion is best diagnosed with endoscopy, where they look at the inside of the stomach with a little camera and can see if the band has worn through. (I HOPE I don't have that one!)

So, yes and no. some swtuff they will notice at an adjustment. Some, not.