No sweet spot or low-motility esophagus?

[MichelleInCA 22]

I was banded over a year ago and haven't achieved much so far -- about 40 lbs lost, some of that before surgery. Lately gained a few lbs.

As I got filled enough for restriction (about 8 cc in Realize band), then solid food would often get stuck in my throat and I PB'd nearly every day. Yet if I ate mushies I could eat a ton without getting full. The pattern was, either stuck food/medicine and hunger, or overeating of soft food. So the doc did a slight unfill, saying I probably have a "low motility" esophagus that can't push food down against the pressure of the band. Eventually the esophagus would have given up and dilated if I hadn't had the unfill.

The 1 cc unfil was night and day -- now it's almost like I have no band. I have followed her advice to eat a lot of salad to fill up the pouch with healthy food, but still I've been putting on weight because it's so easy to overeat. So now I'm going back for a fill again, but I know I'll just be back to not being able to take pills or eat solid food. Sigh.

Anyone else had this problem of the esophagus not cooperating? I'm wondering if I need to get a full gastric bypass or something... :grouphug:

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

That is exactly why I got a revision surgery to a sleeve. A sleeve is like a bypass but you don't have the malabsorption issues like you do with a gastric bypass.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Oregondaisy

[MichelleInCA 22]

Thanks so much for sharing that. Very interesting, especially since I'm not really a bypass candidate because I also have Crohn's disease (go figure). So the sleeve doesn't require such a strong esophagus, and you were successful with it? I have a lot of questions but I'll go read up on the sleeve before I bother you with them. :grouphug:

That is exactly why I got a revision surgery to a sleeve. A sleeve is like a bypass but you don't have the malabsorption issues like you do with a gastric bypass.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Come over to the sleeve section of the board and read all the stories of why there are so many of us getting revision surgery from band to sleeve. You are welcome to send me a private message and I would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have. :grouphug: