new to the group

[Guest guest]

Hello All,

I'm new to the group and new to achalasia. I had lapband surgery in April '09.

All was great, I was losing weight, the band was doing its trick...until about 4

or 5 months ago. There were times when I would eat that I could only eat a few

bites and then I was full for hours - so full that I couldn't even drink. I was

thinking that my band was REALLY working well and I was almost excited that my

intake was so restricted because I was losing weight. Well, then the puking

started. I would eat and, more often than not, throw up a few minutes later.

Then the reflux started while I was sleeping. This is what pushed me to go back

to see my surgeon. It was miserable - as soon as I'd fall asleep I'd get this

rush of dinner coming back up. My doctor took all the fluid out of my band to

see if that would fix it, which it didn't. From there I had a barium swallow,

then endoscopy then manometry. He diagnosed it as achalasia. Over the past

couple of months my symptoms became so bad that I was having a difficult time

swallowing water at times.

Last Monday I had my lapband removed, a heller myotomy and a dor fundoplication.

I seem to be recovering well - still pretty sore but able to keep my limited

diet down - he has me on a full liquid diet until I see him again this Thursday

and will hopefully increase me to soft foods. I am overjoyed to be sleeping

again - the whole night!

As sad as I am to have my gastric band removed (still have about 50 pounds to

lose) I'm thankful to not be struggling with eating and drinking. Wondering if

anyone here has a similar story? Since it's such a rare diagnosis to begin with

I can't imagine there are many of us who have had weight loss surgery. I was a

first for my doctor. The odd thing is is that I didn't have symptoms prior to

my weight loss surgery.

Anyway, thanks for this group and to all who post. I've enjoyed reading the

posts and have learned a lot already.

Donna