Cara

[Guest guest]

do not confuse 'good swallowing' with everything being OK. As time went on -

after my myo - my swallowing actually improved and I rarely had to struggle to

get anything down *but* that was because my E was stretching out. What triggered

me to check into an ectomy was in the summer of 2007 - I went for my routine

barium swallow and scope - I had been having them about every other year. Now -

something to note, I ALWAYS had 'leftovers' in my E, even after the midnight

fast and all that. So even though I didn't 'feel' any problems with swallowing,

due to lack of perstalsis, food was not always going down and ultimately

stretched out my E so that it had started to twist and it had formed a pouch

below the entrance to my stomach. I couldv'e waiting a few years to have it done

but my E would have stretched out more and I was increasing my risk of

aspiration and the 'leftovers' getting rancid - ewww. I was also VERY ready to

get rid of spasms.

Now, going into this, I had long ago decided that if I could have had another

myo - I would go to Rice. I made the decision to go to Dr. L because he does

more -ectomies and he was more conveniently located for me.

The other thing - may have some scar tissue build up or may just need a

post op dilation - they are VERY common after myos and there is no way to

predict who will need one and who won't. Sometimes your body makes extra scar

tissue and it needs to be removed or dilated and then you are fine for years. I

had 3-4 dilations over the first 8 years post myo then NOTHING for 10 years. My

quality of life and my swallowing were very good for 18 years post myo. THAT was

going to a doctor who had only done 1 myo before (before the internet - who knew

there were docs who did them all the time?)

Hope that helps.

Take care

~ in NC