Latest messages for CancerCompass discussion http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,37401,0.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Hi, Belinda gave a great description.  I had my surgery end of Nov '08.  Was eating pretty well until the middle of January when I noticed food and liquids not going down as well until the point I got food stuck.  Not a pleasant experience and I too gagged to get it back up.  I had my first dilation done 3rd week of January and then one every 3 weeks as my throat slowly closed again.  Since the beginning of May (my last one) everything has been great.  I still have had to learn how to completely chew my food (very important) and swallow small mouthfulls. The only bad experience I had is my talking got worse and I started coughing as I did when I had come out of surgery.  It has taken some time but I am not back to 95% as far as ability to talk with only pregnant pauses during conversation and some light coughing Kevin41 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT  On 6/22/2009 mair9776 wrote:Hello all,  My dad had the Ivor Lewis surgery on May 11th.  He has so far been doing ok.  well yesterday he couldn't swallow barely anything.  he got down some liquids but seemed to have trouble.  We called the doctor today and they flat out said he needs dilation.  Has anyone had this?  Can you tell me a little about it?  He is having it done tomorrow.   thanks for any imput!  Marianne  Hi Marianne, I had it done once a month for 4 months after surgery. It really was nothing to worry about.  It was painless except for a little sore throat. It helped me alot. Its been 3 months since my last and I'm eating just fine. Good luck and God bless. luvliving Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Belinda... THANK YOU!!!  I really appreciate all the information you sent!  I already feel better!  I will relay all this on to my father and hope he feels better as well!  I will definatly be in touch and will probably have a million questions!  thank you sooooooo much!   Marianne mair9776 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Hi my name is Belinda, I had the Ivor-Lewis procedure 9-11-08. I have had the dilation done several times now.  They will give your dad an IV and when it is almost time for the procedure they will put 2 different pain meds. into his IV which will basically lightly knock him out to where he won't remember anything.  They will insert this little tube thing with a camera on the end of it into your dad's mouth and into his throat into his esophagus, or the small intestine they made for him an esophagus, with this they can slowly dilate a small amount at a time, so as not to tear anything. They will then put him into a recovery space, and when he wakes up and the Doctor talks with whomever takes him you can take him home, and he will be fine right away. He may be some drowsy, but when I wake up that is it I'm awake, but your dad may sleep longer.  Tell your dad that if his food gets stuck, the worst thing I have found to help is to drink something, that only makes it 10 times worse to me, and let me tell you have empathy for these spells,as they are horribly painful.  Tell him the best thing I have found to do,is to stick his finger down his throat and make himself throw up, I promise it won't hurt him, it will make the pain go away when he throws up what is stuck.  Tell his also to chew,chew,chew little bitty bites at a time even this doesn't guarantee that it won't happen anymore.  Good luck to him if you need anymore advice please contact me and I will do the same. Does your dad still have his stomach?  You can contact me at --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--  please feel free.  I haven't had anyone to talk with until I found this site, so if I can help someone in my shoes I would love too. Good luck tomorrow, but relax it isn't anything major. Take careBelinda belindasurvivorinMS Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Hello all,  My dad had the Ivor Lewis surgery on May 11th.  He has so far been doing ok.  well yesterday he couldn't swallow barely anything.  he got down some liquids but seemed to have trouble.  We called the doctor today and they flat out said he needs dilation.  Has anyone had this?  Can you tell me a little about it?  He is having it done tomorrow.   thanks for any imput!  Marianne mair9776 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT