CancerCompass message board discussion started by mroque01 on 1/20/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,19925,0.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Hello..my husband had his stomach surgery on 12/27 and so far has been doing quite well.  The only problem he has had is difficulty swallowing his food.  He says that it feels as if is choking him.  Now it doesn't happen all the time but enough where he doesn't want to eat.  Is this normal or is it something I should be concerned about?  It doesn't matter what it is.  He could even be liquids.  Please anyone who  knows what this could be or how to help or fix it would be helpful. Thanks  mroque01 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hello,Yes unfortunately it is normal with this procedure. I have been doing so much research and that is definietly one of the problems. My mom can't swallow anything....it feels to her like its lodged in her throat/chest. It has been 5 months and she still feels the same. They said her esophagus does not need to be stretched but yet in the same breathe that something seems to be blocking the food/liquid from going down. It takes a good 5  to 10 minutes sometimes. She has dropped to 99 pounds and might eventually have to go on a feeding tube at night. Liquids are even worse for her believe it or not. I hope it helps that at least you know a lot of people are going through this. Its just sad that there is not much doctors could do about it. VintageLadyJ Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi my grandfather has stomach cancer. He had surgery 10/30 and afterwards had a stroke. I can realate w/ your post. He has experienced diff. swallowing as well. I would say ask your doctor to do an endoscopy to see if the esophagus has closed up or narrowed. My grandfather could not swallow anything and we found out the esophagus had closed. He has been going for 'balloon procedures' where they strtch the esophagus w/ a ballon. He must go 4 or 5 times before the esophagus will permanently stay open. Ask your doctor about this. Hope this helps, my prayers are with you. sweetz207 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thank you so much for your response.  I will look into this with our doctor.  Hope your grandfather is recovering well. mroque01 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT