Well first of all, follow his rules about not eating solid foods until Monday. You need to give the band/port area time to recover -- it swells during a fill.

Second, learn from my mistakes. CHEW, CHEW, CHEW and eat slowly. Allow the bite to get all the way down. I'm telling you this because that is when I get stuck -- when I don't follow those rules.

My second fill was good -- I'm pretty close to where I want to be in terms of not being hungry more than every 3 hours, and being full at about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food each time. However I get stuck a lot -- and its my own fault every time -- eating too fast or not chewing.

When I get stuck usually just walking around (anything but sitting) helps. If its too bad I make myself PB (productive burping) and the stuck food comes up with a lot of saliva.

It hurts when something gets stuck. You feel like you can't breathe when realistically the food is stuck in your esophagus not your windpipe and your ability to breathe is not impacted. Don't panic, breathe, and walk it out.

I hope this helps. You may never experience this, but if you do please know it is ok and it will be over and you've learned. I chew more and slower than I ever did. It works!

This is great advice for anyone getting a fill. Thanks Sandradee0124.

Thanks Sandy, I am like ella, I kind of live in fear of that first "stuck" . .. hope it never happens, but realize it probably will. Good advice.

It definitely is an experience. With sliming you can feel the excess saliva building up and you feel like you need to spit. That is your body sending secretions to help the food slide on down. At some point if it doesn't go down you will feel the gag feeling and well heave ho but for me it only comes from the throat so its like whatever was in there "pops" out. Sandra is right, you feel panicky but dont. There are times when it is so severe that I feel pain in my chest.

Walking around helps some. It allows gravity to give you some help. Sipping warm water, not cold, but warm water helps it go down too.

I have had a single bite get stuck the moment I swallowed. I have learned that 1st thing in the morning everything gets a little stuck. You get used to it really and then you learn what works and it's just another thing. It doesn't happen all the time. There are times I can eat bread no problem and then I can eat the same bread later and it gets majorly stuck. Same thing with pasta. Sometimes it gets stuck and sometimes it doesnt. I find that if I am really hungry I rush eating and hence the getting stuck.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT ADVICE.

SANDRA YOU ARE AWESOME EXPLAINING THINGS...

i Just got a epipsode last weelend wehile eating a slice of ham. it lasted 15-20 mins. My chest got tighght, so i got up and started walking... that wasnt working. I could feel the saliva accumilating in my mouth and i was told it was better to spit it out that to swallow. Yes, you feel like you cant breath and talk, but breathing slow and trying to burp helps. i have never had to vomit...and i hope i never do.

I dont have much restriction so i know that idid not chew that ham enough.

Another thing i noticed is that i get tight when i am stressing or if im sitting at the table with my kids and i am paying attention to them and not my food.