How long can you stay "stuck"?

[CathyBFromGa 0]

Tomorrow I'll be four weeks out, and have begun slowly transitioning to solids. On Saturday I ate the equivalent of maybe two bites of a hot dog. I removed the casing and cut the pieces tiny enough to fit on one tine of a fork. I think I might be stuck? I didn't get the stuck feeling right then, it seemed to go down fine, but Sunday morning I could hardly even drink my coffee. Then throughout the rest of the day, whenever I would try to eat anything, mushy or not, I'd get that stuck/chest-tightness/burning feeling. I tried a bite of mooshy refried Beans last night and it actually came back up. So my question is... will whatever "it" is that's stuck ever go away? I really don't want to call my doctor yet, because I'm afraid he'll won't like it that i started solids a few days early. Just wondering... anybody here ever stay stuck for more than a day? Please help! Thanks!!! CathyB

[btrieger 21]

I'm 3 months out and have been stuck a few.

Getting stuck is almost immediate. Sometimes you have a second to realize what you did wrong right before the pain starts. Basically, the pain and chest tightness you described.

It last from a few minutes to a few hours.

It sounds like your band tightened up over night. I've read about others that this happens to. Could be stress, hormones, etc...

You should definitely call your surgeons office if it persists and get their opinion.

Good luck, hopefully it is just "one of those days"

[lotzasunshine 2]

Tomorrow I'll be four weeks out, and have begun slowly transitioning to solids. On Saturday I ate the equivalent of maybe two bites of a hot dog. I removed the casing and cut the pieces tiny enough to fit on one tine of a fork. I think I might be stuck? I didn't get the stuck feeling right then, it seemed to go down fine, but Sunday morning I could hardly even drink my coffee. Then throughout the rest of the day, whenever I would try to eat anything, mushy or not, I'd get that stuck/chest-tightness/burning feeling. I tried a bite of mooshy refried Beans last night and it actually came back up. So my question is... will whatever "it" is that's stuck ever go away? I really don't want to call my doctor yet, because I'm afraid he'll won't like it that i started solids a few days early. Just wondering... anybody here ever stay stuck for more than a day? Please help! Thanks!!! CathyB

Since you are just starting on solids you may have a little swelling from the harder food going down. Hotdogs we AWFUL for me when I was first banded! Try going back to sips of warm liquids like broth for a day or 2 and see if that helps. You may have switched to solids too soon. Most of the guidelines for stages of eating after surgery are very generalized. Some people don't need that much time to transition, and others need more. Sounds like you may be one who needs more time before you go to solids. Good luck!!

[Nean4488 1]

I've only been stuck twice, but man did I know I was stuck! It felt like a knife going threw me. The first time it lasted about a few minutes and it passed but the 2nd time it wasnt going away for about 5 min i just made it come back up.

[illuminationlady 7]

The longest I've been stuck is a couple of hours and I've been stuck many times. The sensation is immediate as PP stated. Don't be afraid to call your doctor ever. I'm sure many of his patients have "cheated" and he's heard it all before. Hope you're feeling better soon...Best wishes!!!

[thereitgoes 0]

I have been stuck quite a few times. My band is fickle; one day I can eat something and the next I can't.

I have had dinner at a regular dinner hour (6 or 7) and been fine until I woke up at 1 a.m. due to pain from being stuck. After being stuck, your stomach swells and that makes it harder for things to go down. My doc says to go on liquids for 2 days after getting stuck to allow the swelling to go down.

Good luck. If it doesn't get better soon, just call your doc; he may have some suggestions for you.

[CathyBFromGa 0]

thanks, yall! i guess my fear is that something is stuck there, and not getting any digestive juices except saliva, and it will stay stuck until they go in with a gastroscope and get it out!!! (i know enough medicine to be dangerous haha!) I am doing sips today, and hopefully tomorrow will be better. the hot sips of coffee do better than the cold sips of Water, so i guess i'll just have coffee breath all day! thanks again! If anyone else has something different to add, please go ahead and add it. If i'm not better tomorrow, i'll probably call the doctor. :-)

CathyB

[Blaze21 5]

Try taking papaya enzyme chewables. I get mine from GNC.< /p>

[RollTideRoll 0]

I've never been stuck for more than a few minutes. It sure does hurt though! You should go to a fill doctor and get some taken out. It might be too tight for your stomach.

[adagray 1]

I would just recommend ice cold Water over hot anything. When I got overtight and drank hot broth, I ended up closed off completely. I had to go back in to get some Fluid removed and the PA said if you ever feel tight, do NOT drink hot beverages, drink ice cold ones instead. Cold reduces swelling, hot increases swelling. So, even if the hot beverage feels better going down, it may actually be making the situation worse.

[123crod 170]

I would just recommend ice cold Water over hot anything. When I got overtight and drank hot broth, I ended up closed off completely. I had to go back in to get some Fluid removed and the PA said if you ever feel tight, do NOT drink hot beverages, drink ice cold ones instead. Cold reduces swelling, hot increases swelling. So, even if the hot beverage feels better going down, it may actually be making the situation worse.

I have to disagree with this. My Dr says hot or warm liquids help to loosen the band. I have to have coffee every morning just to get my pills down. But that is just my opinion and experience.

Also sometime when you have been stuck for a while and then it goes down you can still feel some of the sensation of where it was stuck for a few hours or a couple of days if you have irritated that area. Go on just liquids for a couple of days.

Cheri

[cwm812 11]

Cheri and Ada...I think you are both right.

Warm liquids do loosen the band somewhat first thing in the morning. I do that one all the time, but if I'm swollen from a bad stick, cold is the way to go. I will suck on ice immediately after the stuck episode and the next day, I've been known to have ice cream for lunch!....I always swell for at least 24 hours after being stuck and cold liquids really help the problem.

Cindy

[aimerus 0]

I second the chewable papaya enzyme tablets. I always chew one or two after eating meat. Hope you are feeling better today.

[elcee 3,341]

Yes warm liquids can help to loosen a tight band but as a few others have said cold is the way to go if you are stuck. I have found sucking on crushed ice helps me when I am stuck and am swollen.

Same as sprains/strains/bruises. You put ice on them as it helps to reduce the swelling. If you apply heat it encourages the swelling.

Think back to the first thing that you were given after surgery. It wasn't a nice warm drink - it was probably ice to suck on.

[trishfish 1]

I had the same delayed pain...my nutrionist said that I had "over eaten" and had caused he nerve to become irritated. I have to be VERY carefuk and measure all my portions (hey, its been working for the weigt loss...haha) and she too said cold water...and just sips @ a time. and walking...walking helped me. good luck and hope you're feeling better!! :thumbup: