HELP HELP HELP!!!! Feeling like I'm choking

[Jersey Jesse 0]

I had the Band on January 30th, 2006. I am having a big problem. Whenever I eat, no matter how much I chew my food, the first few bites seem to go down just fine, then about 2 minutes later, I feel an intense pain in my esophagus/stomach. It feels like someone is choking me, but in my stomach. I've talked to my doctor who said he's seen this only once or twice before and stated that he really isn't sure why it happens. He suggested that I take a few sips of warm Water first before each meal. The problem is, I don't always have access to warm water when I eat.

I haven't been given a fill yet, and to date I've lost 41 pounds. My issue seems to be that it happens most when I eat denser foods. If I eat a salad with dressing the problem doesn't exist, but when I eat chicken, fish, breads etc, this pain comes on strong. I'm then unable to drink water or even swallow saliva. The pain is very strong and lasts for about 10 minutes. I'm unable to remedy the situation after it starts, and eventually, the food drops into my stomach and I feel fine again, but my appetite is completely gone.

PLEASE HELP!!! I had an episode tonight at dinner, eating a small piece of chicken, and I was getting frantic cause I couldn't figure out how to make the pain go away.

[bandtastic 0]

that feeling is normal.... From reading what other people have written on here it sounds like you are swalloen. I don't think you will need a fill for awhile. You seem to have enough restriction with out a fill at all. I would just take it easy with foods for a while. Just purred or liquids. What I have noticed that I can eat ok is spaghetti sauce with meat. WIth out the noodles of course. You might want to just try something that is already ground up for you and take very very very small bites. Focus on the bite size and amount of time you chew. Sounds like you are doing well loosing weight. :-) Good luck!

[PhotoNut 7]

If I eat a salad with dressing the problem doesn't exist, but when I eat chicken, fish, breads etc, this pain comes on strong. I'm then unable to drink Water or even swallow saliva. The pain is very strong and lasts for about 10 minutes. I'm unable to remedy the situation after it starts, and eventually, the food drops into my stomach and I feel fine again, but my appetite is completely gone.

Sounds like a near PB experience to me. Many people have problems with dry meats.. chicken and fish can be very dry. Try cooking your fish or chicken differently so its moist. Try some low fat dressings on them to make them more moist. Some people have to avoid chicken and fish all together. Breads? Mm.. usually bad news for most of us. Once chewed it gloms together in the stomach and forms a ball of stuff that doesn't pass the band easily.

You have been irritating your stomach and esophogus (I still dont know how to spell that! :confused:) so you should put yourself on a few days of liquids to allow the irritation and swelling to go down. Then, slowly get back to soft foods and introduce more solid foods one at a time, paying close attention to which foods give you problems. Then stay away from them.

But seriously, you wont stop having the problem until you give things time to heal. Get on liquids and rethink your food choices. I hope this helps, and I hope you feel better soon. *hugs*

[Jersey Jesse 0]

Thank you all so much. I can't tell you how alone I felt when this happens to me. My wife keeps asking "is there something I can do" and I can't think of anything because I myself don't know what to do. Tonight was strange since I didn't eat anything dry. I ate very moist chicken, dark meat rotisserie, and it still happened. I think I like the suggestion most that I may be swollen and irritated. Thats kinda what I felt was the case. I'm going to go back to soft mushy stuff for a week or so to give my esophagus a rest and then reattempt tuna or something high Protein and moist.

Again, thanks for helping me feel less alone. I'm very appreciative I found this board and all those who so promptly replied.

Jesse

[SouthTX LapBand 0]

Something which your doctor can't always be counted on to explain in detail ---- expect to have to cut pieces of meat not much larger than your little fingernail. If you can manage that well, then you can try a bit larger....

But if you take too large a mouthful of something with muscle Fiber, no matter how moist and tender, those long fibers will GET'CHA!!! :faint:

It is often suggested that you invest in a cocktail fork for eating and leave the regular flatware to your wife. Some people buy baby spoons, or a toddler spoon and fork set. Some people even use chopsticks.

And creating a habit of putting DOWN your fork/spoon between bites and just "be" for a minute. You should expect it to take you 15 minutes or so to finish a bandster sized meal.

We are so used to a lifetime of shoveling food in, eating TINY is difficult. For me, it also bothered me to not be able to finish a meal while it was still real warm, but now I've gotten used to cold food and I don't mind anymore. :hungry:

Theresa

[tilly 5]

Ive learned over the year ive had the band to take a couple of bites, chew chew chew and then WAIT wait for a few minutes see what happens, if all is well, carry on slowly,. the food doesnt hurt at first you see, its a sort of build up, then when you keep eating it makes it worse and can be intensly painful. My surgeon told me to eat nothing that i couldnt break with the side of my fork and he was sooo right!

he also told me to keep away from bread, chicken, meat of any kind, rice mushrooms and Pasta. I thought I knew better and suffered for it.

but thats the knack, eat a bit and wait, if no pain carry on.

good luck and dont worry, theres nothing wrong with you or the band its just because the food is sitting on top of the band and cant get through so your body rejects it by productive burping ick but it works.

dont drink during the pb, its the first thing you want to do, but it hurts even more

[NJChick 3]

I was told that when ever you have dry meat, make sure you have gravy with it (it can be fat free). If I'm out and the meat is to dry, I will coat my mouth with a teeny weeny sip of Water to help it go down.

Your not alone.... hugs !!!

[vinesqueen 2]

Hi Jessen, welcome to LBT and Bandlandia!

Even though you were banded in Jan, it sounds like you sill have some swelling. Some of our bandsters don't need a fill for months after their band is installed. Capt'n Jack is one, as was my DH.

Getting used to the new way of eating can be very difficult for many baby bandsters. So many of us are used to taking great huge bites, chewing just to be polite, and then swallowing the thing whole. Meal done, 5 minutes start to finish! Bing! Off to the races!

But once we are banded we can't livethat way wany more. We have to become mindful and practice not only moderation but restraint as well. And that can be more difficult than it sounds. I'm still working on moderation and restraint a year later.

It sounds like you have a variation of the "first bite syndrome" and you might find it helpful to have a warm beverage before dinner, a cup of hot herb tea or the like. Other people find that if they eat when they are really hungry that this happens to them. For me, if I wait to eat until I'm really hungry, BAMB!!!!It's gonna hurt no matter how small the bite.

I think we have a thread in the food section about favorite food lubes, you might search there for favorite food lubes (lubricants to help the food slide down easier.)

[Jersey Jesse 0]

Again, I can't thank you all enough. I now have a new approach to eating, and will take it easy on the solids for the next few days. Then I'll try baby steps with very small bites timed a few minutes apart.

My doctor also suggested the warm beverage before eating, but that was his only advice.

Excuse my ignorance, but I am not aware of what PB and some of the other acronyms used on this board mean. Can someone break down for me just a few to help me catch up?

Thanks again,

Jesse

[PhotoNut 7]

PB is productive burp. When a food gets stuck and has to come back up. Check out this link for some other acronyms we use here:

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7959

[tilly 5]

a PB is when the food just sits on top of your band and wont go into your top tum, after a few minutes, you begin to burp, then a lot of Water comes into yuor mouth dont whatever you do swallow this !! it makes matters worse, and dont go for a drink which is the first instinct. then if its a rather sever pb you will then start to bring up slimy white stuff and the pain will ease off, then some more burping, more slime until eventually the food that was stuck comes up. instant releif. its not vomit, it comes back the same way it went down (pardon me)

not pleasant and after a PB its best to go onto liquids the rest of the day as your tum will be swollen and if you carry on eating you just have another PB !!

should hav named this post

PB's I have known and loved !!! lol:nervous

[Dody 0]

I had the Band on January 30th, 2006. I am having a big problem. Whenever I eat, no matter how much I chew my food, the first few bites seem to go down just fine, then about 2 minutes later, I feel an intense pain in my esophagus/stomach. It feels like someone is choking me, but in my stomach. I've talked to my doctor who said he's seen this only once or twice before and stated that he really isn't sure why it happens. He suggested that I take a few sips of warm Water first before each meal. The problem is, I don't always have access to warm Water when I eat.

I haven't been given a fill yet, and to date I've lost 41 pounds. My issue seems to be that it happens most when I eat denser foods. If I eat a salad with dressing the problem doesn't exist, but when I eat chicken, fish, breads etc, this pain comes on strong. I'm then unable to drink water or even swallow saliva. The pain is very strong and lasts for about 10 minutes. I'm unable to remedy the situation after it starts, and eventually, the food drops into my stomach and I feel fine again, but my appetite is completely gone.

PLEASE HELP!!! I had an episode tonight at dinner, eating a small piece of chicken, and I was getting frantic cause I couldn't figure out how to make the pain go away.

Did your dr. require an upper GI before the surgery. It sounds like esophageal reflux to me. I wouldn't be so hasty as to say it is, but it sure as heck sounds like it, and it doesn't sound really normal. I have heard that chicken seems to be a major culprit though. I haven't been banded yet, but had my upper GI (three of them so far) to show my esophagus has healed from an erosion and no ulcers. Test went fine and everything is healed. Last test I think before bandland, except for blood work. Hope you let your dr. know if you change your diet and nothing improves. Sorry you aren't feeling well.

[babsintx3 0]

Hi JesseJ and welcome!!

It sounds like you have good restriction and some swelling and you will have to be more careful eating meats and stay away from bread for a while. Most bandsters have trouble with bread because it is Gummy and when it hits the esophagus it can expand when the saliva mixes with the bread. It can feel like a huge golf ball in your chest and since we dont drink and eat at the same times as banded people, this can be extremely painful since you have no way to wash it down and adding liquids just adds to the expansion process!!. Now, I can eat pretty much anything but for some reason I have trouble with dark meat turkey even if its tender. It really has something to do with the texture. Every bandster is different. I still have trouble with steak too, yet I can eat most anything if I sit long enough and chew it to a pulp. If there is any grizzle on the meat or it is stringy, I also have problems and get the golfball/deer in the headlight look on my face!! LOL I am sure the reason that your doctor was suggesting a warm drink is because it will relax the esophagus and gets things lubed and relaxed in there before you start on the meat!! Trust me when I tell you that it really helps to drink a warm cup of coffee, tea or just warm Water before a meal. Take really small bites and chew it to a pulp before you swallow. Consider yourself lucky to have such good restriction from the get go. Some of us had to wait a while to get the restriction you are getting now. OK, you have to learn quicker and dont have the adjustment time to get used to the restriction and that is the trade off to having none!!!

You are doing great. Hang in there!!! As you lose weight your band will loosen up a little and I guarantee you will be coming here asking why dont I have restriction anymore? I can now eat a horse!!!

Babs in TX

334/180 ish

-150 ish but I dont weigh anymore so I am not completely sure......