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.

[Mita 2]

Ok - one the denser the food the more you are going to have the problem. Alot of us cannot do chicken or bread or steak. I for one cannot do them 3 without it coming back up or stuck. Sometimes it just a matter on how the Chicken is prepared - If you know you cannot do it fried - try broiled - try something different with bread..

Sorry you get that way but it happens.. {{hugs}}

[MerryHearted 20]

The suggestions I've heard are:

1) take smaller bites - like the size of a pea

2) chew chew chew chew and then chew some more

3) use a lubricating agent, (bbq sauce, ketchup, salsa...)

4) some foods you just have to avoid

[the best me 6]

jessenj,

Good advice so far, just want to add that if you get stuck and have that chest pain, be sure to go to liquids for a day, then stay on mushy foods for a while before trying the dense foods again. When we get stuck or PB something, it causes swelling in the band area. Give a few days for the swelling to get good and gone, otherwise you are just making a vicious cycle of swelling causing eting difficulties causing more swelling, round and round. Give your band a rest, eat mushy foods and liquids.

I would also avoid a fill just yet. Great weight loss so far, just take good care of that band.

[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

[the best me 6]

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.

Jesse, just some advice from personal experience regarding the tuna. It's high protien and moist, which is good, but I can't eat it comfortably unless I take the smallest bites, or it still gets stuck and uncomfortable going down, kind of like your dark meat chicken did. Honestly, you may need more time and more weight loss before you can move to the denser meats. It seems like mushy tuna wouldn't be a dense meat, but for me, it is. Maybe I just like to take bigger bites? Cottage cheese does the same thing, unless I use a toddler spoon and I'm very careful to be sure my bite size is small. Just be careful. Keep protien shakes in your diet for a while longer, make sure you get your nutrition in, and get your mind ready to spend a few more weeks taking it very slow and easy on eating "real" foods. Don't push it, is my advice. You WILL be able to eat again with the same satisfaction, just not yet. Hang on, it gets easier. When you get a few weeks in of mushies, read Molly and Mary's advice again, and go from there.

I wish I had listened when people said slow down. I thought "I AM eating slow!" but that's not what they were saying. It was more like "Slow down on what your expectaions are of what eating post-surgery should feel like. Be okay with mushies for longer than other folks. Slow down. Let your band be your guide. If it won't let you, don't, and it's okay"

Hang in there, you are doing great!

[S@ssen@ch 745]

Everyone's given such great advice, I'm not going to repeat anything. But I'm going to add something that has been hinted at once or twice. I know that what helped me to learn what a smaller bite was and to eat slower was to use a toddler spoon. I thought my dietician or nurse or whoever told me to do it was crazy for telling me to eat with a pickle fork and a baby spoon, but it really did train me to eat smaller bites and chew better. As you transition into your regular diet, it may be a wise decision to use these tools to train yourself. I don't use them anymore other than I keep the toddler spoon in my lunch bag for convenience (it's smaller and cute).

Good Luck

[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]

Looks like two identical originating posts were started on accident. *chuckles* Maybe it would be easier for Jess if we put all the post on one of the threads?

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=184477#post184477

[S@ssen@ch 745]

Jesse,

All the abreviations and accronyms are in a post where Frequently asked questions are located on the board.

By the way (BTW) a PB is a productive burp or a bandster vomit. It's called a productive burp because basically we burp, but bring up "stuff" with it. It's not really vomiting because there's not digested food or gastric juices in it, only the chewed up stuff you recently swallowed. It's not comfortable and often rather painful.