Obstructed by a "bezoar", has anyone else heard of this?

[Vampyrvet 1]

HI everyone!

After 6 months trouble-free since being sleeved, maybe I was getting a little too cocky? 5 days ago, feeling fine, I ate half of a fresh coconut. I ate slowly, chewed well, and stopped long before I had any discomfort & went about my business. I have not been able to hold anything down since then!

For the first 2 days, I was in agonizing stomach pain & vomiting everything I tried to eat or drink. I felt like I had a rock in my stomach. The following day I felt better but kept to liquids just to be safe & everything was fine other than still feeling like there was a lump in my stomach. The day after that (yesterday) I tried to have some chili & got about 3 spoons into my stomach before I felt nauseous again. The vomiting resumed with a vengeance.

So last night I elected to do a barium study on myself (lucky to have access to radiology at work!) and after 5 hours there was still a perfectly round mass in my stomach that the barium was stuck to. Showed this to my doctor this AM & he sent me for endoscopy. He said I had a bezoar, which is a concretion of undigestible material in my stomach, basically from the cellulose Fiber of the coconut.

The endoscopist is telling me that this is a common finding in people who have had gastric surgery. This is the first time I've heard anything about it!!! Has anyone else had this experience? Can anyone provide me with a list of foods I should avoid, so I don't have to go through this again? I asked my doc, but he basically just said coconut, pumpkin seeds, and celery. There has got to be more to it than that!

Any advice or input is appreciated! Thanks, y'all!

Natalie

:001_wub:

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I will never eat coconut that's for sure. I ate some pumpkin seeds the other day and thank God, I didn't have a problem. Makes me scared to eat them again, and I sure love them.

[Vampyrvet 1]

I've been researching on PubMed, and they actually report successfully dissolving these things with Coca-Cola! Why not? They clean car engines with the stuff!

[*susan* 1,709]

Wow, I have never heard of a bezoar before, that is interesting. The coca-cola might work. I know when I had my band, if I got really stuck, coke would always bring whatever it was up for me.

[LAN2k 18]

Thank you for posting this. Sorry you had this problem. I would not have thought that after 6 months there would be any restrictions in food choices. I'm glad that you were alert enough to take action. How are you now? Will this "bezoar" dissolve? Please keep us informed.

[Malaika 50]

Wow Natalie - that is very SCARY indeed -- I have never heard of a bezoar before. I'm so sorry you had to go through that - and I know now I'll stay away from coconut and pumpkin seeds ... I've had celery several times since surgery and no issues -- but I will definitely be more careful when eating it - and pull off all the strings beforehand.

I hope you are feeling better and that the coke works for the bezoar - makes sense to me - and it surely can't hurt to give it a try given the pain you are in.

Keep us posted, PLEASE!

[burnsun 27]

laughing sort of..... not at you..... but realizing that I must be the only harry potter fan....cause I saw your post and immediately thought of a goat and poison!!

I hope this resolves soon!

[Vampyrvet 1]

Thanks for your support everyone! I did a little more reading on bezoars, and found out that they are associated with people who have had gastric surgery because of decreased acidity and decreased motility (ability of the stomach muscles to contract) of the gastric pouch. I guess the Coca Cola makes a lot of sense! The jury is still out on whether or not this works for me... the studies I read said the subjects needed in excess of 3 liters of Coke before the bezoars broke up, and since my stomach only holds 4-6 ounces at a time, that could take quite a while! There is another option if this doesn't work: enzymatic dissolution. There is an enzyme called Cellulase that dissolves the plant fiber (wonder why my doc didn't mention this yesterday???). Anyway, I'm still a work in progress but thank you for all your help & support!

love,

Natalie

[Vampyrvet 1]

OH, and I also found this little snippet of information:

"Chewing on or eating hair or fuzzy materials (or indigestible materials such as plastic bags) can lead to the formation of a bezoar. The rate is very low and the risk is greater among mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed children."

I guess the 2nd sentence is an accurate statement, in reference to me!

Natalie

[*susan* 1,709]

So, this means I need to quit eating hairballs and ziplock baggies? Darn, now I have to come up with a new favorite snack item! :biggrin0:

[Jane_J 117]

Hi, I think they are caused by taking PPIs which suppress the acid. This is a good reason to wean off of them as soon as possible. I thought I had something like this recently but it seems to have resolved itself. I am also a suggestible hypochondriac with access to the internet, a bad combo!

[cajun 46]

Hi, I think they are caused by taking PPIs which suppress the acid. This is a good reason to wean off of them as soon as possible. I thought I had something like this recently but it seems to have resolved itself. I am also a suggestible hypochondriac with access to the internet, a bad combo!

You are right, PPIs do stop acid production, and it is the acid, enzymes and churning that mash up the food so it can pass on through the pyloris valve into the intestine. Problem is we need the PPIs to avoid acid reflux for a while after the surgery.

So that is one reason we are instructed to CHEW, CHEW, CHEW UNTIL THE food IS MUSH BEFORE WE SWALLOW. Basically the teeth and mouth enzymes are doing the work that the stomach

will not be able to do very well.

So....make like a cow...chew that cud!

[Vampyrvet 1]

Hi Jane,

Nice thought, but I am not taking PPI's nor any other kind of acid-blocker. I guess just having so much of my stomach removed is enough to reduce the acid production. I wonder why these things don't form in people who take antacids chronically but have not had stomach surgery??

Natalie

[WingRider 1]

Natalie said, ""Chewing on or eating hair or fuzzy materials (or indigestible materials such as plastic bags) can lead to the formation of a bezoar. The rate is very low and the risk is greater among mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed children."

I guess the 2nd sentence is an accurate statement, in reference to me!

Natalie

You made me laugh out loud at work with your comment. Thanks I have needed a good laugh all day.

Bill

Hope your bezoar works itself out.

[LAN2k 18]

OH, and I also found this little snippet of information:

"Chewing on or eating hair or fuzzy materials (or indigestible materials such as plastic bags) can lead to the formation of a bezoar. The rate is very low and the risk is greater among mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed children."

I guess the 2nd sentence is an accurate statement, in reference to me!

Natalie

You are so funny. Oddly enough my cat Coco, likes to eat hair, and thread, string, fuzzy and indigestible materials including plastic bags. 2 years ago it cost me 1500 to get him emergency surgery because the thread he injested was entwined through his intestines! I've got to watch him like a hawk! God knows whats inside of him by now!