Trouble Swallowing

[thehappycat 91]

Sleeved on August 13th. The burping finally went away but now I'm having trouble swallowing. I take tiny bites and chew really well, but the it feels painful to swallow and sometimes my chest hurts like something's stuck in my throat. Today I woke up with the feelings of something in my throat and it makes me not want to eat.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does it go away on its own?

[Wheetsin 714]

Not a Doc, best guesses below...

"Wake up with the feeling of something in my throat" sounds like reflux to me. Are you taking PPIs?

"Feels painful to swallow and now I'm having trouble swallowing" sounds like a few things. TIny bites and chewing well will only get you so far. You also need to watch your time between bites (perhaps you do). What things are you eating? And when was your surgery? What does "leveled on August 13th" mean? (I don't understand leveled in that context).

Please explain more about "trouble swallowing." Can you swallow, but you almost have to fight your body to make it happen? Does the food feel like it isn't going down?

RIght now it sounds like restriction, in which case it will let up, or should. But with no idea when you had surgery, what you're eating, etc. it's hard to even guess. Will need to know more to make any other guesses.

[thehappycat 91]

"Leveled" was supposed to be "sleeved". My auto correct got me.

Anyway, I'm on the soft foods stage. Right now I'm having a little bit of rice and a soft, seafood taco.

The food feels like it isn't going down. It feels like it's just sitting in my throat. It's super uncomfortable.

I'm not entirely sure what reflux is. I had an esophageal hernia that the doctor fixed during my surgery, shouldn't that have taken care of the reflux?

[Wheetsin 714]

Rice is generally not considered a soft food. It's something that is on a lot of "no no" lists because of the problems people have eating it. I tried it around 4 months out and did fine but I would not be eating it 2.5 weeks out, personally, even if it was on my OK foods list. Tortilla is the same. Breads generally are not OK 2.5 weeks out.

I really think the foods you're eating are causing your problems. Glutenous & starchy foods are really hard to get down when you're still pretty raw from surgery.

Not everything "soft" is OK on a soft foods stage. Like a "soft taco" isn't a soft food. It's a bit of soft food (soft fish) wrapped in a bread. The cheese would be a soft food. If you have lettuce or cabbage on it, not a soft food. I'm not trying to tell you something you may already know, just trying to emphasize where the line is drawn.

As for esophageal hernia (hiatal hernia) repair - hmm. Do you know if a fundoplication was done as part of your hernia repair?

[nathalie 3]

Oh boy, rice and tortilla definately not a good choice. Those should be months down the road.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Even if you had your hiatal hernia repaired, you can still have acid reflux. I would talk with your surgeon as soon as possible to inquire about take a PPI (nexium, omeprazole, prilosec,) and talk with you doc about what soft food is. My docs and NUT describe soft food as yogurt, sf pudding, sf Jello, Soups or pureed foods, Protein Shakes. Don't rush yourself with eating foods like breads, pastas, and tortillas. It's best to stay away from the carbs for a while.

[thehappycat 91]

I guess I heard a different definition of "soft foods". ^^;;;; Anyway, I ate a scrambled egg for lunch and I still feel something in my throat. I looked up reflux and it sounds just like the symptoms.

The only cause that can be applicable to me is obesity. So is this something that will work itself out? Plan on calling the doc if I'm not feeling better by tomorrow.

Tomato Soup for dinner. Maybe some low-fat frozen ice for dessert.

[pia 2]

I'm 2.5 weeks post and yes the first week post op, it was hard to swallow. It was more like a lump in my throat. It gets better! Hang in there.

[Jazz27 2]

Three months out had my first beer at about 6 weeks... Now I drink beer most weeks but I pour it into a glass first.