Getting blocked or 'clogged up'?

[Qvrfullmidwife 0]

I have read several references to varied foods causing a blockage or making someone get 'clogged'.

What are they talking about? How serious is this? What causes this? How is it treated?

[mariecarmen 1]

For me, I can almost gaurantee getting something stuck in my band if I:

1. take too large a swallow

2. eat too fast

3. eat when I'm upset

4. eat bread

5. don't chew well enough

I know right away it's happened because I get an immediate uncomfortable feeling that turns to pain in my mid-chest. My eyes may Water, my nose may run. Very thick, slimey saliva starts to pool in my mouth that has to be spit out. Try and swallow it only makes the situation worse. I may start to hiccup or burp.

Burping is better because things shift around in there.

The only solution when this happens is to stop eating, don't dare swallow another thing and move. Walk, bend at the waist, twist my torso. Anything that will encourage whatever's stuck to change position and slide through the band.

The second it passes, all the above mentioned symptoms stop. Depending on the size of the obstruction and the time it took to clear, I find myself tired and don't put anything in my mouth for a few hours. I try and have at least 2 Protein shake meals following one of these episodes.

The experience may be different for others, this is just how it goes for me.

Good luck, MC

[kacee 3]

I have also seen where people can use (not 100% of the time, I would suppose, but worth keeping on hand) papaya enzyme lozenges to try to break up the food. This is basically meat tenderizer. There are products available, notably Clear Ease which is marketed for sinus problems and used by scuba divers (I know, sounds weird). I bought some and keep it in my purse "in case of emergency". Some clog ups you can maneuver apart by moving, walking, twisting, stretching....some not. Nothing's more "fun" than feeling like someone has a sharp knuckle stabbing into your breastbone for about 3 hours. Mashed potatos did it to me once just after surgery. YUCK. Never want to go through that again.

[jackal1209 1]

These situations can be very painful and serious. About 6mos. into it for me, I got "clogged, or plugged" as you call it and it lasted for 2 days. I had to visit my doctor and have everything removed from the band. It was quite a setback, and an eye opener for me. No situations since then.

2 years 3 mos post op

220 pounds lost

at goal

Life is good!

[joe7777 1]

For me, I can almost gaurantee getting something stuck in my band if I:

1. take too large a swallow

2. eat too fast

3. eat when I'm upset

4. eat bread

5. don't chew well enough

I know right away it's happened because I get an immediate uncomfortable feeling that turns to pain in my mid-chest. My eyes may Water, my nose may run. Very thick, slimey saliva starts to pool in my mouth that has to be spit out. Try and swallow it only makes the situation worse. I may start to hiccup or burp.

Burping is better because things shift around in there.

The only solution when this happens is to stop eating, don't dare swallow another thing and move. Walk, bend at the waist, twist my torso. Anything that will encourage whatever's stuck to change position and slide through the band.

The second it passes, all the above mentioned symptoms stop. Depending on the size of the obstruction and the time it took to clear, I find myself tired and don't put anything in my mouth for a few hours. I try and have at least 2 Protein shake meals following one of these episodes.

The experience may be different for others, this is just how it goes for me.

Good luck, MC

EXACTLY how it feels for me, it's as if i had written it!

[Ruthann Roskiewich Bland 1]

I might say that I've been blocked, however, I find if I eat too fast my pouch gets full and isn't releasing the food. Then with the pouch full, everything I eat backs up in the esphogus until It all comes back up like a clogged drain. I don't consider that being a blockage. It's my fault for eating too fast and not chewing. I know we were all told to eat slowly and chew chew chew. The pouch is the smallest in the morning. I'm never hungry until late afternoon. If I wait that long I end up eating too fast and I've caused trouble. It's almost like you have to train your pouch. If I want to go out to lunch or dinner I will have to eat something first. Eating on an empty pouch/stomach means that I can't eat but a few mouthfulls....which is what is supposed to happen I believe. Does anyone remember being told that you'd only be able to eat as much as a golf ball amount of food? It worked for the most part but I eventually had to get fills so I could get back into the golf ball eating. I know some people won't leave the house without Breakfast. If I stretch the pouch first thing in the morning, then I'm hungry all day. The only solution is to eat a liquid Breakfast drink and with that I have to watch the calories. I know a lot of people with lapbands are still drinking carbonated drinks. I never do because it stretches the pouch. I didn't learn this until a couple of years after getting banded, and until I found a new doctor who didn't tease me with fills. To date I've lost 120 pounds. I'm 10 pounds away from my goal weight and have scheduled another fill. I'm the most comfortable that I've ever been. I can cross my legs finally. I can reach into the cabinet higher because my stomach isn't holding me back. I can get down and get back up again! I can do things that I hadn't been able to do in years. Everyday is something new. I still don't recognize my reflection!

[Hope41 13]

Congrats ruthann-roskiewich-bland on your weight loss and I wish you all the success in the world to teach your goal weight. Reading your story I see myself in your story. It's been a year since my band and took me that long to learn everything that I did about the band and living as a bandster. It would of been nice to learn all this sooner but I see it as a journey not a race

Thank you for sharing your story ????