Constantly Choking On Food

[MCOBandita 0]

I had my surgery almost a year ago (2/20/07) and need some advice...

I have only had one fill (1.8cc) yet I am constantly choking on food. One day I can eat a certain food and the very next day I choke on it. I feel like I can eat almost as much food as I did pre-surgery (I would guess I might eat 25% less) but am scared to go get another fill because I do not want to choke on EVERYTHING I eat. I have tried chewing my food to mush and I still choke. I have only lost about 30 pounds in a little less than a year. I now feel apprehensive when it is meal time. I am embarrassed when I have to excuse myself because I need to go "slime". I have been at business lunches where I have dealt with the pain of the "choking feeling" until I feel like my chest is going to burst and tears well up in my eyes - while I am sitting there hoping that it just goes down - not very professional. While I knew this was not going to be an easy journey, that the band is only a tool but that it would require my commitment and lifestyle changes...but I did not think I would be this miserable.

Things that I normally eat such as chicken, broccoli, asparagus, bread, eggs, and steak have had to virtually be eliminated from my diet. I am eating more Pasta and things with sauces so that it "slides" down. I have found one of the few things I seem to be able to eat is sushi (something I never liked before) - now I eat it all the time because I never choke on it. I find that I obsess about what I am going to eat, to try to avoid choking, all the time.

Part of me thinks I need to get another fill but another part of me thinks I will be unable to eat anything. Can anyone give me some insight into what I might be doing wrong or what they think I should do? Thanks in advance for any help!

[lljpaisley 0]

This sounds complicated. I have some of the same issues. Much of the food that is considered healthy gives me problems. When you say you feel like you are choking, where is that feeling? Is it in your throat? My "stuck" feeling is lower, between my breasts. I would just recommend making sure you really chew things, eating slowly and finding foods that don't make you choke. For some reason less things get "stuck" for me when i eat with people as opposed to eating alone. No one has been able to figure out why. Good luck.

[MCOBandita 0]

Much of the food that is considered healthy gives me problems. My "stuck" feeling is lower, between my breasts.

Thanks, Laura. Yes, the feeling is in between my breasts. It starts hurting and I feel a big pressure in my chest. It always precedes a PB/slime. My real concern is that since I am having this problem so often I wonder whether I should get another fill. Feeling like I am only eating about 25% less than one I ate pre-surgery is a bummer...yet the PBing has prevented me from getting another fill up until this point. I am wondering if I should just get another fill and completely give up on the foods that give me problems all together. I have the most problems with poultry, meat, and pork - all Proteins. If I eliminate those items I feel like I would be sustaining myself on fish and Pasta (two things that don't seem to give me problems.) I did not expect to have to become a vegetarian from having the band! UGGG! :tt1:

I put a call into the person who coordinates my fills and she said that a lot of people have issues with certain types of foods but "thinks it is unfortunate that I seem to be having problems with so many of them." Considering I have only lost 30 pounds and was a self pay I am pretty upset at this point - that equates to $317 a pound!

[MCOBandita 0]

This sounds like classic Band-IS-working feedback. Whenever I get this sensation, it's because of an eating error....TOO much TOO fast....

Do you find yourself eating even when NOT hungry, or in spite of being not hungry?

No, I really do not find myself eating when I am not hungry anymore. I eat three meals a day, am not a snacker, and do not eat junk food (unless I have PMS :biggrin:). I got fat not based upon what I was eating, but the quantity of food - which is why I thought the band would be a great choice for me. I try to stick with the South Beach diet as closely as possible even with the band. Even though I have been having more Pasta than what I used to eat pre-band it has been 100% whole wheat Pasta so it has a lower GI. (As an aside, The South Beach Diet was the only diet to ever work for me and has made me feel much better physically.)

Thinking back on when I seem to be having the most PBs it is almost exclusively when I am eating around others. I chose to only tell a couple of people I had the band done because a friend of mine had RNY and people were constantly asking her how much she lost, would ask her, "should you really be eating that?", and watching her disapprovingly whenever she ate. I travel frequently and have to go out to business lunches and dinners all the time and have gotten curious looks when I have cut my food in miniscule pieces or have chewed each piece endlessly. There have been several times where the rest of my party is done eating and it looks like I have barely eaten anything. Over time I think I have probably have begun eating more than I should when I am eating out with others. I have been asked, "Wasn't your entree good?" "You ok? You barely touched your meal." I think I am just trying to "keep up with the pace" and "not be obvious" about how differently I am eating compared to others. I just don't want others to know I had the surgery - I don't feel it is anyone's business and I don't want to explain my decision to anyone.

Wow, it seems so obvious now. I am definitely going to start logging when I PB, what I was eating, and if I was eating around others. Thanks for your help, guys! I think this might just be it! What a relief that will be!:hurray:

[lljpaisley 0]

I never thought of puree-ing the Proteins i can't eat, what a great idea! I have become so bored with my dinner choices - chicken, chicken, chicken. Can you give me some ideas on what you puree and how? Thanks

[Heatherlee 0]

I am having a very similar experince--I can't seem to eat any of the 'right' foods and as much of the wrong foods as I want. I am so frustrated as iI want to make good choices but I know it will result in agony, slime and pbing. I have found that if I go out with others it seems to be best if I order a 'safe' meal like--soup, chilli etc.. To avoid the embarrassment and still not overdo the intake. Thanks for your thread it has been a help--I am only 7 weeks out with one fill and struggling

[wendy230154 0]

hi everyone

a few things l have blitzed down tona spring onion and a little mayo also ham, and chicken as spreads

wendy

[Dolores 0]

Glad to hear that I am not the only one having some of these issues!! I am at a point where I dread going out for a lunch as I am constantly leaving the table to hurl up the slime. What is PB? I try to eat the right foods and they are giving me major grief!! Even eating Soup out will frequently be bad. I am finding that the dry crisp foods work - but they are HIGH in calories! HELP!

[gfd406 0]

I am having my band changed to something else because of the same thing. I had my surgery 12/06 and I have been in pain ever since.

I am on my second surgeon he finally gets what I am going through

and is recommending a revision. He removed all my fill for a second time. I have Vanguard band and the most I have ever had in it was 6 cc. The slime you are talking about is the the mucous lining of your esophagus that protects it from stomach acid. I call it a Jellyfish!

Eating has become an ordeal not a change of life style. I never new when it would hit and on what kind of food. food that was OK to eat one day was bad the next time. Going out to dinner is always scary. I also never really lost any true weight with the band I have now. I could not eat the proper foods. I know your pain!

I am considering a Gastric Sleeve for my revision the doctor also suggested the new band from Johnson & Johnson but I already saw I could have the same symptoms with it.

By the way my wife and I had the surgery the same day with the same kind of band. She has only experienced this type of issues when her band was past 9 cc.

So remember everyone is different and you may need to speak to your doctor about a revision too. At least get someone to look at your esophagus to make sure it is OK.

Regards

gfd406

[lljpaisley 0]

I love those crispy foods they go down so well especially in the mornings!

[TamifromAL 1]

What people consider to be a "good" level of restriction varies. *For me* the level of restriction that you describe would be too much already, and I would definitely not be considering another fill. I got slightly overfilled on my second fill (1.5cc in a 4cc band). I couldn't eat Breakfast, I got a lump in my throat frequently when eating, and I started eating soft foods (usually higher in calories) because I felt deprived and wanted to eat something that I didn't have to struggle with. I really was not enjoying eating at all! So, I went back and got a .25cc unfill. That took me to a level of restriction that was comfortable for me. I prefer a fill level that makes me slow down my eating pace (or I get stuck), and that means I eat less. But, I still *can* eat more, if I push it. It's been tough to learn the difference between eating to satiety rather than eating to "full".

By keeping a fairly moderate fill level, I'm able to eat lots of healthy, whole foods which keep me full much longer than soft foods. And that, to me, is a huge factor in success with the band.

Tami

[Liz1531 3]

I'm having the same problem. I emailed Dr. Miranda and she said that I may need a slight unfill if I'm getting stuck all the time. I emailed her a sample of what I'm eating each day because I'm not losing and she pointed out that I was eating mostly liquids like yogurt, oatmeal, Protein Shake. She said I should be able to eat three solid meals per day. If I can't eat them I may be too full. I'm trying to save myself the trip back to TJ for an unfill and hoping to lose enough fat to losen the band.

[Mickey77cp 0]

I am also having this problem, but I never know when it's going to happen or what foods are going to cause it. I can eat the same thing and it may or may not happen. But I have also noticed that if I can get out a few burps that the food seems to go on down, almost like it is an issue with the food and air trying to change places. I keep asking my doctor's office and they tell me they have never heard of anyone having this before, the doctor just says that I am trying to eat too fast. However, it doesn't seem to matter how slow or how much I chew up the food....sometimes it will get stuck on the first couple of bites!

That is another issue I have......I seem to have gas all the time, especially burping! Is this a common side effect?

[biggestloser2be 0]

I was having this same problem with getting the first bite stuck. I couldn't eat solid foods since my last fill (2.5 weeks ago). It also cause pain and slimming. I was frustrated because I was hungry and couldn't eat. All I could get down was broth Soup.

I finally went into the doctors today and had a small unfill. Instant relief. She is having me do liquids for the next 2 days to heal my stomach and then I can eat solids. I snuck today to see if I could swallow anything solid (a very small piece of grilled chicken) and it went down. I am so excited. I cannot wait for the next 2 days to go by.

I was also told that if you don't eat you won't lose. Your body will go in shock and then when you can eat your body will freak out and save what you are eating in case you stop again. This is what I was told.

So I am recommending that if you are to tight to go in and get a small unfill. It is much better and a relief.