Help! Food feels stuck!

[oompaloompa]

Hi,

So I'm seven weeks post-surgery and having a real problem with eating. No matter how much I chew any kind of solid food it feels like it gets "stuck" and it hurts. It doesn't matter if it's protein or carbs or whatever, it gets stuck. The only thing that helps it move is to take a couple of sips of a drink (water, whatever). I know the rules are not to drink, but I'm seriously at a loss and not sure what to do. Advice anyone? Please?

[niamh]

I'd speak with my surgeon about getting some kind of check of upper GI. At 5 weeks, I've been eating some soft solids and ensuring they are completely mashed up before I swallow (because I'm supposed to be on pureed), and I'm not experiencing any discomfort/stuckness on swallowing. The only discomfort I've had is when I think occasionally I've probably eaten a little too much overall (that sneaky last bite).

[OOOWEEBABY!]

What size bites of food are you eating? My doctor told me they should be about the size of an eraser on a pencil...and chew that bite about thirty times before swallowing. This helped me.

[StephO]

Yep, what Patty said.

[dackn8tr]

If foods are to dry i have a hard time getting them down too so you might try dipping the meats in a little fat free dressing or something. Like the girls said previously, timy bits chewed to death are often the solution Above all else follow your instincts, if you think something's wrong follow up with your doctor, if you're still having trouble even with tiny bites i'd talk to you doctor about it, sometimes that opening to our stomachs can swell and cause trouble!

[cowgirljane]

I would first check portion sizes and bite sizes - you really don't have room for much food at this stage but it is hard to get the mind around that! You should feel pretty full after just a few bites of something that is dense like protein . Also, dry foods can be a little hard to get down. How do you do when you have greek yogurt or cottage cheese or something like that? AGain, quantities are small - maybe 1/4 cup at a time max. I will be a year out in December and I limit greek yogurt serving sizes to around 4-5 ounces even now, so early on it should be half of that or possibly even less.

If you can't get down small quantities of even softer food, you need to talk to your surgeon.

[oompaloompa]

Hi,

Cottage cheese is something I haven't tried for a couple of weeks. The last time I ate it, it made me so sick to my stomach it's now become aversive. I do okay with yogurt...although it has to be pretty thin. I HAVENT been eating bites the size of an eraser. I knew about the chewing part, but not the small bites. I can tell you that I get so dang hungry that I just shove it in. I'll slow it way down and see what happens.

[mellymel]

You are not alone my dear.. I also forget to take small bites --it will just hit me, "im hungry" then my stomach starts hurting and acid reflux begins.. so I try to eat something and the size of the bite has not been something I remember.. I do try to chew A LOT , although I have to admit, after chewing the food so long- eating is just not the same.. BBBBUUT I guess that is a good thing because that is probably reason why I ended up in the position I did - lol
Hang in there but def go to your doctor if you are still having problems, always better safe than sorry xoxox

[Fran71]

Try not to let yourself get sooo hungry. We are incapable of shovelling the food down now so we must eat regularly & not get to the point of famished.

This goes with thirsty too cos we can't gulp a drink down. I was out today & was incredibly thirsty ! Wrongly I tried to put off having a drink, then came to my senses & insisted I went for a drink with my mum

I tried to explain why I couldn't wait & had to have a drink NOW!!! I bought a hot drink to stop me gulping. It's difficult explaining why I can't rush drinking / eating especially when my mum is a fidgety down the cuppa & are you ready yet ??? kinda woman. ( think impatient child)

[WhatHaveIDone]

This is so true, I am almost 4 wks post op and I have gotten progressively worse as far as being able to keep anything on my stomach, there are times liquids make me nauseated as well. I was referred to a GI doc because my surgeon is 500 miles away and I cant get to see him right now. Needlesstosay my GI doc thanks I have what is called a stricture which is a blockage in my stomach making it hard to keep food down. I go in on 11/6 for an endoscope so he can take a look down my throat and into my stomach. So if you feel you are getting worse you might want to consider having an endoscope just to be sure. I hope you feel better soon.

[zmdh39]

Yes, my doctor told us that if we progressed through the diet and came to a point where something was uncomfortable, that we should go back to what we had previously been eating that was still comfortable, albeit, liquid or puree diet. He said that sometimes it takes a little longer for the swelling to go down on some people, so just reverse the diet, and try again on the solids later. One thing I have noticed with my solid intake is that I can chew until the food is almost liquid, but my stomach still takes a long time to register as being full, so if I over eat, I get that very same stuck feeling, which normally caused me to throw up the excess food. What really help me was to measure out 4 oz or so and just eat that, wait 15 or 20 mins, and if I was still hungry eat a few bites more. I also get the sensation of air being in my throat sometimes when I swallow, which is uncomfortable, and like you, I just sip on something to help it pass. I still try to not drink with my meals as a general rule, but when things feel stuck I will take a small sip to get them moving.

[oompaloompa]

HEY!!!! It's me goofball! I love you my fellow sleeve sister! We are definitely getting together on our one year anniversary...only this time on a beach and not in a hospital room!

Love you tons!

[evaleri]

I had the worst time with feeling of food getting stuck. I can say that if I slowed down, ate smaller bites, and chewed chewed chewed, it was ok. I finally got it. However, I still have the occasion to eat too fast or swallow a huge piece of food. It gets "stuck" and can be painful.