Heartburn help!!!!

I'm five weeks out and at the stage where my surgeon wants me to add "crumbly" foods, such as scrambled eggs, turkey lunch meet, packaged low fat cheese, and so on. I had a turkey meat and cheese wrap for dinner last night and noticed a kind of heartburn feeling for a few minutes after (sort of sharp, gas-like pain between my shoulder blades). This morning, I felt fine and had my once-a-week cup of coffee. (Probably a stupid thing to do.) I waited an hour and then had about an ounce and a half scrambled eggs. As I was eating, the gas feeling returned, with a lot of gurgling and some relief from burping. Could Gas-X or Mylanta be a good idea as I adjust to these foods? I've already talked sternly to myself about slowing down more (not easy for me). Anyone taking such things and how much? Naturally, it's Sunday, so my doctor's office is closed. I'll probably touch base with the hospital dietician tomorrow, but, in the meantime.... Gano

This happens to me when I eat too fast and take in too much air. I find that I can avoid this feeling by taking dime size bites, chewing 40 times and taking a break between bites. Do I do this every time I eat? Heck no. Do I end up with the same issue you're having? You bet. Someday I'll get the hang of it. Connie

Okay - this sounds like gas for which phazyme or gas-x should work, but it's NOT heartburn. Heartburn is when stomach acid gives a burning feeling in your stomach and bordering your esophagus. Mine comes up into my throat (called acid reflux) due to the hiatal hernia. Thankfully that quit happening 1 week after surgery. Dina

Hi Gano -- I get a sharp pain between my shoulder blades if I eat anything that is difficult for my new pouch to digest. I think it is happening when the hole leaving the tummy gets "clogged" and it doesn't go away until my body has time to digest the culprit. This happens to me if I eat any "dry meats" like white chicken or turkey - no matter how fine it is pureed or chewed. However, I don't have it happen if I eat dark chicken or fi****hink those tend to "slide" through better because of more fat (i.e. dark chicken is pretty fatty and the tuna has some mayo added). Cheese seems to be fine if I chew well...but breads are a HUGE no no...and I have to eat only a little tiny bit of mashed potatoes or it too seems to get "stuck" right there. It takes about a half hour for my pain to go away, but I do have to say that laying down seems to help. I think while I'm sitting I might be putting my pouch in an odd position for passing foods through? Just my experience Lissa

Gano, tp help with that my doc put me on prevacid. Twice a day....it really helped me out. I know one day I didn't take it and regretted it later. This may be helpful to you as well Bethany AKA Da Offishal Riddler and Bertha 33 Days into NewPouch and feeling great! -35 lbs!!!! Yayyyy A riddle a day will keep the Marchers pounds AWAY!

I've been able to improve by slowing down...some more...and some more...and some more . And adding a Gas-X chewable at bedtime. The jury's still out, as I do have a taste coming back up into my mouth, too. I took Prevacid before the surgery for IBS. Who knows, I may need to go back on it. I'll definitely bring it up with my doctor at my next appointment. BTW, can you swallow the whole capsule or are you cutting it up? GAno

Gano -- My surgeon keeps us on 40 mg Pepcid for 2 months post op in order to aid in the pouch healing. I'd just filled a Prevacid prescription prior to my WLS, and I commented that "aw, darn it...I just put out $80 on Prevacid...", and my surgeon said "Oh, go ahead and use that. NOT a problem." But I had to open the capsule up and put it IN something. There's tiny beads in it... But I've been told NO capsules for a long time, and no "gummy" pills (i.e. Colace or those gel-type pills) as the shell will not dissolve very well. So if you're going to use Prevacid, put it in a teeny bit of something, like applesauce, or perhaps in a liquid and "shoot" it like you'd do a shot of ETOH or something... As always, check with your Dr, but I'm using Prevacid for my pouch, and as soon as I run out of this prescription, I'll be switching to Pepcid...a LOT cheaper! Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

I don't think that its heartburn. I've been having the same problem and I get it if I eat or drink to fast or If I don't chew good enough. IT HURTS LIKE HELL!!!!! So bad that I cry. My chest and my back start to kill. I get the gurgiling wicked bad, I have the urge to burp both nothing comes out. Most of the time i start burping slowly and it passes after about 30 minutes, but the last 3 days it hasn't been that easy. The other night I had some ricotta cheese for dinner, I'm not sure if I ate to fast or if it got stuck but I had that awful pain and gurling really bad, I couldn't burp, finally after a few minutes of crying and begging to I did and I felt so much better. Now yesterday I know I drank my last few sips of water to fast and it happened again, this time I ed and only a tiny little bit of water came up with a HUGE burp. Relief! I'm not exaclty sure whats going on, I may be doing something wrong ot taking in to much air. I have no clue, But I do know that its not heartburn. I have been having heartburn for the past week and its a totally different feeling. Hang in there, we just need to learn our new "pouch". Drink really slow, chew really well and eat slow. And don't eat past the full feeling. We will get through this! Kelley