stuck episodes

me again....i am almost the end of 3 weeks post lap band procedure. i love floating around this site and reading all the posts in the forum....they are really helpful to read!!! i keep seeing the words "stuck episodes" in some of the questions and/or replies. can someone explain what to expect/what you feel if food gets stuck and how do you resolve the problem??? i am seeing my doctore next week for possible my first fill and i can ask him as well..but i was anxious about it so i figured i would ask everyone out there!

Hi, hopefully you won't have to deal with a stuck episode for a long, long time.  I am 18 months out from my band.  I have had 3 stuck episodes.  They all happened on DRY food, too dry of 93% hamburger and only after about 4 little bites that were chewed well.  Another time on operator error, being stupid snacking on dry cereal and didn't  pay attention to slight feelings of pressure in my chest and the 3rd time on turkey pepperoni. 

Okay, for me, it hurts in the center of my chest.  It hurts really bad and then the very thick saliva starts up and I have to spit and spit and spit.  It's not fun.  MY stucks lasted each time over an hour.  I tried raising my arms up and down, jumping up and down, walking fast outside while spitting ( live out in the country and no one could wittiness - hahaha ) I ended up throwing up and it was not an easy process.  It's awful and I still haven't eaten ground hamburger or ground turkey since, nor turkey pepperoni or dry cereal since....  I'm sure if it hadn't been so dry, it would have not gotten stuck.

I have never PB'd ( regurgitating food when too much food is consumed quickly )  I'm sure each person's experience is uniquely their own.

And after a stuck, I have to do liquids for 24-48hours with soft foods and then I am very careful.  There's swelling after a stuck episode. 

Bet your glad you asked.... hahaha

Kristi

There are several causes of discomfort, either with or without PBs and the cause affects they type of discomfort.

Firstly, we can literally get something stuck in the stoma. This is likely to happen nearer the start of the meal as the first food reaches the stoma or, if the larger piece is eaten later, it may happen after a while because earlier food has to pass through before the difficult bit gets there in order to get stuck! Being stuck hurts like a feeling of pressure (describing pain is difficult as we all do it differently, but this is painful!). In my almost 5 years of being banded I have only done this once so i am no expert!

Secondly, the food may not get stuck but may just lie across the stoma preventing other food moving through. This makes us full as no food is even starting to move throguh the stoma but doesn't really hurt.

Thirdly (and this is probably the most usual)... imagine the pouch as a soft leather bag. Fill it with mush and it will fill evenly and gradually. Fill it with lumps which are odd sizes and may even have slightly sharp bits, and it will fill unevenly so very quickly (taking us by surprise as we may get over-full after just a few bites) and the pieces may start to press against the sides. We feel a great deal of discomfort, perhaps pain of an indigestion type, and, in my own case, this is when i am likely to PB.

Kate