Food Got Stuck, Vomitting Episode-Advice Please

I apparently had my first real episode of eating too fast & not chewing enough. Thursday night I had cottage cheese and later greek yogurt. Late Friday morning I was trying to finish my second shake and thought maybe I let it thicken up too much because I started to experience that uncomfortable feeling that there was no room in my pouch. Eventually I felt like I needed to force that up, so off to the bathroom I went. This happened several times over the afternoon and each time cottage cheese pieces came up. I could actually feel something was stuck.

At home a few hours later I finally managed to force out what was stuck - big ol piece :(.  Later I had some chicken broth and that seemed to do okay. I had some water and fruit punch Crystal Lite. Late last night I had gotten hungry and grabbed a snack pack pudding. I had some pressure about half an hour after but it stayed down. I had some nausia too and took broken up anti-nausia meds.

About 3:30 this morning I was bothered with unbelievable heartburn. I tried chaning positions, taking a Prevacid, and around 5:15ish I visited the bathroom and brought up water and heartburny stuff, and what looks like all the broken pieces of the pills. Kind of felt like I didn't have any other choice. Oddly enough, the Prevacid has "not" come back up.

This has happened three or four times this morning, the heartburn is still bad but veeeeery slowly it seems to be getting out. So I have tried Pepto (I was told by my PCP to take it when I had an intestinal bug a month or so ago) versus attempting to take any more pills.

I do have my doctors number handy, couple of my friends are aware of what is up and want a call later today, and I'm minutes from the hospital. That all in mind, I'm wondering what others might think? I was scouring the boards this morning to see what others had to say, and it seems the pouch can get mad. So the appears to be to give it rest and baby it for a day or two (one did three). Which I have no problem doing...and I can puree my brains out with soups.

Just curious what others have done, or suggestions which might be out there.

Thanks for reading my horribly long novella.

I have not ever had anything get stuck but people seem to say that if you just take it easy on your pouch today,  you should be fine tomorrow.

Now you know one of the reasons that they heavily emphasize chewing everything well.  Not only because of the potential to get something stuck, but because you need the saliva to break down the food as much as possible since your pouch does not have all the acids, etc. that your old stomach has to break it down.  Also, food that is not well chewed can contribute to constipation...

Hope you feel better.

Lora

Most of what you ate should not get stuck. Aside from some cottage cheese pieces, everything was really, really soft and should flow through the pouch well. To me, it sounds like you might have a slight stricture. It just means that the opening at the anastomosis might have closed up a bit. That also means you'll get pressure, vomitting, etc. When you get something stuck, you'll know. It hurts like crazy! Give it today on liquids and see how you do. If you still have problems, call the doctor and ask if it sounds like you might be getting a stricture. It's an easy fix usually.

Keep us updated. I hope you get to feeling better.

 Those did sound like rather soft foods to get stuck on. I've only had food stuck once and it was very dry chicken that I didn't chew very well. Puked and 1 day later after taking it easy on just liquid proteins I was fine. So.... Keep an eye out if this keeps happening over again, call your doc!

I agree most of what I ate shouldn't have gotten stuck, but when I ate the cottage cheese...I didn't eat it the way I'm supposed to (chew thoroughly, spend 30 minutes, etc.)...I rushed right through it. You know, one of those stupid habits from before RNY when I wolfed everything down when I was hungry. 

I'm keeping my eye out for a stricture, and I see my WLS doctor Wednesday.

So far it's been better this afternoon. I'm being extremely careful, too.

Even with cottage cheese -  chew and with each chew say the alphabet (A chew, B chew, C chew) when you get to Z - swallow.  Eat with a baby spoon - that helps slow you down.  Put the utensil down after every bite, so it isn't in your hand.

At your stage I could have 2 oz per meal.  Make sure  you measure out.  Put the rest away.  Do not eat family style with open containers.  When your 2 oz is gone - the meal is OVER.  Stop eating.

When I get foamies or vomit - I do full liquids for the next 24 hours.  My pouch (when grouchy) stays upset for the next 24 hours.  I then eat a soft meal of somethig I KNOW my pouch tolerates.

This is a learning process and we all are different.  If you do eat small bites, eat slowly and chew thoroughly and still have problems -  you may have some narrowing and need to let the surgeon know what is going on.

Best wishes.

Just an update...

I have an upper endoscopy scheduled for tomorrow morning. The gastro suspects narrowing. We all do, actually. But whether it is or not, we'll get our answer tomorrow.