Your subject line kind of says it all.  We just had a talk on "Tools" in my WLS support group.  WLS is a very powerful tool, but if it's the only one in your toolbox, you won't be able to do the job of losing AND maintaining weight loss.  It is true that in the beginning we are excited, psyched, amazed at our progress, encouraged by others.  And at some point it slows down, compliments stop coming as frequently, Wow moments happen less, the honeymoon is over, and we have to regroup to find our reality.  You say you are 45 pounds away from goal.  I actually ended up about 40 pounds from my goal weight, and I remain there (after some ups and downs) at 8 years out.  Not sure why your goal is your goal, but true WLS success is a weight loss of 61% of your EXCESS weight, so you may actually be exactly where one would expect, and truly be successful.

It's a journey all right -- full of ups and downs, twists and turns, bumps, potholes, beautiful views, interesting people, etc.  It is so different from some of our old patterns of dieting/losing vs. binging/gaining.  Learning to maintain, accept ourselves as we are, and enjoy the ride, takes work and other tools, like support group meetings, journaling, accountability, telephone, service, OA, counseling, or any combination of them.  Those tools help me to stay motivated even 8 years out from surgery.  I know too many people who gave up.  Their struggles also help keep me motivated, because I do not want to gain back the 140 pounds I managed to lose. 

Count your blessings, stay grateful, remember what it was like before surgery.  We really do need to have a goal way -- of eating and living -- rather than a goal weight!

I actually had my first experience with having stuck food in nearly 5 years.

I ate some chicken and I could feel it stuck.  I always heard people talking about it but never experienced until then.

It was very painful but fortunately it passed pretty quickly.  I'll be more careful in the future to make sure I chew things up better.

Can you share here please.

This still happens to me once in a while, three + years after surgery. I had VSG. It usually last 30 mins or so, and is a good reminder not to overeat!

I wolfed down a package of crackers without thinking.  I can easily eat that much, but I didn't chew as well as usual, and now I am in intense pain.  All around my rib cage, even in my back and especially right under my breast bone.  I'm pretty sure that it's stuck food because it came on shortly after eating and it comes in waves where I can feel my tummy contracting and hear it gurgleing.  How long does it usually take for this to pass?