Question:
Food getting stuck!
I am having gastric bypass surgery and was wondering what do you do when your food gets stuck. I've asked my nut and I was just curious as to what all of yall think. — jackie L. (posted on October 15, 2008)
October 15, 2008
When mine gets stuck it feels like a knot in my check and it comes right
back up.
— humper
October 15, 2008
Food gets stuck newly post op quite easily...I would take a papaya
chewable....or two or three to help break down the food faster...and walk
it off once tthe hard pain subsided enough for me to get up and
walk...NEVER drink water, thinking you can wash it down...You can't! That
just puts more pressure and weight on the stuck food and that is just more
terrrible pain! That's basically all you can do...and try not to do the
same thing again...by chewing more...and taking yor time swallowing food
slowly until you can eat a little faster later! I had a serious stuck food
problem at about 3 years post op when a tomato skin covered over my stoma
like a peice of duct tape and the pain was like nothing I ever felt for 8
hours! I was on the road traveling from florida to Virginia and had NO IDEA
what to do...So I stuck it out hoping it would finally pass...and by the
time I got home I finally vomited it with some water (That's how I knew it
was a skin) I was sore for three days afterwards...I think if I was home, I
may have gone tot he emergency room I was scared to death! And the pain was
so intense that it made me even more nauseous...I'm glad it came up on it's
own though...It was instant relief! Amazing! At almost 5 years, I still
cannot eat but a few bites of pasta, rice, bread or potatoes. Lucky for
me! I still enjoy a tiny bit every now and again though...Most times though
I pass! After al this time, though, I am on auto pilot for chewing and
swallowing...It's very natural for me to chew my food to a pulp. I can do
it quite fast too. If anything tries to go down chunky, it hits the back
of my thraot and come right back up! You do master it all after a while.
But walk off the stuck food...It can take a good 10-15 mnutes
sometimes...It totally sucks!
— .Anita R.
October 15, 2008
I could feel it when it happened, so I'd stop eating, wait to throw it up
(which usually happened pretty quickly), and then go on about my day. It
certainly isn't FUN but it's definitely better than throwing up food that
has already gone all the way down.
— lauren_marie
October 15, 2008
While I have not experienced this myself, I have heard that papaya
tablets/chews are something that can really help. Good luck!
— Captain-Kirk
October 15, 2008
When your food gets stuck you will know right away because you will feel
full real fast. Plus it feels like a rock is in your stomach. The only
way I can loose the stuck feeling is to throw up and start all over again.
I sometimes can get it to go away by pushing in an upward movement on my
stomach to losen the food. (not always) I had the RNY done 1-6-04 and I
have been pretty fortunate with no major issues. Stuck food is the only one
I have had. Just make sure you chew your food real good and don't eat to
fast. Best wishes to you.
— Kristy
October 15, 2008
I've never got any food stuck. What causes it? I'm guessing you're not
chewing your food enough?? What did your nutritionist suggest?
— Caribou ME
October 15, 2008
I had this problem just yesterday for the first time, just before leaving
for work! It just had to come out. It feels like you're having a heart
attack, at least for me.
I've heard about the papaya tablets, drinking sips of warmer water and
mixing meat tenderizer with the warm water to get things moving, but I had
to just down some cold water and get it to come out buy mouth. That worked
for me.
It's miserable, though. I'd jumped around the house, walked all over the
place... the dogs were really confused!
good luck!
Jat
— Jean Ann T.
October 15, 2008
i go to sleep and wait for it to pass -- there is not much you can do but
wait -- it may take hours -- but that has only happened to me twice since
surgery 23 months ago -- steak from the grill -- it's just too dry for me
— RCassety
October 15, 2008
I usually can feel it sitting there at the opening to my pouch. I get a
burning sensation, and then I can feel it start working its way up. Once
its out, I'm fine again, and it usually takes 1 - 2 minutes until its out.
I've heard some people say if they take a few sips of water they can
sometimes push it into their pouch. I've never tried this, as its always
come up pretty quickly for me. Of course, everyone is different, and
everyone's doctor/nutritionist will say something different.
— Ursie77
October 16, 2008
When something gets stuck, the esophogus tries to lubricate itself. If the
food doesn't come back up right away, the foamies usually do (the
lubrication). Once you get the food out, you feel fine (at least I do).
It's not like vomiting when you're sick... in fact, my doc's office refers
to it as Feedback rather than vomit. Early out from surgery, your insides
are still inflammed (?sp), so it's extremely important to take small bites
and chew, chew, chew.
— gonnadoit
October 16, 2008
I have had food get stuck. My surgeon is over 100 miles away and when the
pain starts I certainly to do feel like driving that distance. Dr. Coster
said fore me to take 1 big gulp of a clear pop, like sprite or 7-up. He
said it would do 1 of 2 things. force it down or bring it back up. With me
it brings it back up and the pain stops almost at once. But you should ask
your surgeon what you can do to ease the pain.
— nettieiowa
October 22, 2008
Only had this happen once, of course it was my fault. I decided to have a
bite of steak and it got stuck. It hurt! I ended up taking some meat
tenderizer and mixing it with warm water! I laugh now but it worked!
Important...chew chew chew!
— Lolli_P0P
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