Question:
Getting food stuck

I think that I have gotten some food stuck after lunch today. I'm almost 5 post-op. I did throw up about and 1 1/2 after eating a half of a sandwhich and there was still food there. I still feel kinda crampy in my stomach though, so may be it didn't all come up? Has anyone else experienced this and if so- do you have any recommendations? Thank you!    — quesara1979 (posted on June 21, 2007)

June 21, 2007
All you can do is wait it out and let it pass or throw it up. If it stays that way too long when you drink it will make you throw up. Did you drink fluids with your meals?
   — DonnaB.

June 21, 2007
Sorry to hear of your discomfort. This is definatley one of those "live and learn" experiences. I had the same problem. My problem was that I wasn't chewing slowly and/or my bites were too big. I found that if I walked it off, that seemed to help.I had to walk for sometimes 45-60 minnutes.That's how long it would take for the food to move and the discomfort would subside. I made the misatake of trying to take something for an upset stomach on top of the food that was stuck, and threw up.Go back to the basics of eating slower and chewing for a lot longer.It seems that when we become somewhat comfortable after a few months out, we are then reminded to take it slow and "Respect our Tool". Good luck to you. Hope this helps...you're not alone in this battle.
   — purnellj

June 21, 2007
Part of it could be the bread also. We are not allowed bread until 6-9 months and I am 10 months and still can't tolerate it. It gets stuck everytime. Good Luck!
   — Lost4Ever

June 22, 2007
Hi Sarah. I am reading your question, and I am not sure I understand it all, but I get the idea that after eating something, you threw it up, but feel like some remains after throwing up? This is very possible, and I think the best thing to do is after you settle down from throwing up, to drink warm tea and help push it through. Sometimes you need to slow down and just help what is there. I am an anxious eater, and sometimes I just go way too fast, and my buddy pouch reminds me that I can't do that. Try drinking tea, warm tea and give your pouch a rest for a day to give it some time. You may have stretched a muscle in there by throwing up, so it make take a few days to recover, but take up to a week with tea and taking it easy on your pouch. If you still feel discomfort, call your surgeon. They need to know. Take care Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

June 22, 2007
At almost 5 years out from my lap RNY, I still sometimes have this happen, and it can be anything - bread, meat, vegetable - you name it, it can get stuck. You can find papain, an enzyme made from papaya, at just about every health food store, and it is inexpensive. I get the chewable kind. Papain is an enzyme that breaks down foods. It is actually found in most meat tenderizers! It won't work instantly but I can tell you that it certainly does help that feeling pass, and it won't harm you.
   — koogy