Question:
Blocked stomach?
I'm curious if this has happened to anyone else. (Please stop reading now if you don't want the gory details.) I'm 6 months post-op from VGB, I've lost 83 lbs so far, and until last weekend have had no complications. I've always been very careful about how I eat and chew, etc., but I've found it so much more of a challenge when I'm not alone to concentrate on it. I'm so careful, in fact, that I've never thrown up after eating. That is, until on vacation with the family this past week. While visiting a local Rennasaince faire, I decided to eat the pork chop on a stick (what isn't on a stick?!). I only ate a little more than half of it. I stopped when I began to feel full. However, within the following hour I started experiencing feelings signs of nausea, and then severe pain that radiated thoughout my chest and throat. When I started throwing up foam, faire workers took me to the First Aid shelter. I explained my medical history, but we were all convinced it was all due to dehydration (it was very hot out, I was dressing in garb, and I admitted I wasn't drinking as much water as I should have been). However, the gatoraid and everything else they gave me to drink came right back up eventually and the symptoms would return. Baffled and concerned that I was experiencing some sort of cardiac trouble, I got an ambulance ride to the local emergency room. While there, I started throwing up again. By this time it was well over 5 hours since I'd eaten that pork chop. But lo and behold, some of it still came up. I almost instantly felt better! The doctor looked at the otherwise clear contents in the sick bag (no stomach bile) and announced that I'd probably suffered from a food blockage! They kept me under surveilence for a little while longer, but released me an hour or two later when the symtoms did not return. I honestly thought I was eating carefully, but at some point my concentration must have slipped and I swallowed a piece too big for my reduced stomach to handle. Now I'm a bit paranoid of eating in public for fear I'll do this again. Has anybody else experienced this? It really scared me and my family, and it was incredibly painful. — suezahn4me (posted on September 5, 2008)
September 5, 2008
I have found that I cannot eat pork. I have had a similar situation each
time I have attempted to eat it. Pork and my pouch just do not get along.
— itsjust4me
September 5, 2008
Hi Sue,
Sorry to hear you had such a bad time. I truly do understand. There are
somedays I can eat [chewing correctly very tiny bits]. This week I have
done well to not vomit everytime I try to have food. I only try to eat
small tiny bits in the late afternoon when someone is home. It does not
seem to matter in my case what,how tiny of a very well chewed bit I try. I
do get all my water plus protein drinks in as well as vitamins. I have
heard of others with this trbl for the first 6 month but not after that. I
was told by some that the meat may be to fatty for us to eat. I would ask
your DR. or NUT. Take care of yourself ,I know how scary it can feel and
wish it on no one.
— tootsie52
September 5, 2008
My post op history is similiar to yours. I had no problem until 7 months
post op. Then the vomiting started, usually after I ate meat (any kind) but
also if I was not paying attention to what I was eating and/or ate too
fast. My surgeon did an upper GI and found nothing wrong. I am now 10 1/2
months out and last vomited 2 days ago. It is now about 2-3 times/week.
There is very little meat I can eat - and then only about an ounce at a
time. I eat a lot of cheese and drink protein drinks or supplements. I feel
good and have lost 120+ lbs. I am hoping it will stop eventually. Eat
slowly and do get enough fluids.
— NanaJane
September 5, 2008
Been there! It totally sucks!!! Only mine was chocolate protien shake and
scrambled eggs (not a good combination)and throwing up on the side of the
road with everyone who drove by looking on. Needless to say I am 4 years
post op and still refuse to drink a protien shake or scrambled eggs.
— Carlyn M.
September 5, 2008
Sounds like you had that food get stuck. I can't eat porkchops either.
But, you had something else happen to mess you up. IF YOU HAD RNY, DON'T
DRINK GATORAID. IT'S LOADED WITH SUGAR.
— Shirley D.
September 5, 2008
Thanks to everybody who's responded so far. God, I sure hope this isn't
going to become a recurring problem. I've been eating other meats (steak,
ham, fish, etc.) without any problems, but that was the first time I'd
tried a pork chop. I still want to blame the distractions of the faire more
than the meat itself.
Part of the problem for me, I'm finding, is that I totally control my meals
when I eat alone at home. I measure out how much and I cut it up into tiny
pieces, etc., so that I never push how much I'm eating. But it's far more
difficult if not impossible to do this while out in public. Thus I'm
finding that sometimes I eat faster and take bigger bites, and the
discomfort comes too late. I even caught myself drinking and eating at the
same time while eating out with my parents that first day home. It's all a
learning process!
Oh, and while I did not have RNY, I did severely cut back my sugar intake
back in March, so much so that I get sugar rushes now if I have something
that has a high dose--and it's not pleasant. I did temporarily blame this
for why I threw up the gatoraide that day, but then I was throwing up plain
water, too, so we ruled that out.
— suezahn4me
September 5, 2008
Hey Sue, it's Dawn,
Ahh, the foamies. When I have gone one bite too far, my nose starts to run
and then I get the foamies. It may or may not get worse and if something
is actually stuck, I will start to slime. Your system is purposefully
producing excess saliva and fluids to either get the irritant up or down.
These blockages are very painful and to me are very much where my pouch is
and it radiates straight through to my back. It can take a minute to get
the food up, or hours as it did in your case. It is an awful experience
and thank goodness it doesn't happen all that often.
Each day is different, some days I have no problems with pork, others it is
a joke to even think about eating it. It certainly has to be moist.
Be carefull after these episodes as you will be swollen and irritated and
need to take it easy... perhaps fluids or mushy foods. I know you don't
have a pouch, but...it is good to err on the side of caution.
I'm so sorry you had to leave such a fun event in such a way. I've never
been to one, sounds like a lot of fun dressing up and enjoying great
friends, music and food.
When in public, it takes practice to continue to be completely involved in
the event and practicing "mindfull eating"... but it is a must.
Just do what you know you have to, tiny bites, chewed until the consistency
of applesauce and go slowly. I have experienced exactly what you
experienced with a boiled shrimp. I was chatting and grabbed it by the
tail, took two quick bites and swallowed the whole thing while talking away
and knew instanly that what was about to ensue was going to hurt.... and it
did. I've never done it again, powerfull dissencentive to an inappropriate
behavior... hence my tool was working. I started foaming, wretching and
sliming and it was awful. Spent a long time in the bathroom and then
stopping on the way home at random lawns. Sorry for the visual.
Good luck to you Sue, we just have to be very mindfull.
Dawn
— DawnVic
September 5, 2008
Hi,
just curious if you still have gallbladder? I didn't have mine taken out at
the time of surgery. But I got a similar attack about a year after surgery
and after many expensive doctors and tests, turned out my gallbladder was
only functioning at 25%. Had to have another surgery but instant relief.
Hope that helps.
Laurel
— Laurel C.
September 5, 2008
The pork was probably Bar B-Q and the Bar B-Q sauce has a lot of
"sugar" in it. No gatorade either. Sugar is everywhere.
— [Deactivated Member]
September 5, 2008
I had my gall bladder out at the same time as the WLS. And no, there was no
BBQ sauce, it was just grilled on a stick. In fact, I wonder if it would
have gone down better if it HAD some sauce with it--that it was too dry
since I couldn't drink at the same time....
— suezahn4me
September 5, 2008
I have had the same foaming and spitting up after pork. It is too dry a
meat and too tough and it sticks in my pouch (I had RNY) I also had the
same experence eating my one and only slice of white bread, and had it
repeted on eathing crutons on a salad. SOme times it last 1-2 hours, but
pork was all night for me. My doctor calls it dumping and while fat does
not cause me to dump these items do. By the way, do not try to drink, it
just makes you sicker.
— William (Bill) wmil
September 5, 2008
i had the same thing happen to me twice after eating a pork chop and it was
baked in cream of mush. soup. i felt like something was stuck and i got the
foamies and was gagging and gagging and couldn't get anything up and was
miserable,it hurt soo bad and i was scared to death... finally it came up
and it was instant relief!!! needless to say i try to be more conscious of
eating slow and chewing my food better, and i still avoid pork chops. the
gatorade probably made things worse, because of the sugar. good luck and
congrats on your wt. loss! Holly
— RNlvnCARSON
September 6, 2008
Woah! If that'd happened to me, I think I'd have to do some intensive
figuring out of another plan. Lol I'm sorry you had that experience. Pork
doesn't bother me at all in itself, but ANY meat that is cooked dry is a
killer. They say not to drink with meals and that's a good general rule,
but I find if I have meat that is too dry, I might moisten it with a drop
or two, not a gulp, of water to help it reach the pouch easier. I also have
problems with lower grades of ground meats. They scrape everything off the
bones of the beef and it includes a lot of gristle, tendon material and
otherwise stringy stuff, and that doesn't mix with a pouch at all. Try
running it through a meat grinder with a fine wheel or a food processor to
make it more pouch-friendly. The distraction factor is very real, but we
have to take our food seriously. Grazing is painful and one of the reasons
we had to have the surgeries in the first place. I don't eat unless I can
enjoy the meal and take my time with it. I never stand up and eat or drink
anything. You have to learn your own body, and you will. Some lessons come
early, some come later down the road, but we never stop learning, do we.
:D
@};- Dusty
— Dusty Ray Vaughn
September 6, 2008
This happened to me at 2 years out! It was my first big episode too...I
had gotten food temporary stuck by eating too fast and knew that feeling
well! I avoided it at all costs! But on vacation like you, I ate some
antipasta at my moms and I am careful to chew also...I can't swallow
anything chunky including pills! I just gag, so when the raiating pain
began, I thought I was dying! LOL It hurt so bad as you described...I was
sick for 10 hours on the drive home from FLorida to Virginia...I was ready
to go to the hospital myself...But I was certaint hat it was just food
stuck and that it would eventually pass. I had thrown up (mostly foamies
and anything I drank, so I knew for sure it was a blockage)....Then came
the last one where I thought my collar bones would just pop out of my skin
and I even had broken blood vessels all around my eyes from heaving so
hard. BUT...finally there it was...a large piece of tomato or pepper skin
that must have sort of "Taped" over my stoma like a piece of duct
tape and would not let anything go down...I knew I wouldn't have swallowed
a chunk...Ot was soft and barely anything but a thin membrane of bright red
skin...I felt instantly relieved. I could not believe that after two years
I could get something "stuck"...It was not until a few months ago
that I finally was able to swallow capsules with powder in them...I will
NEVER swallow a hard pill after that...At least a capsule will melt and the
powder will dissolve...before any real pain starts! Mine hurt for about
three days after! And all was fine...Hope you feel better too...It never
happened to me again...so hopefully you had your first and last too! Hugs!
— .Anita R.
September 7, 2008
Thank you, Sue, for posting this. I'm pre-op VSG and had this very
question on my mind. I read often about food getting stuck for RYN
patients but not VSG recipients. I kinda figured that there is always that
danger when Your stomach capcity is severely restricted. I'll be very
careful to follow the rules to the letter.
— AlmaRene
September 7, 2008
I had the same problem with pork. Especially fat pork like you would find
on a stick. The other day I had some steak that I thought was allright,
but about 2 hours later started feeling bad a throwing up. When I finally
finished throwing up (3-4 times later) I noticed it had a lot of fat on it.
I think the meat we eat has to be very lean. I've had the same problem
with dark meat chicken. Too bad, I've always loved the dark meat. Oh
well. I hope you are doing allright now. Good luck, Paula B.
— paulajaneb
September 21, 2008
the first month I had a lot of trouble with things coming back up -
especially meats like tuna. Strange, but, it didn't want to digest. 4 weeks
after RNY I got very ill, pain in my tummy, vomitting violently,
etc.......... ended up my stomach had folded and intestines bunched up
etc... creating blockage. I was VERY sick. It had to be surgically fixed.
They went in and "tacked it all back in place". I felt light
years better immediately. FOR YOU.... I would say just really stay away
from pork and watch how you feel, be sure you're having bowel movements
and/or gas so you can be sure your not "blocked". If you suspect
you are blocked - first of all you will get very sick - call your doctor
right away.
— Fluffee
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