Question:
How do you know if something is stuck in stoma?

I have read about stuff getting stuck and was wondering how do you actually know if something is stuck? How does it feel? Does it eventually go down or do you have to see the DR?    — davonjack (posted on March 6, 2010)

March 6, 2010
You'll know. You'll be eating, and when you've finished, you might feel that you are salivating more than usual, and swallowing more than usual. Then, you'll begin feeling uncomfortable, and the uncomfortable feeling will increase the more you swallow your saliva. If you try to drink anything (even after your 45 minutes to an hour wait), you will feel like it's sitting in your esophagus still (because it is). Finally, you'll just know that you need to throw up. It was never painful for me, but the first stuff that comes up is the "foamies" - all that saliva you swallowed, then comes the undigested food. Once you get it all (or most of it) up, you'll feel fine. But if you begin to do this more than once or twice, you're either 1) not chewing enough, 2) taking too big a bites and swallowing too big a bites or 3) you're getting a stricture (scar tissue developing around your stoma, that needs to be stretched). If you find that cutting your food up in pieces no bigger than your little fingernail and chewing it until it is almost completely dissolved stops the "stuck" feeling, then that's a good thing. I actually did have a stricture at about 6 weeks out - no major problem, took about 10 minutes to fix - but I still occaisionally get "stuck" and I just passed my first surgiversary. And, you'll eventually get to the point where you can actually tell that you're "stuck".... and will call it that.
   — Erica Alikchihoo

March 6, 2010
Natasha, it depends on what's stuck and how stuck it is. As the previous poster stated, you will know when something is stuck. It is not a pleasant experience. If it is a simple case of you not chewing well enough then when you get to the point where you know you're going to have to go get sick it should come on up then and you will feel relief. Sometimes it takes more than one time to bring it up. Now if it is truly STUCK to where it's not going anywhere and you keep getting sick, it's time to put a call into your surgeon for further instructions. I know you asked about gum I think it was yesterday and that is something that has the potential to become STUCK. When I was a new post-op years ago I was told that if anything got stuck and I couldn't get it up after two or three tries that I could put some Adolph's Meat Tenderizer in some warm water and that should help clear it but if it didn't to check in with my surgeon. Fortunately I have never had to put that to the test. I don't think I would be able to get it down and keep it down long enough for it to do anything.
   — Kellye C.

March 6, 2010
I had never got anything "stuck," but I had to have an endoscopy and they said, I had a stricture, which they dilated.
   — FSUMom

March 6, 2010
I have used the meat tenderizer trick and after 5-6 sips it cleared and I felt fine.
   — fortywhat2

March 7, 2010
What is the "meat tenderizer" trick?
   — Lorraine_Z

March 8, 2010
Yes, you'll KNOW it! It hurts so bad! Two years PO...I had a veggie skin cover my stoma...(Either a red pepper or tomatoe skin from soup I had) It was like a piece of saran wrap had stopped or severely clogged my pipes! So anything on top of that skin, sat heavy on my stoma causing me intense waves of pain and vomiting...It took 8 hours to finally come up with a little water. I suffered greatly, but I was on a road trip from FLA to VA on vacation and I couldn't just go see my doc. I just wanted to get HOME!!! I coughed up that little thin red skin and all those waves of pain just stopped but I stayed sore for days...(Grumpy, achy, fussy, pouch and soreness) It's a reminder to CHEW your food to a pulp and be careful (know what you are eating!)...Other foods should be no larger than a split pea...I can still get bread, rice or potatoes stuck because of their texture! Yet I can eat a big bite of steak with no trouble! Some foods swell with liquid ...especially those white foods I just mentioned and they can clog the stoma! ( I avoid those or eat in small amts) So chew chew chew..swallow slowly and DON'T drink with your meals! Hope that helps!
   — .Anita R.