Question:
Pain in middle of chest and burps.What is this?

Hello! I ate 2 bites of cajun fish yesterday and I got severe pain in the middle of my chest. It came in 20 second intervals along with big burps that I thought might bring up vomit, but it didnt. The pain was horrendous! I was screaming and banging the walls, then in about 15 minutes it went away completly. Then today, I tried 2 bites of a chicken nugget, chewed very well, and got the same pain and burps, though not as bad as the other night, but bad enough. What is this? I am getting afraid of eating, seems soup is the only thing that works okay. I see my doctor on Friday for my 1 month chek up. Any ideas what is happening? Thanks!    — Laurie L. (posted on December 3, 2001)

December 3, 2001
LAURIE,I AM ONE MO.POST OP AND I STILL HAVEN'T TRIED MEAT YET.MAYBE IT IS TOO SOON TO EAT MEAT .TRY BACKING OFF OF IT FOR ONE MORE WEEK AND THEN TRY IT AGAIN.ALSO I WAS TOLD NOT TO EAT FRIED FOODS FOR 6WKS.THAT ALSO MAY BE YOUR PROBLEM. IALSO YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE SPICES THAT CAN BOTHER YOU TOO. HOPE THIS HELPED, GOOD LUCK. NANCY M.
   — NANCY M.

December 3, 2001
Tell your surgeon, you might need a dialation. Or it could be from the spices. I had something similiar when I ate a big clove of raw garlic. I was really shocked when it occured. I still eat galic but NOT big cloves. Jen wishes I didnt.......
   — bob-haller

December 3, 2001
I had trouble with chicken and fish for a few months after my surgery. It sounds it may be too soon for your new tummy to digest the meat and fish. My doctor told me whenever that happened to wait a week or two and try the food again. Good luck to you.
   — [Anonymous]

December 3, 2001
I had trouble with chicken and fish for a few months after my surgery. I'm almost 8 months post-op now and I still have trouble sometimes, especially if I don't chew the meat well enough or if I eat too fast. It sounds like it may be too soon for your new tummy to digest the meat and fish. My doctor told me whenever that happened to wait a week or two and try the food again as we'll be able to tolerate different foods when our new stomach is ready for them. Also it helps with meat to moisten it like use ketchup or honey mustard sauce with the nuggets or fat free gravy on chicken, etc. Good luck to you.
   — [Anonymous]

December 3, 2001
That happens to me anytime I take too big a bite, don't chew to smitherines or too large a drink of fluid. I feel like I'm having a heart attack when it happens. Dry meat will cause me pain no matter how much I chew. All meats/fish/poultry I have to chew to smitherines. I have found that the burping means I either ate to fast or that I'm full, either way I just wait a half hour. If the burping stops and I'm still hungry I eat some more but real slow. I'm 4months out and am still learning my new plumbing, what works and what doesnt.
   — Helen B.