Question:
Fullness in throat after eating, whats the cause??

Had a Lap-RNY 1/17/03, down 31 pounds. For the past week, after I eat, I get this fullness feeling in my throat almost like someone is pushing on my trachea. Could this be the start of stomal stenosis or something else?? I dont eat to capacity, so its not that food is backing up in there. It just feels terrible for about an hour after I have eaten. Any help??    — Rachel W. (posted on February 24, 2003)

February 23, 2003
When I had my stricture, it was just painful to eat one bite. I never felt the throat fullness at that time. The only time I have felt what you are describing is when I have eaten too fast or too much and it just hasn't worked its way through yet. It takes mine a while to move through the stomach. Sometimes I get the fullness in the throat before I feel fullness in the stomach. The feeling terrible after you have eaten...is that just the uncomfortable feeling in the throat, or is it painful and feeling like you are 'stuck'? If its the latter, then you may just have the beginning of a stricture. They generally show up around 3 weeks p/o, but can happen just about any time.
   — Cheri M.

February 24, 2003
I had the same thing and I even ended up in the ER one day because it scared me so badly. I had just taken my first few bites of some scrambled egg. It felt obstructed and most uncomfortable. It felt as if someone had grabbed my esophagus and was tying it into a knot!. Sipping even one sip of water or the 'green lady' mixture they gave me to relax soft tissues inside would come right back out. I would 'heave' but not throw up much. That would cause things to move around or relax eventually and I'd get relief after an hour or so. It was awful! This started at about 3 weeks post-op for me. My surgeon did not think it was a stricture or stenosis or anything. He said it was an esophageal spasm caused by an irritated opening into the intestine. He said some people take longer to heal in that area and I was one of those. It set me back to liquids for a while longer and, believe me, I was very careful to not eat some solids for awhile after those episodes. I am now 3 months out from surgery and do not get that uncomfortable feeling anymore. But I am still cautious since I never want to go through that again!
   — Lynda W.

February 24, 2003
You are only 1 month post-op and if you still have swelling in the pouch, your ounce capacity is reduced, so it is very possible that the food is backing up into the esophagus and that is why you are getting that full feeling in your throat. I am 1 year post-op and still get that full feeling up in my throat if I eat too much. At 3 months post-op when I told my surgeon I could eat 3/4 of a 10 ounce lean Cuisine, he told me that I was filling the pouch and the esophagus and to eat less otherwise I could stretch the esophagus!!
   — Cindy R.