Question:
my biggest fear of this surgery!!
I am considering this surgery, the biggest part that scares me is that I found out that the size of the opening to your stomach is the size of a M&M. I am so afraid that something might slip down my throat, or I dont chew to food to mush that I wont be able to breath. If something gets stuck will you be able to breath? If you cant breathe and someone does the heimlich on you, is there a possiblity that your pouch could repture? I mentioned this to my sister last night, and she said for me to post it on here, to calm my fears. — [Anonymous] (posted on August 7, 1999)
August 7, 1999
The opening is small--you DO have to chew thoroughly, but it has nothing to
do with your breathing. I haven't had any problems and am eating most
foods now...BUT...I chew,chew,chew to avoid problems. You'll do
fine--don't worry!
— charlene M.
August 7, 1999
BIGGEST FEAR: I'm sorry I couldn't recall your name but about the fear of
the size of entrance of your new pouch- By the time you begin on regular
foods you will have had soooo much practice on chewing your food. You will
be so careful to chew very well. You must remember you gradually move to
solids after a few weeks. The stage of soft foods will make you chew very
well. One time I swallowed a piece of something - I think fruit before I
could chew it- I too felt nervous- but I kept my calm and allowed it to
slowly go down my throat and into my pouch. Also , remember your pouch is
not made of glass- it still has the elasticity of your body organs. When
you begin to eat regular foods, some will get caught in your throat because
you are not used to eating that texture of food. You just take it slow -
do not get so nervous that you hyperventilate or anything- you just allow
it to go down at it own pace. You will learn. Nothing will need the H-
Manuever. You will learn how to take care of your new stomach.
Sheila -RNY- March 26, 99 (82 Pounds gone).
— Sheila W.
August 7, 1999
Talk with your doctor! ... But unless you continued to eat after you knew
you swallowed too big a bite, the worst that would happen is that you might
throw up soon after. It's not going to cause you to stop breathing unless
it goes down into your windpipe, not your stomach.
— Sherrie G.
August 7, 1999
The opening that is the size of a M&M is at the BOTTOM of your stomach,
the outlet, where the food goes into the small intestine. Your swallowing
will be exactly the same as before. Nothing at all is done to the OPENING
into the stomach in this surgery. You will not choke. But if the food
can't get out of your stomach, and it is something indigestible, such as
fibrous cellulose type veggie, such as broccoli stems, the only way out is
back out the way it went in.
— Deborah L.
August 8, 1999
As far as I know, at least with the gastric bypass, if you do get food
"stuck", you are just in a lot of pain.
I would talk to your doctor, though to find out for sure. You learn quick
to chew thoroughly, trust me. I hope this helps.
— Lauri B.
August 8, 1999
If food gets lodged in your esophagus, you will throw it up. The
respiratory tubes are different from the ones you swallow with. I had my
surgery in 1995. I have occasionally swallowed things I should have chewed
a little better.
the worst thing that happened was that I threw it up. You will do fine..
— Peggy W.
August 8, 1999
Hi. I had the gastric bypass surgery done in Oct. of 1998. So, I am 9
months post op. The first few weeks after surgery you will be on a full
liquid diet, so nothing will get stuck at this time. Once your doctor
allows you to start eating you will be on soft foods which will be for 2-3
weeks. You will be taking it slow and easy. You will be very concerned at
first with every bite and drink you take. Then your doctor will start
letting you try regular food. Just take it slow and easy. I have had
times where I forgot to eat slowly and chew everything real well and it is
painful. I was able to breathe. It just felt like everything was lodged
in my chest. I had to go in the bathroom and throw up. If you eat too
much and go beyond the full feeling you will also feel this way. This
doesn't happen to me as often as it used to. It does take time to get used
to eating slowly and chewing your food well. All of your life up to this
point you could eat fast and not worry about chewing well, so it's going to
take time. But don't let this little problem keep you from having the
surgery. It's the best decision I every made for myself. I have lost 128
pounds. I weighed 305 when I first started considering the surgery and I
now weigh 177. It has changed my whole life forever.
— Kathy K.
August 8, 1999
HI. I wanted to respond and hopefully stop some of your fear about not
being able to breath if food were to get "stuck". What you get is
discomfort. The food becoming stuck does not interfer with breathing....the
food is stuck near the stomach not in your throat or airway passages. I did
have some problems with the stuck feeling post-op and believe me you learn
very quickly not to take an oversized bite or too many bites back to back.
Please don't let this scare you. I really just wanted to assure you that
you aren't going to choke. But I also wanted to tell you that the
"stuck" feeling is mildly to severely painful and will last up to
45minutes. Pain can cause shortness of breath....but your not choking nor
is your breathe way blocked. Hope this helps.
— Penny W.
August 11, 1999
Your breathing will not be affected at all. If you swallow something that
was not chewed properly, you will throw it back up. If you were choking,
the heimlich could still be performed with out any ill-effects. The staple
line is quite sturdy. Almost impossible to rupture or break. Your stomach
will still work the same way that it did before. You will learn to chew
thoroughly and slowly. That is what makes you successful. Good Luck!!
— Donna D.
September 3, 1999
i can speak with some authority about food getting stuck. i have had a
swallowing disorder for the past 9 years where your esophogas is constantly
constricted. food would stay in my esopogas for days before reaching my
stomache and sometimes come up days later. where your esophogas meets your
stomache does not hamper with your breathing. the most it will do is cause
some pain while traveling down or come up. you will be fine i have not had
a bite of food in years that has not gotten stuck and i've never needed the
heimlech.
— mary M.
May 17, 2001
i had open vbg on the 24th of april yes i am on a soft diet but i cheated
and took a bite of pickle and low and behold i did not chew chew chew and i
swollewd a small piece . i did not up it but it stayed there for a lil over
a day and a half so let me just tell you this girlfriend no more pickles
for me ....my throat is still sore from it....god bless
— Sandra B.
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