Question:
I believe I am fearful of eating because I've had food get stuck

I am just over 3 weeks post op and am fearful of eating solid foods due to the experience of having an extremely small amount of scrambled egg with cheese get stuck and consequently made me sick. I also have absolutely no appetite but feel as though I should be eating something so that my energy level will get better. I have also experienced some dehydration along with hybernation mode. I have lost about 25 lbs so far but seem to be staying still for the past 4 days.    — Laura V. (posted on June 17, 2001)

June 17, 2001
You should check with your surgeon as your stoma opening might need stretched if your chewing well and still getting stuck. Definetely call if you begin having troubles with liquids. This is a common reason for your trouble...
   — bob-haller

June 17, 2001
When I was about 3 weeks out I tried scrambled eggs and cheese and had the same reaction. I'm 9 weeks post-op now and can finally eat the scrambled eggs as long as take small bites, CHEW the eggs thoroughly and eat them SLOWLY. I can't stress that enough. Keep sipping those liquids constantly. Sew a water bottle to your hand if you have to. My doctor said that liquids are even more important than foods when you're at this point. You can drink other liquids in addition to your water, like iced tea, Crystal Light, etc. I make homemade orangeade using about 1/3 glass of orange juice, 2/3 glass of water, plenty of ice and some Equal or Splendor. It's yummy. You may have hit a plateau because you're not eating and your body is in starvation mode and it is probably trying to conserve all of it's fat reserves. I felt exactly the same way at 3+ weeks. Don't give up. Keep trying different foods and keep it on soft and plenty of liquids until you can better handle more variety. It does get better, I promise. What you're experiencing seems pretty normal BUT ALWAYS, when in doubt, call your surgeon. Best of luck to you!
   — Jeanne R.

June 17, 2001
I am 5 mos. post op (rny open) and had the same thing happen to me with eggs. I was SO hungry for an egg that I gobbled it and that's why I got sick. And sometimes some things just don't sit well and I get nausiated. BUT, remember to take very tiny bites and chew chew chew everything to mush.
   — Betty Todd

June 24, 2001
Don't worry honey, for my first re-experiences with food, I gobbled because it was the only way I had ever known how to eat! Oh the pain! I thought I'd never eat again. Now, however, I always follow the cardinal rules. 1. try to mush your food with a fork. When you think it's mushed enough, mush it three more times. 2. take tiny bits which I've learned should be about the size of a quarter of a teaspoon. 3. Chew that tiny bit at least 25 times or more if you can. The secret is to make the food as close to a liquidy consistency as possible. With this way of eating, I can eat about half a chicken pot pie, up to one slice of thin crust pizza, or most of the contents of a very small dinner plate. Sometimes (certainly out of life long habit) I will prematurely begin to swallow some of the bite without properly chewing, however, my swallowing reflex is so finely tuned to the gastric bypass way of eating, that it each time any food tries to go through to the espophogas and onto the pouch, just when it nears the first opening to the esposphogas in the back of my throat, the reflex will pause briefly , as if my body is giving me the option of accepting the swallow. If I accept it, the first part of the opening in the back of my throat allows the food to pass. If I think I need to chew more, the hole does not dilate, and the then the food is returned to my mouth. This same thing happens with liquids as well. This is different than regurgitation, where the food is brought up after being swallowed. All I am doing is stopping the swallow if needed to avoid pain. I have regurgitated, and it was certainly not by any choice! I think my body has adjusted to the surgery, and this is the way my swallowing reflex is "protecting" my new, sensitive digestive tract.
   — Peter S.

June 24, 2001
I am over 3 months post-op and I *still* can't eat scrambled eggs! It seems a lot of people have problems with these, so don't base your fears on eating off of ths one foor experience. Try hard-boiled eggs, they do me right everytime! i cook a half dozen at a time, mark an X with a pencil and stick them back inthe carton, always ready! I like mine hot so I peel and nuke for a second. And I feed the yolk to my dog - all fat there, no protein. His coat looks great!
   — M. A. B.