Question:
After eating a tiny amount, less than my pouch ,why does it hurt so bad after eating?

I know my pouch is 2oz. I drink enough to fill it and things are fine. When I try to eat I can only eat (solid) for instance 2 green beans and 1 bite of chicken smaller than a dice. Even with this the pain is terrible. The only way for my to get any type of food in is for it to be pureed or chew it so fine it will wash down with water. The stabbing pain hurts so bad I would just rather not eat at all. I know I am not to drink with meals, but there would be no meal if I couldn't drink. What can I do to make this easier on me. I am now 4 weeks post-op and have been on solid food for 1 week. Has any one had this problem? If so please help with some advice. I am willing to do anything!! Thank You    — Kelly T. (posted on May 6, 2003)

May 6, 2003
Just a thought- maybe you should stick to the pureed and liquid foods for now? Every doctor and nutritionist's diet is different, but I wasn't supposed to eat normal solid food until 3 months. I didn't get to pureed until atleast 1 month post-op just out of precaution to my healing pouch. Maybe this is the case for you, since you can handle liquids and really soft things. And you should normally eat until its complete mush going down, post-op we have to change the way we eat- slower and chew ALOT more. So it's a good thing that you're doing that. I would check with your doctor though just in case- better to be safe than sorry! Goodluck to you and hope you feel better!
   — Lezlie Y.

May 6, 2003
You may be developing a stricture or some scar tissue around the opening to the stoma which is causing the pain when food, or anything not a liquid consistency tries to pass. Then again, it may just be healing pains from switching to solid food. Try a soft scrambled egg instead of chicken, or some other very soft foods. Chicken can be a tough food to start with. If its just healing pains, you will notice it get better in time.
   — Cindy R.

May 6, 2003
Kelly, I, too am 4 wks post op and began having the same problem last week. I switched to all liquids and then it began with the liquids, as well. I called my surgeon in tears. He did an upper GI which did indeed show a stricture. I had to have an endoscopy and they dilated the stricture with a balloon. I cannot believe the difference. I can still only eat a tiny amount of course, but instead of pain, I feel normal fullness. Surgeon told me it is most common at 3-4 weeks post op. Call your surgeon, you may have the same problem. It is easy enough to diagnose!
   — krogers56

May 6, 2003
6 weeks post op here. Forget the chicken, no salmon either as I'm now vomitting from that...fun fun fun... The foods that I tolerate VERY well are all soups (homemade with lots of chunks cooked very soft including chicken and ham), shrimp (usually 4) chewed and chewed and chewed, and finally st. peter's fish/tilapia works very very well. No more salmon or chicken for me, but I'd love a steak! lol Good luck. Isn't this fun?!
   — msmaryk

May 6, 2003
Sounds exactly how I feel when I eat. I have a stricture and I'm scheduled for dilation next Thursday. Call your surgeon, it sounds like you need to make an appointment with a gastroenteroligist just make sure you go to one that has done a dilation on a post-op gastric bypass patient. I wasted a lot of time with a doctor, who come to find out, was clueless when it came to a gastric bypass patients. Good Luck!
   — jerzeygirl71

May 6, 2003
I would try this. Go back to a clear liquid diet for 2-3 days, then pureed for 2-3 days, then soft food then solids. You need to let your stomach heal. Treat your new stomach like you are feeding an infant. In one year your poach will be the same as a 6 year olds. So every month your poach becomes older. 1 month=a 6 month baby 2months=1year. You would not give a 6 month old fried chicken but you migt give him mush bananas and cream of wheat. This is what worked for me.
   — Robert L.

May 7, 2003
It may not be a stricture, I have the same thing - more so at your stage, less so now that I am 8 months out, but I still get that feeling. It is AWFUL. I don't have a stricture though. My stomach is just getting used to its new condition and it has taken this long. Could be the same for you. I stayed with soft stuff and drank Real Meals for protein. I did not watch carbs, as I was eating so little anyway. I still lost great and am down 125 pounds in 8 months. Just eat what doesn't hurt.
   — Kristy J.

May 8, 2003
I don't know the answer but I'm having the same problem. I had surgery 4/21/2003
   — Virginia (.