My question is when we eat and I am on mushies. How long does the food sit in the top portion of the stomach before it passes through the band? I am wondering if this is why I am feeling like something is stuck in my throat. I think I am eating too fast. I have no fills. Banded 4/13 and never vomited. Thanks

I never had the feeling you are mentioning. I know you don't want to hear it but perhaps you need to stay on full liquids for a while longer. I did clears for 7 days and full liquids for another 7. Next I did cottage or ricotta cheese for 7 days, then could add shredded chicken.

@ honk i think ur right. / back to full liquids. I spoke to my doc today and he said its ok to be on mushies but I think full liquids is what I may need. Thanks.

It has been discovered that the food doesn't sit there for as long as was originally thought.

It is possible that you have eaten too much, too fast etc. What happens is that the food stimulates the vagus nerve and that can make it feel as though the food is backing up in your throat although it isn't really.

Like elcee said, it only stays up there for about 4 minutes or so. But, I had that feeling for about a month post-op, where every time I took a bite it felt like is was getting stuck in my throat, or coming back up into my throat. It passed for me though once all the swelling had gone down. You're incisions may be healing well on the outside, but the inside can take a while to heal all together. You'll notice the way you feel after and during the times you eat will change over the next few weeks. It's a brand new era of learning how your body works all over!

I had that feeling after surgery, I think its just getting used to the band being there, kinda thing. But food does sit a little while, not as long as they have previously said, I agree with Elcee, but last year I had to have a CT scan and drink this contrast stuff over an hour and when they did the scan it was no good, the fluid hadnt made it through to my intestines as intended. I had to sit for another hour and a half until the scan was any good.

Hey guys I decided to drink pineapple juice before bed and within an hour the feeling was gone. I think I was eating my mushies to fast. I also believe my insides may need more time to heal. Thanks for the support. I will go back to full liquids for a bit.

Food only stays in your pouch less than a minute. The digestion process starts as soon as food reaches the stomach. You are probably eating too fast and it isnt having time to go through the pouch and backing up in to your esophagus. Slow down and take at least a half hour to eat. Its important.

That's good to know.

I have wondered this myself because often when I eat a 6 oz. yogurt at 9am, I am not ready to eat anything until 5pm (while sipping liquids through the day, but not nearly 64oz.). I assumed it was because my food was taking so long to pass through, but that seemed a little ridiculous. My doctor doesn't give much support in my post-op appointments. I usualy get the same answers from him that I can get off of the LapBand web site...very generic and general. I think I am going to ask for a small unfill to see if this helps. I need to be able to eat and drink more because I am not getting my liquids or Protein. But then again, 1 or 2 days a week, I can eat and drink pretty well. Who knows. :myscared: LOL

Good luck!!!

When you start to feel a little pressure in your chest stop eating because if you continue that is when you will soon feel the food in your throat. The slower you eat and the more you chew your food the easier it will be to feel that pressure because it takes a while for the food that hits your stomach to register with your brain.

Usually if I have eaten to much my stomach starts to create this Fluid to help push my food through and seeing that, that doesn't really work it makes there no room for the extra fluid in my stomach and that is when things start coming up on me. So it's important to eat slowly.

To answer your question I think it takes about 4 hours give or take a little for food to fully go through the band because that is the time that most are given to leave in between meals.

Hope my experience helped you out a little! =)

I did say that "I think it takes 4 hours".

Absolutely consult your own doctor to find out the correct answer.

I get that sensation occasionally and it's almost always because I have eaten too quickly.