Hi!

4 days post op and I had a protein shake and then decided to have a few sips of pureed soup after the shake. Now I have tremendous pressure in my chest and right below my chest - like a big air bubble. I feel like if I don't burp I'll die.... and I can't burp! Is this what restriction feels like? I didn't notice it while I was eating, but about 3 minutes after I stopped I sure did. It feels a little better if I lay flat on my back. Now I'm going for a walk to see if that helps. I know I have no fill in my band right now, but I suspect things are still pretty swollen in there causing "restriction"... but don't know what it's supposed to feel like?

Just curious, as I'm not banded yet. What did you have for the first 4 days that didn't give you these symptoms. I want to know what to avoid. I'm sorry you are so uncomfortable, but maybe trying to walk it off will help. I would also try Gas-X.

Hy Dody -

I haven't eaten much at all at a time for the past 4 days. And defiinitely haven't mixed foods. I've had 1/2 pudding cup, 1/2 protein shake, 1/2 cup soup/broth, etc. I really haven't felt like eating... but tonight I was feeling better. I know it's important to get the protein in so I have to drink the shakes, but I was just craving a different taste so had the few sips of soup. All in all, I've been at 400-500 calories a day since surgery and haven't felt like I could do any more than that.

It felt like that to me too (dont really have any now I'm all healed) and really was like nothing more than being 8 months pregnant with a very high breech baby! I lose weight when I was pregnant too :-)

Kim- yep, it's the swelling. I found that in the first week or so after being banded, if I take a walk then the pressure subsides. I took gas-x too, but it didn't help at all for me.

Hey Kim,

I did the same thing las night. Drank one cup of a shake then sipped some vegetable broth (great stuff by the way) and wound up with that pressure in my chest. Felt like a stuffed pig for the next hour. I think thats our 'full sign' now. The nutritionist told me that feeling full would now be pressure behind the breastplate, and being too full would be pain behind the breastplate. I thought the burping was just due to gas from surgery, but now Im learning that if I drink too fast (I'm still on liquids) I start burping and it hurts! I have a feeling that once we get back on regular foods, those burps will produce the food we just swallowed. I dont know about you, but I have to learn to slow down. If I chug Water, even it can give me that feeling. We are swollen, like a tight fill, and putting in too much at once doesnt allow time for it to seep through that small opening. And Im guessing the weight of the small pouch contents puts pressure on the opening, which is what we are feeling.

Ive found I can drink about a cup of thick liquid before being way full. Trying to sip broth on top of that just puts me into "woah girl!" mode. lol From what Ive read and been told by the nutritionist, our stomachs will ideally be able to between 1/2 to 1 cup of food. Im guessing we can tolerate more liquid than food because its passing through quicker.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Hope they helped.

*hugs*

Hey Kim....

I am still having restriction from drinking liquids and get a real tight feeling if I take more then a sip..... Drinking and sitting doesn't seem to work real well for me, but I just had surgery last Thursday. It takes me a full bottle of water to get my meds down.... LOL

Oh, well, it that is the price to pay here is my check

Glad you are doing well....

d

doc - a pill crusher might be a good idea for you. just check with your doctor to see if you can crush your pills. but i did and although it was certainly bitter, the meds went down with just tablespoons of water - and no chest pressure. then after you take your 'pill shot' suck on a lemon wedge to kill the bitter taste. just like tequila! )

That sounds more like stuckage - I think "restriction" is just feeling like you can only eat a little bit chewed very well and get full quickly. When I get pain like that it's usually stuckage, blockage, etc that usually resolved it self with a burp or time.

hey guys - thanks for the feedback - it's exactly like pressure behind the breastplate - except I don't even feel it coming. ah well - as the days go by my meals will just keep getting smaller and smaller I guess :-). Hopefully it is just the swelling and it will subside and I'll get a new indicator for "full". Thanks again for the feedback.

I have a feeling that once we get back on regular foods, those burps will produce the food we just swallowed.

Sus - that was hillarious.

Hey Kim, it's me Kim:)

I'm glad you asked the question because I was going to post one myself. I think it is more blockage too. I have yet to feel really full! In fact I don't really feel restricted. I have eaten mac and cheese with my son (a few bites) thinking it was going to kill me, but it did'nt bother me at all. Now I'm bothered it did'nt bother me if that makes sense. I'm a week post op and still doing liquids as well but I'm wondering whats up?

Well there you are Kim! :wave: Blockage huh? Could be - although what in the heck could have gotten stuck that I've eaten? My menu has consisted of Soups and drkins no thicker than a milkshake with NO texture. You at Mac and Cheese! I would give my left boob for Mac and Cheese! I chewed up a chip with hot sauce and spit it out. It was so hard not to swallow it! Well, at least if you got down the Mac and cheese it must mean that your swelling has gone down. From what I read - there is not real "restriction" at first except from the swelling... my HOPE is that we are/were just REALLY swollen and allowing very little through at a time. This too shall pass! *cross fingers/legs/toes/eyes*

Hey - glad to finally talk to you! Keep in touch!~Kim

It sounds like your pouch is very full. Call it restrictio, call it blockage I just think that your stoma (hole) is very small right now and you have alot trying to go through it at once. This is the key to eating slow. Not that you couldn't eat fast if you wanted too, but you end up with this pain. Slowing it down allows the food or liquid to pass a little at a time so you don't end up with that back up and pressure of foods waiting to go through out of the pouch. You're right though, unfortunately you don't know you've done it ultil it's too late. Having been banded a little longer now though I notice that there's a bite right before this happens that I swear I can feel passing through the stoma and that is my cue to stop. It's like one last straggler jumped on the elevator and now the doors are shut. Anything else that goes in WILL be coming back out:bolt: I'm sure that once you go to solids and you're swelling is down, your band will give you signs too. The hard part is listening to them!

Hey Bandayed-

I'll try to start "listening" to what my band is trying to tell me. So far all I hear is don't drink or eat! :-) At any rate - you must have been absolutely right.... I can now drink my soup and it doesn't hurt! I guess the swelling has gone down enough to let liquids through more easily. I'm feeling mucho better. Even made it to 777 calories today (a first). I was feeling drained of energy from not being able to eat and scared that would last forever. It's mucho better now! Thanks for the feedback.

Kim

Great minds think alike, I've been contiplating the chew/spit method too!

You would give your left boob for Mac and Cheese!?

C'mon Kim, you know that left boob IS mac and cheese! LOL

My swelling must have gone down some today. I ate - scratch that - I drank my usual meals today in less time than it normally takes, and I've been hungry for the first time since surgery. Still on liquids for a week and a half more. You know youre in agony when youre craving a green bean. That's right, just one, doesn't have to be hot, don't need butter.. just a bean.. please?? *drools*