Hello everyone, i just want to start out by saying i have only been on here a couple of days and i love it...all the info,the people and responses are just great!!! I am 250lbs 5'4 and 26 years old i am really considering doing the lap band surgery and have my first consultation at the end of this month and my seminar at the beg. of november. I Still have alot of ?'s like what is all this talk about "stuck" food getting stuck? it scares me, how bad is this? please be honest! thanks so much!!!

A stuck episode occurs usually when you eat too fast, dont take small enough bites, and/or don't chew food well enough. Food goes down but will not process thru the pouch/band into the stomach. It hurts as it pools at the bottom of your esphagus. If it won't go down, you have to choice but to make it come up. No pretty, but true.

It is a lesson well learned, it does help you remember to slow down, chew and be mindful of what you put in your mouth. We all learn things differently.

Does this happen often?

Does this happen often?

No it doesn't to most. Proper care in chewing your food and in small portions will take care of this. Shred, chop, dice your food and it's not likely too happen. If it does, YOU will know when you feel it. I only have had this feeling 1 time and I learned from my mistake. Dried chicken not chewed properly can definitely get stuck.

Best wishes and I'm truly greatful for my new journey with the band. Banded on Aug 6.

:-) Thank You

Here's how I described it in an email to a friend... gross but true.

Have you had a stuck moment yet? They are horrid!! And the first time you have one, you will definitely know that's what it is. I'm gonna get graphic and gross now.. so bear with me. If you have ever had one of those moments when you take too big a bite.. (ever in life, not just since the band) and you can feel every inch of its travel from your throat to your stomach, that's the beginning of the feeling of being stuck. Then ... add a pocket of air behind that.. which slows it down to a miniscule crawl ... (and if you have ever had a time when you belched after eating and a whole bite of something you just ate comes back up) that's what happens when you get stuck. Add to that a bucket of mucus that your esophagus produces to smooooth the way.. And there you have it!! STUCK!!!! YUCK!!!! hahhaha The very best advise I can give... Don't try to get it to go down... work hard to try to get it to come back up... with what they term progressive burping.. cause believe me.. if it didn't go down the first time.. you trying to force it isn't gonna make it any easier!! It obviously doesn't want to fit through that little bitty hole.

I can eat salmon or chicken one day and it is fine. When I am very hungery because I do not eat breakfast I eat to fast and I get stuck. Most of the time I can just burp and get relief but a few times I have had to help the prosess. MY bad- I need to chew chew chew. Hugs

It doesn't happen often for me. If I eat slow enough, and chew the small bites well, it rarely happens.

I am 4 months post op and have never been stuck. Eat slow and chew good!

Thanks Everyone, You All Are Great :-)