I am one month post band. I have had very few problems. I go for my first fill monday and am a little excited and anxious. My problem is not major but very troublesome. I am very careful about what I eat. At first when I would eat meat the food would feel as if it is stuck in my throat. This is sometimes very uncomfortable. I would have to get up and walk around to make it go down. I can feel it turn loose. I thought I was not chewing good enough but nothing seems to help. Now it is doing it even with soft foods like creamed potatoes. I had a small hernia repaired and I wonder if this could have something to do with it. I was told not to drink anything when I eat. My mouth feels so dry when I eat that I think this might be some of my problem. Have any of you had this problem? I intend to talk to my dr about it but just wanted your input.

A couple of things to think about. What size of bite are you taking? If it happens on the first bite, some people find that a cup of warm tea before eating helps to ease that. If you are distracted while eating, like talking or stressed, that will cause the "golfball" feeling sometimes. This is one of the things bandsters learn to handle, and you have to figure out the pattern for yourself, because we are all just a little different. For me, eating too fast and too big of bites causes it. Good luck!

I usually get this when I'm eating to fast or to big of a bite. Are the foods your eating very dry? I try to make sure my meat is moist and veggies still have juice, etc as to not have anything to dry.

When you first get banded, your stomach may swell and cause you to have restriction. If you are taking small bites and chewing well, then swelling is a likely cause of your problem. As far as I know, the only fix for it is time.

It's a good thing you're seeing your doc on Monday. Definitely discuss it with him because it sounds to me like it's too soon for you to get a fill.

jlogan i'm in mp to i go 7-14 to dr heiker in tex unless i back out

No, you shouldn't drink right before or during your meal. But, if your food is dry, it could get stuck in your throat. Try using a *dipping sauce.* That could be canned gravy, salad dressing, sour cream. Since you won't be using much sauce, it won't add much to the calories and may make you feel a lot better.

I've heard that eat warm soups or sipping something warm right before you eat may aid. I've been trying it and it works. I don't drink with meals but right before I like something warm.