This might sound silly - but I'm 3 weeks post op - so still on the soft, mushy and tasteless foods - but I've noticed that I have been sneezing when I try eating. I'm still on tiny portions - but today found the sneezing quite painful. Is anyone else sneezing when they eat? aaatchhhhoooo

This might sound silly - but I'm 3 weeks post op - so still on the soft, mushy and tasteless foods - but I've noticed that I have been sneezing when I try eating. I'm still on tiny portions - but today found the sneezing quite painful. Is anyone else sneezing when they eat? aaatchhhhoooo

Hi Chatty:

Sometimes I do sneeze when I eat. I find that if I eat too fast or too much I will start sneezing, burping, hiccuping, or my nose runs. Sometimes it all happens at once! It happens particularly when I am eating out and talking a lot during the meal. Maybe it has something to do with getting too much air in my stomach?

How funny that you posted this! I used to sneeze when eating before my sleeve but now I don't! I wonder why??

Chatty - in the lap-band world (and from what I've read it's in the sleeve world too, though I personally don't know yet) we have what's called a "soft stop." Soft stop being your body's warning sign that you're reaching your limit food-wise and need to pass on that next bite, or else. Hard stop being when you have to yak the food back up. Soft stops are usually one of these:

• Sneezes (usually either one, or a series of several)
• Watery eyes
• Hiccups
• An unintentional sigh
• Small burp that tastes like whatever bite you had last
• Combination hiccup/burp or "hiccurp"

The best medical explanation I have read is that it's an effect of the vagus nerve having additional pressure applied from the expanding pouch or stomach.

I don't know if that's what you're experiencing, but maybe - I know some sleevers do.

I've never sneezed while I eat, although I'm still on full liquids. But I did have to sneeze the other day (I'm only 10 days out) and OUCH!! Holy cow!! That sneeze hurt like a beezy!! lol.

Thanks for all your answers... I'm so glad I'm not the only one!