Okay,

Been banded almost 6 days and they said on week 2 I could try some s/f pudding and both times I've tried it I get this pressure in my chest like I'm too full and some burning. Do you think I should just stay on the liquids a few more days?

I have no clue what to do and I didn't want to call Dr. Sanchez on something so small.

Thanks for your help

It doesn't do it until the pudding.

I haven't any idea what could be making you have that sensation when you eat your pudding. I haven't had any problems with any soft foods, so it's foreign to me. I guess I would call your doctor tomorrow.

OK are you taking big spoon fulls of pudding? Are you chewing the pudding? THat sounds strange but if you are swallowing it without letting it break down in your mouth first then it will give you the sensation you are talking about.

Here is a rule I followed when I started soft mushie foods. Take a bit like you would feed a baby. Then let it sit in your mouth like a baby does then chew the food even if there are NO chunks just to let the mouth break it down into liquid. Then swallow.

If you are still having problems then you need to stay on liquids till the swelling goes down. I assume you have no fill. If you have a fill then take things much slower than suggested.

DISCLAIMER: This is my opinion. For any further questions or concerns please contact your own physician and follow his instructions.

Thank you Penni,

You hit it, too big of bites and I didn't know to try to swallow puddings. It was filling like I was too full and I had only eat 1/2 of one of those little pudding things but I guess I'm going to have to get use to little bites. Plus, it's been 5 full days and I really don't think the swelling is all gone yet because when I sip my broth, no problems at all.

Thanks again for your help,

Sherri

I second what Penni says.

Sherri -

I was banded on the 10th, too. I am not to go on mushy foods until my followup appointment on the 21st. Right now I am just trying solid liquids and I am not having a problem.

Best wishes!

Mary

My daughter had problems with the jello and pudding as well the first time she tried it. She was banded on July 5th and ate a jello cup and a pudding cup for dinner one night. She was in pain for 2 days and went back to creamy and clear liquids again. She hasn't tried pudding or jello since then, but is going to try again on monday when the doc puts her on mushies.

It took me a while to figure out how to eat and drink without swallowing a lot of air also. I didn't realize I was an air gulper.

Myra

My first mushies I actually used a baby spoon till I got used to little bites. It might help.

As far as Jello goes, I cannot eat the already prepared jello. It seem to have too much Gelatin or something. The kind you make yourself works just fine. It's more trouble but works much better.

It took me a while to figure out how to eat and drink without swallowing a lot of air also. I didn't realize I was an air gulper.

Myra

This is something that I've also just become aware of. How do you avoid swallowing air? It happens with every sip of Water I take :rolleyes!

Mysherrijo, I've been banded about the same length as time as you, and after 3 days of clear liquids, was given the go-ahead to eat solids. First "meal" (small piece of dried toast with coffee), my last bite gave me an incredible chest pain. I nearly broke out in a cold sweat, but stood up and walked, banging with my fist on my chest. It went away quite fast. In the last 3 days it's happened once more, also with toast. I worked out that, like the first time, the bite was too big and I had swallowed before I'd made it liquid enough in my mouth. Penni is right that even runny-type foods, yohurt etc, need to be in small quantities and mixed up with lots of saliva. It's really hard learning to eat small mouthfuls so slowly and not to swallow before it's mixed up enough. Try the pudding again, half teaspoonfuls at a time and make it last a while in your mouth before you swallow. Good luck!

Deana.

Sherri,

When I too could only eat about 1/2 of a pudding. My kids loved it because all they had to do was hang around a few minutes and they would get another pudding. They were so funny they would bring me their favorite pudding (stating they wanted Mama to eat) and then hang around for the left overs.

I never experienced any of the burning sensation so I can't comment on this one.

Goood luck with your recovery.

Sherri, not just the size of the bite, but how long did it take you to eat that amount? It took me about 15 minutes. I was really taking it easy, and going slow. I want to learn well how to feel when I am full. I would suggest that you try it again, but give your tummy and esophagus a day or two to calm down incase the pain also included some swelling. HUGS

Welcome to restriction! even soft foods can move much slower with a bit of restriction. You're very lucky if you are able to have this much restriction right out of surgery. Many don't!

Begin to use smaller utensils. Put your utensils down between bites. Take only the smallest of bites and chew, chew, chew. You'll do fine!

I started using my granddaughter's (9months) and it seems to be helping. I am still a little concerned you can tell my stomach isn't swelled like it was but I still can't eat over 3 ounces or so and I'm so full and if I eat more I can feel it backing up. It that restriction. I don't have any fill so can't imagine it being restriction.

Sherri the swelling from where your stomach has been manipulated with causes "restriction". It took about 10 to 14 days for mine to go away.

That's where you hear folks saying I can eat as much as I did before banding. What is going on?

Well, the swelling is gone and you don't have saline in your band to produce restriction yet. I heard it described as Bandster Hell.

M

MySherriJo

I think you probably experiencing the dreaded "golf ball" because you are pretty restricted. Your poor stomach is swollen. Treat it with TLC and lots of liquds.

I was having pretty good restriction just from banding until about 6 weeks. For two weeks, I was able to eat *normally*. That is, bigger bites, less chewing, most of the food on my plate. It was time for a fill (got it last Friday). Now, I am back to where I was right after banding. Doesn't take much to fill me up and I lost 3 lbs. I think I should have had my fill sooner. I was picking up some bad habits. While I was OK over the weekend, on Monday, I had TWO long-lasting golf balls. I ate gently all day today, and feel much better.

This is really a learning process. Take what you want from our stories and develop your own. :eek: