Hi guys, I had vsg on tues, June 12. I was discharged home yesterday afternoon. I'm having the hardest time getting anything down. It seriously feels like I have a stone in my chest that moves up and down and expands. I have tried room temp water, jello, Popsicle, broth......it doesn't matter the content the painful result is the same. I have not had success with the liquid lortab either....I get it down and deal with the "stone" then I have uncontollable dry heaving. It is getting to the point where the idea of swallowing makes me sick to my stomach. Is this "stone" my new stomach with spasms? Is this the gas? I just don't know if this is normal and I'm in mega meltdown mode!

Are you taking tiny sips? Have you tried something warm instead of room temp? Cold did not do well by me for about 2 weeks post op. If you can't get anything in I would call your doc. The biggest worry post op is dehydration.

try and sip one small sip and walk...

I am taking small sips and have tried warm, cold, and room temp fluids. Every time I swallow something the lump (aka: the stone) in my chest (between my breasts) expands and is quite uncomfortable. I just don't know if this is a spasm, if this is gas, or what.......I passed my "leak test" yesterday so I'm praying it's not a leak.

Did you have a hiatal hernia repair? I did and that is how swallowing was for me.

I just kept up with the Lortab to ease the pain. If I were you, I would try to have an hour where you didn't swallow anything, then start with the Lortab. Slowly. It took me a good 5 minutes to take one dose sipping it out of the syringe. After half an hour, the effect should be settling in and you should be able to slowly sip small amounts of Water. Gatorade worked best for me ... at room temp.

There is a lot of trial and error, and it can be frustrating for sure, but just keep with it. It WILL get better.

I haven't had the surgery yet, so I am not really any help, but it sounds to me like you have a lot of gas in you yet. I would definitely call the doc and get some help as you don't want to get dehydrated! I hope you are doing better SOON.

First congratulations. You're on your way to a skinny you. I did what you're doing for 3 days. Got terribly dehydrated. Plus, I couldn't stand the taste of sugar free anything. So I stopped. I finally got 1/2 grape pedialyte and 1/2 grape juice down and regular popcycles. I had my doctor order my suppositories for nauseau and the medication for spasms that go under your tongue helped. I hope this info will help you. I literally would rather have died. After the 4th day things started getting better. Good luck!

Thanks! No hiatal hernia, but I appreciate the suggestions about getting the lortab down.....I will try it. I will also try the small sip and then walking. I surely didn't go into this thinking it would be rainbows and kittens but I seriously didn't expect it to be this painful. Will keep on keepin' on!

I personally have never heard of spasms. keep up with the room temp water, sipping, not gulping. And walk, walk, walk. Sounds like excessive gas buildup to me. Don't worry it will subside soon.

I too had a hiatal hernia repair as pdxman and had that same feeling. I believe it was esophageal spasms. Also, are you taking an antacid like prilosec? you might get some relief with that. my dr had to double the dose for me before I had a good result. Good luck. But call the dr office and let them know what's going on for sure.

oh, also if it is gas as some suggest, try GasX - they have strips so you don't have to swallow or chewable tabs.

Hey, I went through a lot of complications. I am leaning more to it being gas. Please make sure that you drink as much as you possibly can. Gas-X strips are wonderful, take as many as you need.

I had the hiatal hernia repair and I felt the same thing too. room temperature decaff peppermint tea with truvia was my saving grace. I had serious gas until yesterday and I'm 10 days post-op. The nurses dubbed me the walker, because I walked constantly 5 days in the hospital, but walking still wasn't enough. A lot felt like spasms to me. Today was the first day I could drink cold water and wow it was so refreshing. I forgot how much I love cold water. I used to be a chugger and I could take down a 16 ounce bottle in no time flat. I use the med cups still to drink anything. 30ml (1 ounce) and it takes me 3 sips to get it down.