Anyone here from London and want to share their experience with me? Just got sleeve 2 weeks ago no one to talk to about bariatric stuff!

Me, I am up north though. This is a great forum and anyone will answer your questions. You are welcome to message me on here if its personal. Congratulations on your surgery.

Hey sunmerseeker! I was wondering why when I eat I don’t feel any “fullness” in my stomach per se, I just feel a really tight painful feeling in my chest between the breast area. Is this normal? The pain also comes up my neck sometimes. Why does this happen did you experience this? When does it go away. And for how long will it be painful to eat?

thanks !!

Lots of nerves are cut during the surgery so messages either don’t get through or feel different until you’re fully healed (about 8 weeks). It’s why it’s important to stick to our plans, portion size recommendations, to eat/drink slowly & listen to our bodies carefully.

When they do return you’ll be more conscious of them & may find they are different to what you knew. For example, you’ll discover your signals for real hunger vs head hunger are different (no cravings for a specific food, flavour or texture, & I feel restless) with real hunger). Some people sneeze or their nose runs when they’re close to feeling full or had enough.

The tightness across your upper chest (makes me want to thump my chest to alleviate it - it doesn’t) is your restriction. This usually doesn’t kick in until you’re on solid food & your nerves are more fully healed. Yours may have started early. It’s usually your signal you’ve eaten too much &/or too quickly. Remember your tummy is quite small now, it doesn’t extend as low down in your abdomen & it doesn’t take much to fill it. Sometimes certain foods can set it off too if they sit more heavily in your tummy. It’s considered a benefit of the surgery. It can fade in intensity over time (years) & we also get better at understanding how much we can eat & so don’t feel it as often which really is the goal.

All the best.

Edited December 30, 20232 yr by Arabesque

9 hours ago, Miaaaagirl said:

Hey sunmerseeker! I was wondering why when I eat I don’t feel any “fullness” in my stomach per se, I just feel a really tight painful feeling in my chest between the breast area. Is this normal? The pain also comes up my neck sometimes. Why does this happen did you experience this? When does it go away. And for how long will it be painful to eat?

thanks !!

Hi Miaaaagirl, As @Arabesque said. Your tiny stomach is full and the remainder sits painfully in your gullet. It still happens to me when I forget and eat too much or too quick. I love, love, love my restriction. Occasionally I will struggle with it for hours and be unable to drink while it passes. TMI. Then I have two choices, suffer it or make myself vomit. If I vomit the only thing that comes up is foamy watery liquid, we call this the foamies. I get immediate relief then.

I have never had the old belly busting full to the brim feeling of old. Just the middle of the chest, damn I did it again feeling.

Hi I’m up north too my surgery date was 15th august 23
I suffered with nausea and vomiting for a few months after I couldn’t eat a couple of teaspoons without bringing it back I’m much better now tho still have sickness if one spoonful to much my amounts are very small and some food worse than others I struggle with chicken and anything tightly packed. Iv not had post op appt yet which I’m surprised about

I had the mini bypass gone from 118kg to last weigh was 96kg I don’t know if that’s about normal or a bit slower ? But I havnt exercised as been feeling weak and exhausted all the time but I am 6 weeks over due my 2nd B12 which I get on 25th this month
Iv struggled remembering to take all meds so some days I forget to take the calcium or gallstone one through the day I’m trying to be better with that,

I don t know why but my osteoarthritis in hips are flaring up so bad that it’s to painful to exercise atm I’m just hoping to turn the corner with everything soon ?

Despite this I don’t regret it as I know it will all fall into place at some point

Any advice welcomed especially on what I can try eat and drink and hit protein targets

Xx

I’d be ringing my surgeon & requesting/demanding an appointment @timetoshine. Five months without any checks seems crazy to me. I’d had several appointments by then. Make a list of questions to ask them like your exhaustion, sickness, small portions.

Out of curiosity how big are your portions? Are you eating slowly, taking small bites? Eating too much, too quickly & foods that are too coarse are renown for upsetting your tummy e.g. the foamies & then brining up what you ate. Keeping foods moist with sauces & gravies can help.

Is there a reason you haven’t had your B12 shot yet or just life being too busy? I’d get that soon too as it will help with your exhaustion. Establish a routine with your daily med taking. It is essential not to miss your vitamins with bypass because of the malabsorption issues.

Dense foods can cause issues for people. Chicken breast & steak tend to be the more difficult ones. How do you go with other cuts of meat like minced beef or minced chicken? Chicken thighs are more tender than breast too. Do you have a dietician? I’d ask them for some suggestions as to what you can eat to get more protein in. I relied a lot on high protein yoghurt & yoghurt drinks/ smoothies to push my protein up.

It can take some people longer than others for everything to settle & to work out all your new tummy/digestive system’s quirks.

Hi Iv rang up and got appt next week

Portions are small if OH puts it out it’s bigger but I always eat same amount and leave loads anyway I don’t eat extra even if he’s put more than I have on so much waste lol

Trying to teach myself to chew chew chew and cut small bites I will see if I can remember when talking to someone at same time! I’m adding gravy and seem to do ok with chvolled tinned tomatoes

Yeah chicken is hard for me I’m ok with minced beef just not much of it lol

Thanks I will try chicken thighs Iv got a few protein shakes just for mornings to up my protein a bit I will look into smoothies to actually do you make your own? Or buy them

I got my B12 yesterday I had forgot all about it in December then I wasn’t well and also no appts u til now but glad I have it done. Yeah trying really hard to get all meds in I have to take so many i take like 15 a day of different meds and it’s hard on my tum sometimes and run out of time to get them all in as not meant to take all together but sometimes I have to. Thanks for reply and for suggestions ? xx

For smoothies I started with milk, added Greek yogurt or 0% flavoured yogurt. Some yogurts have lots more protein in than others. Fruit and some low sugar peanut butter. I never had any protein shakes.

I bought protein shake in powdered form & bought yoghurt drinks when I discovered them. (Be careful some have a lot of sugar/sweeteners & are actually low protein.) I didn’t realise I could make them myself so easily. LOL. I bought some supposedly flavourless pea protein to make my own smoothies but it was awful. All I could taste was peas (& I love peas but pea protein powder blah!).

Some good tips I use when eating with others is not to eat while others are speaking. It slows you right down. And it means you give your full attention to others. Plus I put my cutlery down & lean back in my chair between bites even when eating alone. My last tip is to cut your food into small bite size pieces before sitting at the table. Of course you can’t do this when you’re out. I still do this at home. It’s like I’m prepping a meal for a toddler. lol!

Use a small plate like a side plate for your meals (still do) to keep your portions small. I also used small ramekins. And I used a teaspoon initially & then a cocktail fork or spork instead of full sized adult cutlery to keep bites small. Some use children’s cutlery.