When you have food stuck, DON'T DRINK ANYTHING! Your first impulse will be to drink some Water to get it through, but it just makes it worse.

:tongue2: (<-- you if you drink water when something is stuck)

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Update: When something gets stuck, you will know it. It feels like there is food, literally, sitting in your throat (not a choking feeling, though)... it's not painful at all, it's just uncomfortable. For the first couple months I ahd my best fill, I carried around a bag in case I had to chuck (luckily never had to use it!)...

It won't last forever, it comes up or goes down, one way or the other... just let it be and ride it out... don't drink water!

Edited October 22, 200817 yr by Weas123
Answering questions

Well, I asked for people to write if they were stuck and used the downward facing dog position to see if it helped and lo and behold, for the FIRST time, I got chicken stuck today!!!

I immediately 'assumed the position' and I felt the food begin to move back up toward my mouth but when I stood up, it shot right through the band. No more stuck food...it was amazing!!!

Thanks again to the bander who posted this....what a lifesaver!

Can't wait to see my husband do this. LOL But can you explaing how to do the "downward facing dog"? I probably a silly question - but I don't know yoga.

Here is a link describing the position:

http://www.yogajournal.com/media/2716-23.jpg

That looks crazy! I would just rahter ride it out. IT helps to listen to my Ipod and zone out... sooner or later it comes up or goes down (it is the BEST feeling when it passes or comes up... like immediate relief!!)

Like I said! My husband is sitting here and saw the pose - he said, "Yeah, right - a person would brake in two doing that." Maybe when he loses a bunch he will be able to use it. Thanks

I DID IT! I've done downward facing dog twice when I've gotten stuck and relief has been quick afterwards! What a great tip! :wink_smile:

:embaressed_smile:cfuture88

Your advise seemed to be the best for me personaly, But every one (so far that I've read) says that the stuck feeling is not painfull just a feeling of discomfort. I have terrible pain during the stuck feeling. And it is in the upper stomach area rather than the esophagus or throat. Is this different than a "stuck feeling"?

My big question is: I thought that the purpose of the pouch is to hold the food for a few hours while it digests...then slip through the pouch into the lower stomach. The food siting in the upper pouch is what gives us the full feeling and the signal to STOP eating, then takes 2-3 hrs to digest thus giving us the saiety we need. If the food slips through the band with every bite then how is that helping??? I gues I didn't do enough research first and dont understand the physiology of the process.

I read this somewhere on this board and while it dealt with food getting stuck, I did it for gas pains and it worked like a charm.

Someone here said to do the yoga position 'downward facing dog'. When I felt like I was having a heart attack from the gas, I did it and the relief was immediate.

The poster said that when she got stuck, she did it and the food moved right on through. I'd love for someone who is stuck to try this and reiterate that it works!

What is the "downward facing dog"?

This is the position... It works... you can google the way you do it... There is a 'method' and WOW! It is a lifesaver!

necerae,

When I get stuck I have the same feeling as you, terrible pain in the upper stomach. Sounds like not everyone's "stuck" feeling is the same.

The hard part for me is knowing when it is going to be a tight meal or a loose meal - I mean sometimes I can eat more than others - today I had sashimi for lunch - basically about 6 pieces of tuna no rice and after 3 pieces I couldn't eat anymore - however, Saturday night I went out for my husband's birthday and was able to eat a piece of salmon, some veggies and a little soup with no problem. Even splurged and had a few bites of his birthday dessert - then next day could hardly eat anything - I think I get used to being able to eat more then it stops so I get stuck sometimes and have to throw it back up which can't be good for the band.

It works! ... maybe not lol

Ok, so I had a little gas today and thought I'd try that position... not good to try less than a week postop! Too sore in the abdomen to try to bend like that.... UGH!! Maybe I'll be healed enough by the time I start eating and run the risk of getting stuck I can try that if I need to.

OK, totally weird. I had not read this post and actually did something similar to this earlier today to get unstuck. It was the first time I've been really STUCK. I thought I had been stuck before, but oh, no, this time I was REALLY stuck. It lasted an hour and a half, and I thought I was going to die. To beat it all, I was at work. Finally, I decided I was going to do anything I could do to make myself puke (bad idea, I know). So, standing up, I leaned my head down onto the toilet, and got ready to put my finger in my throat. Lo and behold, as I leaned over, I felt the pressure lift. I didn't have to gag myself after all (not that it would have worked anyway)!!

Oh, and by the way, to those who said it doesn't hurt - YOU ARE WRONG! It hurt like the dickens after about 45 minutes. And all I had to eat was part of a leftover veggie omelet. What was there to get stuck?

Downward dog is extremely easy. Its basically like bending over and with any yoga position, you only do what you feel comfortable with. I think the whole point here is to get your head lower than the pouch, so you could easily do similar by hanging your head over the edge of the bed.

As for unstucking a stuck - not happened to me yet, but many people I've spoken to swear by having a fizzy drink on hand and simply taking a large mouthful. The gas seems to do it.