I took a new herbal capsule first thing this morning (instructions said on empty stomach) and it has been stuck for almost 4 hours! I have never had food stuck and have not had a problem with taking my few meds up to this point (sometimes I feel them for a short while, but they go down ok). This is terrible. It doesn't really hurt, but feels horrible there. I can swallow fluids ok and tried hot liquids thinking it would dissolve, but that didn't help. I had a full glass of water right after taking the capsule. I have not dared take my regular meds or try to eat food with it stuck. I have tried some of the "stuck food" remedies I read on here to no avail (head down, pound chest, coughing it up, finger down throat just a little). Does anyone have any more ideas? I would think it would just dissolve since the capsule is veg. based. Should I try to take regular meds? Thanks in advance!!

How about a heating pad on the outside of your stomach? Is there a steam sauna near by? Anything to raise the core temperature may make it pass.

I really don't think it has ever made it to my stomach. Perhaps my upper esophagus, but that's it and it's now 6 1/2 hours. At least the H.C. filled me up so I'm not hungry.

Dear JMS: You guessed right! I was a science major - I have a degree in biology. I don't know how many more capsules you have but try it in some oil - olive or any kind on hand. Something that might grease it up and make it move - although taking some oil by spoon isn't very appealing. Or I was thinking even something thick like honey that could catch onto it and make it slide down. Good luck.

Dear JMS: You guessed right! I was a science major - I have a degree in biology. I don't know how many more capsules you have but try it in some oil - olive or any kind on hand. Something that might grease it up and make it move - although taking some oil by spoon isn't very appealing. Or I was thinking even something thick like honey that could catch onto it and make it slide down. Good luck.

Oh, I have plenty of capsules! Today was the first time I had ever taken one....and the last. Should I heat the oil and honey? I'll try that after I put the heating pad on my chest and throat for awhile. When I lay down, my chest does hurt a bit, but I still feel it when I swallow. Thanks

jms - experiment with the pills again. Try it in something acidic like vinegar. You could heat the oil and try it in that. Do you have any honey? I'm also thinking something thick that will stick to it and drag it down. Like a thick milkshake. I guess you can try anything at this point. Have you tried any types of food? Are you in pain or just have that feeling that something is in your throat?

how you doin now? I was traumatized by a raw carrot on friday- so I feel your pain!!!

I would NOT go the ipecac route- vomitting is not good- causes slips!

After you talk to you Dr. tmrw let us all know the info on what to do!

I don't recall ever getting a manual with my lap band with what to do if...

someone on another post,said to drink a coke, it would cause a bubbling effect and you should bring it up they were in the """"""ER and someone came in with a stuck and in this case they said to drink the coke, which is usually not recommend to the lap patient. hope this might work

If you are serious about wanting to try to bring it up, I would drink whatever you want to bring back up, as quickly as possible, then try to force the PB--so there is something there to hopefully help it travel back out.

One thing you might try dissolving it in, that has not been mentioned and can be used for serious stuck issues is liquid meat tenderizer. Tastes really nasty and salty, but have heard of it working, usually on a protien stuck issue.....seems like whatever you are eating and drinking is passing right by it, and it is as it was in the bowl, just floating on top.

If it is floating, it is not stuck, it is just irritating the hell out of you right now. If you managed all the HC and the pudding earlier, it really sounds as though things are passing, so with that in mind, you might try something non threatening before actually taking your pain meds, but it everything passes and the offending capsule is just floating in there, sounds like either eventually the casing will dissolve and it will pass through or you are going to have to PB it.

Wish I had a magic answer for you. The pineapple juice usually works for me, if I stick something, and in my case I do it when I am eating while doing something else, and forget to chew well enough. You'd think I'd know better by this time!!! LOL

Sipping some carbonation might not be a bad idea....I too have heard to use it for stuck items. I have a glass of Diet Dr. Pepper on occasion, my Dr. is not against it, but I am also much further along on the healed side of things.

Seeing everyone trying to help you makes me feel so good about this site!!

Sometimes as I wander through looking at posts and helping to moderate things, I get depressed, some threads are so angry-------all this support and help are so nice to see!!

Good Luck, keep us posted!

Kat

someone on another post,said to drink a coke, it would cause a bubbling effect and you should bring it up they were in the """"""ER and someone came in with a stuck and in this case they said to drink the coke, which is usually not recommend to the lap patient. hope this might work

Cleo's Mom, I fell asleep and woke up hoping it was gone, but it's still there. I haven't eaten anything today, I will try a shake or some hot soup next.

Justbanded, I did read and sympathized with your carrot issued I also LMAO about the picture reference. Believe me you came to mind a few times today as I was wishing for a horror episode similar to yours! I told myself I should never have laughed!!

If food does not help, a diet coke is my next try.

I really do appreciate the help from everyone, this is so much better than panicking and doing nothing, and this board is so valuable!!

If you are serious about wanting to try to bring it up, I would drink whatever you want to bring back up, as quickly as possible, then try to force the PB--so there is something there to hopefully help it travel back out.

One thing you might try dissolving it in, that has not been mentioned and can be used for serious stuck issues is liquid meat tenderizer. Tastes really nasty and salty, but have heard of it working, usually on a protien stuck issue.....seems like whatever you are eating and drinking is passing right by it, and it is as it was in the bowl, just floating on top.

If it is floating, it is not stuck, it is just irritating the hell out of you right now. If you managed all the HC and the pudding earlier, it really sounds as though things are passing, so with that in mind, you might try something non threatening before actually taking your pain meds, but it everything passes and the offending capsule is just floating in there, sounds like either eventually the casing will dissolve and it will pass through or you are going to have to PB it.

Wish I had a magic answer for you. The pineapple juice usually works for me, if I stick something, and in my case I do it when I am eating while doing something else, and forget to chew well enough. You'd think I'd know better by this time!!! LOL

Sipping some carbonation might not be a bad idea....I too have heard to use it for stuck items. I have a glass of Diet Dr. Pepper on occasion, my Dr. is not against it, but I am also much further along on the healed side of things.

Seeing everyone trying to help you makes me feel so good about this site!!

Sometimes as I wander through looking at posts and helping to moderate things, I get depressed, some threads are so angry-------all this support and help are so nice to see!!

Good Luck, keep us posted!

Kat

Congratulations to you for reaching goal!! That's very inspiring on a day like today. I just called my daughter to bring me a diet coke just in case. She said "you can't have that" I said "just get it. in this case, I can"!! You are right.......it's extremely annoying and feels terrible. I don't want to vomit if I can avoid it. It seems it has to dissolve eventually and go down. Thanks for everyone's help

I read on another post about a lap patient in the ER with something they believe stuck, they were advised under the situation, to drink a coke soda. appearly the soda would cause a bubbling effect and make what was stuck come up. I hope this might work. good luck. I know we are told not to drink carbonated drinks, but in this case it was an exception. I read it today on the posts.

I read on another post about a lap patient in the ER with something they believe stuck, they were advised under the situation, to drink a coke soda. appearly the soda would cause a bubbling effect and make what was stuck come up. I hope this might work. good luck. I know we are told not to drink carbonated drinks, but in this case it was an exception. I read it today on the posts.

That's next! Just waiting for my daughter to bring it. Thanks. Peanut butter with honey tasted great and went down ok, but the capsule's still there, unbelievable!

I know about trying to get pain meds down when there is a problem getting meds down. I tried EVERYTHING I could think of. I'm afraid it is icecream with chocolate syrup. It covers the horrible taste of crushed meds and the sugar slides through the band fairly easily. I hope this helps with taking your meds.

I took a new herbal capsule first thing this morning (instructions said on empty stomach) and it has been stuck for almost 4 hours! I have never had food stuck and have not had a problem with taking my few meds up to this point (sometimes I feel them for a short while, but they go down ok). This is terrible. It doesn't really hurt, but feels horrible there. I can swallow fluids ok and tried hot liquids thinking it would dissolve, but that didn't help. I had a full glass of water right after taking the capsule. I have not dared take my regular meds or try to eat food with it stuck. I have tried some of the "stuck food" remedies I read on here to no avail (head down, pound chest, coughing it up, finger down throat just a little). Does anyone have any more ideas? I would think it would just dissolve since the capsule is veg. based. Should I try to take regular meds? Thanks in advance!!

Hi try taking 1 teaspoon of meat tenderizer and adding it to warm water maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup. drink this and let it sit for 1 hour. I have tried this on 2 occassions and it has helped. I know it helps disolve protein so maybe it will help you. Also if the pill is juice plus you can chew them because my grandson does.

Grandmasandy

Hi try taking 1 teaspoon of meat tenderizer and adding it to warm Water maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup. drink this and let it sit for 1 hour. I have tried this on 2 occassions and it has helped. I know it helps disolve Protein so maybe it will help you. Also if the pill is juice plus you can chew them because my grandson does.

Grandmasandy

This was a new kind of herbal capsule that I am not required to take and certainly NEVER will take again. I have no prolems with any other meds. I do chew Vitamins. You will see if you read further why this horrible thing does not go down and Oh you guys should have seen the thick dirt looking stuff that came out of it finally in the hot liquid (only the choc!). It seemed to expand and looked like dirt which it probably was, some of it since part of the ingred are roots.

I thought about meat tenderizer, but just read the other day that it might not be a great idea because our throat, esophogus and stomach are.........basically meat!!!!

Still waiting for that diet coke, sigh!

I am really curious to hear if the coke helps. I take papaya tablets and they don't dissolve what is stuck like they are supposed to, but they do make whatever is stuck come right up