hello,

I am new to the site, and just would like to say hi..

I have started my process 8/7/09 and will be banded on 9/1/09. I am happy but nervous at the same time. I have the support from family and friends, but in the end this is my body.

I have posted a reply on the pre- op forum for sept. banders.. But, I can use all the information I can get.

hope to hear from you all..

Welcome and good luck! I love my band and hope you love yours too!

thank you... and congrats on your band

Edited August 12, 200917 yr by ms_Hart37
wanted to add more infor

You will love it I think. I am new too just banded on July 13. First fill yesterday. First stuck food yesterday, not too bad. I was so scared that it would happen but after reading all the posts I knew just what to do and it worked right away. Keep reading the boards alot of people have a lot of good advice. Welcome!!

hello, congrats on your band also.

so please tell me what did you do for the stuck food?

also what protien drink did you like most for the clear liquids and for the powder?

hello, congrats on your band also.

so please tell me what did you do for the stuck food?

also what protien drink did you like most for the clear liquids and for the powder?

On the stuck food. I was eating a small banana and thought I was chewing very good, but was working on computer at the same time. All of a sudden I felt this pain in my chest, it felt like I do when I have a panic attack, but I knew it was not that because I can always feel that coming on. I started to panic and called my husband who was next door (I could still talk) and told him to come home.

Meanwhile I started to drink some Water (first reaction) THEN I remember reading on the boards not to drink anything but to cough and I did did and up pop this little piece of banana, still could feel something coughed again and up pop another piece of banana and pain was gone before my husband got here. I guess I did not chew good enough. Now anytime my husband sees me eat now he says are you chewing good?

I drank Carnation Instant Breakfast High Protien. I was on liquids for just a week. I also ate chicken broth, took two cans of Chicken noddle and drain the liquid out and threw away the noodles. It is better than using the little cubes, a lot more flavor.

Once I got on mushies my Doctor said do not drink protien, that I must eat it. Protien bar instead. I am eating Special K

protien bars for breakfast they taste good.

Now that I had my first fill I feel no hunger all day and night, which is a big change because before first fill I was hungry all the time, just had to use will power. Hope it stays that way for a while.:drool:

hello, congrats on your band also.

so please tell me what did you do for the stuck food?

also what protien drink did you like most for the clear liquids and for the powder?

There are different ways to handle "stuck" episodes and you'll find which work best for you.

I handle mine these various ways: If it is pretty immediate I lean over my kitchen sink (because it hits me right below my stomach and I use the pressure to help) and cough. Usually a hard cough will get the item to return.

Papaya enzymes are also a godsend. Papaya helps Protein digestion, and does it quickly...and many brands come formulated with other enzymes to dissolve vegetable matter and fat. They don't act on living tissue so it won't hurt you. They have worked every time for me.

Some people do a "down dog" (?) yoga position; I don't do yoga and don't know if it works but if you do maybe it's worth a try.

AND yes you dont drink and eat but some have found that sips of Water (particularly WARM water) can help dislodge the offending food and send it on through or back up. I've been afraid to try it though.

Being stuck is at best uncomfortable and at worst painful but it happens to most of us at one time or another. Just stay calm and try to either bring it up or eat some papaya enzymes and you'll be fine!

And I want to say that my worst stuck episode, I would've thought I was having a heart attack. It hurt that badly in the middle of my chest. I knew it wasn't my heart because: pain wasn't radiating to my arms, my heart is pretty darned healthy, and I had just eaten fried okra. So realize that it can hurt A LOT, depending.

As to the protein; my doc says (they are all different so check with yours) that a Protein shake can REPLACE a meal, but no Snacks, and no shakes in addition to a meal. I use the ones he recommended for my preop diet: EAS Carb Control AdvantEDGE. I like the chocolates.

Edited August 13, 200917 yr by RestlessMonkey

Hello and welcome to the site! This is a great place! Congratulations on your future banding! I love my band! I don't regret for one day that I made this decision. Good luck!

Hi and welcome to the banding world. You'll find lots of support and ideas here. Its good to do a lot of reading on the boards. I've been banded only2 1/2 months and things are going very well. I had my first episode of food getting stuck and it was a banana as well. Thought I chewed it up well, but I guess not well enough. Good luck and we are all here to help you along. God bless

Hi and welcome to the banding world. You'll find lots of support and ideas here. Its good to do a lot of reading on the boards. I've been banded only2 1/2 months and things are going very well. I had my first episode of food getting stuck and it was a banana as well. Thought I chewed it up well, but I guess not well enough. Good luck and we are all here to help you along. God bless

What is it with those bananas? Also when I went to get my first FILL I found out what I thought was right my port is just under my breastbone in the top center of my chest. The bottom of where my bra hits. Other people's seem to be on the side lower down. I was going to ask him why it was therebut I did not. But will the next I go. Anyones like that?:drool:

Hello and welcome to the site! This is a great place! Congratulations on your future banding! I love my band! I don't regret for one day that I made this decision. Good luck!

Thank you!!!

Hi and welcome to the banding world. You'll find lots of support and ideas here. Its good to do a lot of reading on the boards. I've been banded only2 1/2 months and things are going very well. I had my first episode of food getting stuck and it was a banana as well. Thought I chewed it up well, but I guess not well enough. Good luck and we are all here to help you along. God bless

Thank you!!!

ok, thanks for the information:thumbup:

There are different ways to handle "stuck" episodes and you'll find which work best for you.

I handle mine these various ways: If it is pretty immediate I lean over my kitchen sink (because it hits me right below my stomach and I use the pressure to help) and cough. Usually a hard cough will get the item to return.

Papaya enzymes are also a godsend. Papaya helps Protein digestion, and does it quickly...and many brands come formulated with other enzymes to dissolve vegetable matter and fat. They don't act on living tissue so it won't hurt you. They have worked every time for me.

Some people do a "down dog" (?) yoga position; I don't do yoga and don't know if it works but if you do maybe it's worth a try.

AND yes you dont drink and eat but some have found that sips of Water (particularly WARM water) can help dislodge the offending food and send it on through or back up. I've been afraid to try it though.

Being stuck is at best uncomfortable and at worst painful but it happens to most of us at one time or another. Just stay calm and try to either bring it up or eat some papaya enzymes and you'll be fine!

And I want to say that my worst stuck episode, I would've thought I was having a heart attack. It hurt that badly in the middle of my chest. I knew it wasn't my heart because: pain wasn't radiating to my arms, my heart is pretty darned healthy, and I had just eaten fried okra. So realize that it can hurt A LOT, depending.

As to the protein; my doc says (they are all different so check with yours) that a Protein shake can REPLACE a meal, but no Snacks, and no shakes in addition to a meal. I use the ones he recommended for my preop diet: EAS Carb Control AdvantEDGE. I like the chocolates.

Hello and welcome to the site! This is a great place! Congratulations on your future banding! I love my band! I don't regret for one day that I made this decision. Good luck!

I am hoping to be just as happy as you are :biggrin:

Hi and welcome to the banding world. You'll find lots of support and ideas here. Its good to do a lot of reading on the boards. I've been banded only2 1/2 months and things are going very well. I had my first episode of food getting stuck and it was a banana as well. Thought I chewed it up well, but I guess not well enough. Good luck and we are all here to help you along. God bless

thank you ... i am doing a lot of reading and taking notes..

Hi, my name is Teena and I am a newbie to this my weight started at 287 before surgery,then on surgery date was 267 and now at 5 week post-op I am 250. I had my surgery done in Chicago,Il at Mercy Hospital with Dr. Rossette and my surgery date was july 10th.

my first choke was actually on chicken breast, not a banana like most, and I could only breath out and not in boy was I in a panic and like you (123) my first reaction was to drink water,but then I started coughing and nothing came up.Instead it went down and the pain in my chest went away, boy are we talking about a scary moment and I don't get my first fill till aug. 24th.