I just had my first stuck experience and OH MY GOD.. PAINFUL!!!! Please remember to take small bites and chew well! I just had my 3rd fill last Thursday which put me at 6 cc's in my 10cc band. My PA always asked if chicken goes down well for me, which it always has. She has also said that most people are happy with their restriction at 6 or 7 cc's so I knew this might be it for me for a while as I have not had ANY restriction since the first days of my surgery.

So I was making white chili today for the football game and I must have taken too big of a bite of chicken and didn't chew it well enough and I knew instantly I was in trouble. UGHH..... felt a horrible pain in my chest and I was pounding on my chest and jumping up and down to help it go down and this lasted several minutes which felt like forever!!!! It was hard to breathe and I was pacing back and forth.. anything to take my mind off the pain. I tried to take a drink to help it pass which didn't seem to help. I was wondering if it would come back up which it didn't. Finally it passed on its own but reminded me to chew better!!!

Has anyone else gotten anything stuck like that? Ohh it was horrible, I was nearly in tears.

Man I am discouraged! I love chicken! I have not been banded yet, but will get my date within the next 48 hours. Any tips on successful ways to eat chicken?:redface:

Also, what is "slime?"

I had chicken this evening, no problems at all. Make sure it is moist not dry. You are better off eating the dark meat rather than the white meat. Cut it up small, chew well and it also helps if you have some gravy with it.

I FINALLY just last week got some restriction with my 3rd fill.. and I think that was my problem. Until last week, I had zero restriction and have not had to really chew well or take such small bites so I am still training myself to slow down and be conscious of the bites I am taking. Well, that one time I forgot until I swallowed, then I knew instantly.

Getting fills it such a weird experience.. one day you are able to eat pretty much anything and the next, you better watch it. You don't feel any different when you get a fill so you have to keep reminding yourself that you are unable to eat like before. But I learned quick enough!

knbmom, slime is a LOT of saliva.

I think I got lucky yesterday. I had a warning of how it felt to get stuck. I had just had my second fill of 2cc's of saline. I was sipping Water just afterwards. The doc asked me how I felt, and I had told him "just fine". He said the nurse would stay with me while I finished the water and said he would be back if I needed anything. Well, one sip later and the pain in the chest started! I can imagine that is how a heart attack feels. The pain was intense!!:thumbup: . The saliva started to flow!!:biggrin: I couldn't believe how much of it there was!! I thought I would drown!

So, the nurse called the doctor back and he immediately gave me an unfill of about 1.5 cc's. The relief was instantaneous.

Like the nurse said, I was glad that I found out how bad it could be to get food stuck, while she and the surgeon were right there and could fix the problem. They told me that since I am now aware of how painful it is to get stuck, I have a "head's up" that I must really be sure to eat small bites and chew very well.

Hope I can keep that in mind every time I eat!!!!

I FINALLY just last week got some restriction with my 3rd fill.. and I think that was my problem. Until last week, I had zero restriction and have not had to really chew well or take such small bites so I am still training myself to slow down and be conscious of the bites I am taking. Well, that one time I forgot until I swallowed, then I knew instantly.

Getting fills it such a weird experience.. one day you are able to eat pretty much anything and the next, you better watch it. You don't feel any different when you get a fill so you have to keep reminding yourself that you are unable to eat like before. But I learned quick enough!

So true! I'm learning the hard way.

Hi, It just happened to me Monday night. I was on my way to the ER because it was so bad, and right before we got there I threw it up! That was the worst pain and it was affecting my breathing. I never want to go through that again.

I had an issue with butternut squash of all things. Now granted, I ate chicken right before it (protein first!) but had no problems. Then ate my butternut squash. Holy moly the pain. But it came up on its own (gross I know. sorry) and then I felt better. But I wasn't fond of that whole situation.

Hi:

For future reference, that I hope you won't need, they say that pineapple juice helps get things unstuck. I tried something once that worked and it was that I stood up and bent as far over as I could and reached as far as I could and a piece of chicken came back up.

It is so uncomfortable to get stuck, so we all have to remember to chew, chew, chew and swallow only small bites at a time. Even two years out I have to constantly remind myself.

As far as drinking while eating goes, I haven't had a problem with that. However, occasionally I just want to get the taste out of my mouth. I can go and brush my teeth to help with that, or I can take a small drink, swish it around, and spit it out. These tricks might work for those of you who have issues with eating and drinking.

I love my band and my new flat tummy!

Sue

Not that you ever want to come close to that experience again, but if you don't have them, buy papaya enzyme chewables. I rarely have problem with meat, but by far my worse experience was with some very tough restaurant chicken (thank goodness it was takeout). Being that I was inexperienced with getting I stuck, I swallowed the chicken bite rather than spitting it out. Big mistake. Thankfully, I had the papaya. I chewed a couple of them - I was grasping at straws - and they worked like a charm. I've had a couple of other times when meat has just felt too tight, and rather than soldier on (learned my lesson) I took a papaya enzyme and it worked to break down the meat.

I have papaya/pineapple enzyme chewables from Trader Joes, but I think most Vitamin shops, possibly Walmart, and several places on the internet sells them. They're very inexpensive, so if they don't work, you haven't spent a lot money for them. I probably haven't used one for six months, but I still carry them in my purse...just in case.

Thanks so much for this! I had no idea about papaya/pineapple enzyme chewables. I had my 3rd adjustment last Monday and I had been having such a hard time eating just about anything since and not experiencing pain and discomfort. So, I got the ones from Trader Joes as suggested (only $2.49 per 100) and chewed a few with my lunch today. So much better, I can't even tell you! And this 3rd adjustment is really having an impact as well, my portion sizes are now down dramatically. Thanks again for sharing this, it was so much help to me.

Thanks so much for this! I had no idea about papaya/pineapple enzyme chewables. I had my 3rd adjustment last Monday and I had been having such a hard time eating just about anything since and not experiencing pain and discomfort. So, I got the ones from Trader Joes as suggested (only $2.49 per 100) and chewed a few with my lunch today. So much better, I can't even tell you! And this 3rd adjustment is really having an impact as well, my portion sizes are now down dramatically. Thanks again for sharing this, it was so much help to me.

I'm so glad they worked for you! When they work, they're worth their weight in gold. What relief.

In the eight weeks I have had many foods stick. If I eat too quickly, it gets stuck. I have to cough and bring it up to relieve the pain in my chest. It is a constant reminder to chew well, eat slowly and put my fork down between bites. Old habits are hard to break.

Ouch ! I had the exact same experience. Papaya helps me a little bit with getting it moving but it doesn't help the anxiety that builds up while it is happening!! lol

Thanks so much for this! I had no idea about papaya/pineapple enzyme chewables. I had my 3rd adjustment last Monday and I had been having such a hard time eating just about anything since and not experiencing pain and discomfort. So, I got the ones from Trader Joes as suggested (only $2.49 per 100) and chewed a few with my lunch today. So much better, I can't even tell you! And this 3rd adjustment is really having an impact as well, my portion sizes are now down dramatically. Thanks again for sharing this, it was so much help to me.

Maybe it is 3rd adjustment syndrome. I have the tablets and keep forgetting about them. I will use them tomorrow if necessary. I am really not wanting to go get an unfill, so I will put it off for a week if I can, to see if things loosen up a bit. It has been one week so far since my fill. My meals are down to about 3 or 4 tablespoons every couple of hours, but i can drink my Protein shakes.