Chewing ... learning to eat all over again

batkitty · 09-06-2008, 03:05 PM

hi all,

well the dust has finally settled on my band and fill.

had a VERY successful fill two weeks ago and have a good amount of restriction, I know I need more ... BUT .. I won't do it at the moment because each meal is a lesson in chewing ...

It sticks everytime, I am so hungry ... so the first mouthful goes down without chewing, gets stuck and then no more meal.

Is anyone else having problems chewing and food getting stuck?

09-06-2008, 03:54 PM

The answer is yes.

I grew up in Texas where every Friday night we were issued a Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, and required to wash it down with a bucket of beer. I am being a little facetious - but not much. I also spent some time in the Pubs of Melbourne, living in the Dandenong mountains. Similar cultures.

Now I find myself as a refined professor technical type, trying to become more civilized and paying for my past sins. Some of the tasks are learning what to eat, how much to eat, how slowly to eat, and all without drinking liquids with a meal.

I also had the displeasure after about six weeks after banding of throwing up a lot. I felt like Caren Carpenter. I saw several doctors, and finally came to the conclusion that my internist had prescribed Januvia to help me with my blood sugar problems (the operation eliminated the diabetes), and that it was the Januvia that was causing my throat to close and stomach problems. I quite taking the medicine and suddenly god better. My point: be careful - doctors and pharmaceutical companies can kill you.

It is amazing how I sometimes forget, and how quickly I am reminded of the basic instructions - small bites and eat slowly.

ozscot1 · 09-06-2008, 06:58 PM

Hi batkitty,

My husband John had the same problem, his first fill he got to much and that really restricted him he had to go back and get some taken out. The second fill was much better although like you a few things got stuck and that was due to him eaten to quickly. I know when you are hungry you just want to shovel the food down what he does now is just take a small glass of yogurt to take the edge of his appetite, then he can eat his main mail slower. This also stops the wind build up as I also think that is part of the problem.
Hope this helps
Sam

lellow · 09-08-2008, 08:02 PM

I didn't have as many problems with getting stuck after my op as I have now I've had my first fill. I sometimes still forget and it ends up being an excrutiating journey down. I am learning to eat MUCH slower now!

It's all a learning curve, isn't it? A colleague and I went to lunch yesterday and he just about hoovered his lunch up while I slowly and daintily cut my food into small pieces and spent ages chewing. We ended up being late for a meeting because of me, but like I said to him, if I ate any faster, I'd throw it all back up on him!

nat36 · 09-09-2008, 07:39 AM

I still have times when I realize a second after swallowing that I am going to regret that mouthful.
I also have found that my band just completely rejects some food no matter how well I chew. My stomach just feels irritated until I throw the whole lot up. Last night I made my son some potato gems and had a few and I felt horrible until I got them out.
Its a learning curve every day but I wouldnt swap it for the world.

Cherry_Blue · 09-11-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nat36

I still have times when I realize a second after swallowing that I am going to regret that mouthful.
I also have found that my band just completely rejects some food no matter how well I chew. My stomach just feels irritated until I throw the whole lot up. Last night I made my son some potato gems and had a few and I felt horrible until I got them out.
Its a learning curve every day but I wouldnt swap it for the world.

I know what you mean Nat. I made lamb curry the other night and becuse the meat was so slowly cooked and very tender I could actually eat some, which I enjoyed......but go figure, I can't eat chicken and rice makes me puke, while pasta is fine

peek · 09-14-2008, 11:24 PM

Yup. I hear ya!

I am finally at the sweet spot although sometimes I feel like I need an unfill due to all the stuck episodes I am having.

Did I read somewhere that it can become more restrictive during a woman's period? Or am I just going insane!

I have had the week from hell. I spent the last week PB'ing up my dinners. Not pleasant as one night I spent at my kid's junior production, hoping not to slime anymore and hoping like hell I didn't need to run out of the auditorium and spew!

I have had episodes during the week where I have had to stick my fingers down my throat just to rid the pain.

This comes from a person who was 'vomitphobic' and would run a mile if I saw anyone dry retch. Now I can slime up a beauty and vomit with the best of them..not that I am promoting that sort of thing of course. I try really hard not to!

My surgeon said to eat for 20 minutes only and anthing longer than that is grazing. Sometimes I spend 20 minutes waiting for the bit to go through the band (ouch) and don't eat much else as I am frightened. I am sure it's a mixture of not chewing enough and trying to eat too much. I just haven't learned yet.

It is really difficult teaching yourself to chew and eat slower. Habits over a lifetime are going to take just as long to break. No matter how uninterested we can be in food (post band) sometimes we tend to shovel it down. For no reason really and we get reminded too often too late into our meal.

I have spent the weekend thinking that I may need an unfill. I am going to wing it this week and see if my period did cause more restriction than usual. I hope to get back to eating a bandit normal meal tonight.

nat36 · 09-15-2008, 04:40 AM

Something else I am having difficulty with is drinking after eating, even when i wait an hour or more quite often I still start sliming if i drink and that sometimes sets off the whole PB'ing thing or sometimes its just slime and water for a while then finally I can drink.
I seem to make a huge amount of saliva at any time of the day and sometimes wake up choking at night.

noela31 · 09-15-2008, 05:35 AM

Yep - had a 0.5ml fill last Thursday - NOW I know what restriction REALLY is. WQho'd have thought such a little amount could make a hugr difference. I had just been playing up til now!!! How sore do your jaws get - 30 times I've been told to chew eauch mouthful (full - not likely) - my God its like a face workout!! Things that stayed down before are making there way to daylight after being eaten - UGGHHH I'm a quick learner though - hopefully real quick.

ozscot1 · 09-15-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nat36

Something else I am having difficulty with is drinking after eating, even when i wait an hour or more quite often I still start sliming if i drink and that sometimes sets off the whole PB'ing thing or sometimes its just slime and water for a while then finally I can drink.
I seem to make a huge amount of saliva at any time of the day and sometimes wake up choking at night.

Hi nat36,
I think you may have to go back to your doctor and get some taken out as that is what happened to John (D.H) he was waking up at night choking so he went back got some of the fill taken out and no more to much saliva or waking in the night choking. Doc says that happens sometimes and everyone is different for how much of a fill that they can take.

Sam

Fanny Adams · 09-15-2008, 10:55 PM

Nat, it does sound like you're a little too tight and too tight is way worse than too loose. That's what leads to long term problems like slippage or erosion. Waking up choking at night is a very bad sign - please talk to your doctor about this! A tiny unfill can make all the difference in the world.

nat36 · 09-16-2008, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fanny Adams

Nat, it does sound like you're a little too tight and too tight is way worse than too loose. That's what leads to long term problems like slippage or erosion. Waking up choking at night is a very bad sign - please talk to your doctor about this! A tiny unfill can make all the difference in the world.

Emailed Dr Watson today to ask him what to do. I have been holding off because I had the same problem for a couple of weeks on another fill but it settled and all was fine and also I have to drive to Perth to see him. I am hoping to get an appointment over the school holidays if I need one.

Fanny Adams · 09-16-2008, 06:31 AM

I have Dr Watson too, and I'm pretty sure he'd be concerned about this. My last fill was in early August and he only put in 0.5ml but it turned out to be too much for me. I was very uncomfortable for a couple of weeks, PBing every day and couldn't get past liquids. He took out 0.25ml of the fill and it made all the difference in the world. At the time, he made a specific point of asking if I had been waking up choking at night and to let him know immediately if that started happening. It hadn't gotten that bad and luckily the unfill did it's job, so I'm fine now but his concern really struck home.

I'm really glad you emailed him - hope it all turns out for the best for you. Could you find out if there's maybe a fill doctor at Geraldton Hospital? I know they don't have much in the way of services (my niece lives in Geraldton, so I hear the stories), but it is a long drive just for a quick needle.

peek · 09-16-2008, 10:57 PM

Nat - Have a small unfill, believe me you will appreciate the difference it makes. I don't think your situation is normal in any way. I think you would be better to be on the safe side rather than to slime in the middle of the night.

I had a 0.6ml unfill yesterday (2nd unfill since last fill 5 weeks ago- What the!)and at least I can get more down now. I feel better. I had lost 4kg in the last 5 weeks which is too much (but a good loss nonetheless) as in the last week I wasn't eating much.

Here's to a better outlook.

nat36 · 09-17-2008, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peek

Nat - Have a small unfill, believe me you will appreciate the difference it makes. I don't think your situation is normal in any way. I think you would be better to be on the safe side rather than to slime in the middle of the night.

I had a 0.6ml unfill yesterday (2nd unfill since last fill 5 weeks ago- What the!)and at least I can get more down now. I feel better. I had lost 4kg in the last 5 weeks which is too much (but a good loss nonetheless) as in the last week I wasn't eating much.

Here's to a better outlook.

I spoke with Dr Watson today and to my suprise he wasnt overly concerned but did say to get a small unfill if I wasnt happy. I have decided to make an appointment for the holidays and get a little out as apart from the choking I am almost to a normal weight range so I dont want to lose too much more and my husband doesnt want me to lose any.