Pain

[Jnlebean]

I had my first fill this past Tueaday, and I now feel like a real bandster!! I was on liquids for 3 days like Dr. Acosta said at the OCC. Today was my first day of solid foods. I know that I have to chew and chew and chew, and I have been practicing since my pre-op diet. But now that I have a fill everytime I take a bit of food and I chew then swallow I have a great deal of pain and then I PB. So then I wait a few mintues after PBing and once the pain is gone and I feel ok I try to eat again. Sometimes I can swallow and eat but sometimes the pain, like I have swallowed an orange, continues and I eat through it. I can only eat about a cup maybe a cup and a bit of food and I'm either full or can't handle the pain anymore.

My question is...is the pain from the food going through the band or is the pain from the food going through the esofagus(spelling?) and into the pouch? So once I swallow the food sits in the pouch for a long time and slowly goes through the band and into the larger stomach,right! That's why I feel full longer. So where is the pain coming from? I'm I really not chewing that well? I think I am, like 20-30 times before I swallow.

Or does the food go through the band as soon as I swallow, and that's why there is pain, cause I didn't chew enough or I am to tight with my fill. And the full feeling is the food sitting in my large stomach?

If you follow where I'm going with my question please help me in answering the question! I hope I was clear in what I was asking!

Jenelle

[AngelaAnn]

You may just have a very, very tight fill. When my second fill was super tight in the beginning I would have pain sometimes--but I don't think this is supposed to happen. You might be too tight.

[Smiley]

I am not sure where the pain is coming from as it could be a number of thing. The band basically sits in your chest between your breasts, so it is a pretty short trip from the top of the esophagaus to the band. You may want to go back on liquids for a few more days. The cup of food is the right amount. Here are some things to gage your bites/chewing by.

1. Cut your meats into small bites. I think pea size has been suggested previously. You may find later that your bites do not have to be quite that small, but for now I would definitely do it.

2. Take small bites of other foods. Baby spoons have been suggested as a guide for knowing the size.

3. Make sure the food you are eating is moist. Dry meats are murder.

4. Sometimes you need to chew more than 30 times. By the time you finish chewing your food should be in a semi-liquid form.

5. Drink something warm before you eat to help things relax and go down better.

6. If the food you are eating is bread oriented - stop it. Breads can cause pain and lots of it.

7. Try different foods as some foods will agree with your band and other foods will not.

Hopefully this will help. If you are not better by Monday you may want to call the doctor for peace of mind.

[Jnlebean]

Wow, thank you Smiley for the great post! I'm going to print it off and keep it in my binder of things to remember!

Thank you again,

Jenelle