Why does my chest hurt?

[determination]

I have wondered why my chest would hurt when food gets stuck or takes a long time going down. Isn't our little pouch lower than our chest?

[CanadianBandster]

Ive wondered that too?!?! Its strange

[JazzyJude]

I am trying to find the words at this very moment and I am getting a brain fart, so bear with me...

Your new small pouch is at the top region of your stomach and then upwards starts your throat (esophagus). So, let's picture this first and then we will go from there.

When you blow into an inflated balloon, you start to see the air starts to fill in, which equals to be like your new pouch. The area that isn't filled in yet would be the start of your throat region. Now, if you tied the balloon as is, with only a little air in it, you would have a balloon, that's half full and the remaining of the balloon not filled. If you were to squeeze the portion with the air-filled (your new pouch), you will notice the unfilled portion of the balloon is starting to fill up (your entrance to the throat area)...which then starts to fill in.

This is very similiar to your pouch being full or have food particles stuck, and you have food stacking up on top of each other and it starts to backfire up your throat region, thus giving you that 'tightness' you feel. If you continue to eat and don't stop, that tightness starts to hurt and causes you pain.

So, how to prevent this? Cut your foods to dime-size or smaller, chew your foods real good before swallowing, and take the time to eat without rushing. When the tightness to grow and continue, when you even start to feel the slightess restriction or tightness in your throat, STOP what you are eating or drinking. THIS is your clue that your pouch has reached capacity or there's food stuck covering your hole to your old tummy. Wait it out, if you are sliming, just go to the loo and see if you need to upchuck for relief.

I PB'd once and that was it. I've had several 'beginning tightness' and I stopped eating immediately. As I recognized it was an early sign for me, I was able to walk it out, raise my arms up and that was it. I wait out a good 10 minutes before I resume to finish my meal and start over. I do not drink anything, as it would push the food through and that is not a good thing either.

Hope this helps you and not too much info, and you are feeling much better now...Jazzy!

[Smiley]

No, our pouch is not lower than our chest. My band is located in the area between my breasts and behind my sternum. When I do a barium swallow I can always see the hooks for my bra in the same area as my band. It was lovely the time I used a safety pin to keep my top closed and my girls covered on a fill day. When doing the barium swallow my fill doctor commented that it probably wasn't a good idea to swallow a safety pin - smart aleck!