Question:
Social Eating
I've had a few rough experiences lately with "stuck" after only three or four bites. Always in a social environment and always while sharing a meal with more than one other person. I'll select the right things to eat but I get excited during conversations and then gobble up a bite or two then third bite is forced and I'm in digestive distress for the next 35 minutes to at times over an hours. I seem to do just fine alone or having dinner one on one, its the group meals with the kids and grandkids that are throwing me for a loop. Any suggestions? My most recent fill was September 2nd, my lab band was inserted May 19th. Mary-Anne — mannecote (posted on September 8, 2008)
September 8, 2008
Keep GAS X with Maalox with you at all times. It has been my lifesaver for
years!
— Carlyn M.
September 8, 2008
I have this exact same problem when I eat with my 2 year old. Its when I am
trying to eat and take care of her and help my husband and serve my
son....... The list goes on again me not taking care of myself first! I
HAVE to count my chews in this situation. I slow down my eating alot. I am
11 weeks outs from RNY and it takes time to learn but the think to remember
is count your chews and wait longer in between bites then you would when
you are alone.
— Kimberlin Katayama
September 8, 2008
Seems like you've identified the problem so when you're in that situation
you just have to focus harder on what and how you're eating. Pay attention
and do what you're supposed tdo do and you shouldn't have the problem.
— cjjordan
September 8, 2008
I had gastric bypass and it happens to me too. You have to be calm and
relaxed when you eat and eat slow. I alwways say now that I had this
surgery you will never eat a complete meal that is hot until your done.
— Joanc
September 8, 2008
Sounds like you have asked and answered your own question which is a good
thing. You identified the problem, know what is going on and just need a
nudge in the right direction. What you need to practice at all times is
called "mindfull eating" or being very consciously aware at all
times. This applies whether you are eating alone or with others. Until
the basics are second nature to you (which takes time and practice), you
need to focus on you, your food, your utensils and your satiety level. One
of the worst experiences I have had was eating a large shrimp with my
fingers while chatting with friends. I picked it up by the tail, took it
in in a couple of bites, chewed a couple of times and swallowed while
chatting with friends like I would have in the old days. As soon as I
swallowed, I knew it would be bad. Pain, foaming, sliming, wretching and
some quality time in the bathroom of a restaurant with strangers who were
convinced I was dying. Here are my suggestions of what I have found works
for me based on what my surgeon told me and my own experiences:
(1) Never eat with your hands: leads to taking too big of a bite.
(2) Always use utensils- small utensils (sample size if you can get them)-
helps with taking smaller bites.
(3) Put utensil down after every bite- encourages slowing down and eating
slower.
(4) Use salad or tea-cup sized plate- helps with portion distortion.
(5) Cut up all food on plate into tiny pieces before taking the first
bite. Prevents you from getting too big a bite accidentally.
(6) Keep yourself your first priority, even when eating with
family/friends: we get to eat very little, so we need to get the most bang
for our buck both nutritionally and emotionally. Keep the focus on
yourself- if you have to feed a baby/child and can't multi-task and feed
the both of you without getting sick- feed the child first and then eat
yourself. Perhaps after a while and with practice, you can get it down so
that you can talk, take care of others and eat at the same time. If not,
take care of you.
(7) Chew each bite until it is the consistency of applesauce in your mouth
before swallowing. If you can't get the bite to that consistency, spit it
out into a napkin while politely excusing yourself. If you swallow it, a
bad time could ensue.
(8) Eat ONLY until you are satisfied, NOT full. If you eat until you are
full... 1 bite can make the difference and push you over into misery.
Protect your pouch and stoma. Repeatedly being too full, wretching and
vomiting are all recipes for pouch/stoma disaster.
(9) After any vomiting/stuck episode, your stoma will be swollen and
irritated... try liquids for at least 24 hours while it heals.
Mindfull and conscious eating... get into the habit, like I said... it does
take practice.
Good luck to you, keep in touch,
Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
— DawnVic
September 8, 2008
It takes a while to learn eating techniques while engaged in conversations
and company...But you really need a quiet place to focus on chewing and
eating slowly...You will eventually get tho the point where you can
"walk and chew gum at the same time"...but it takes a long time
to change a lifetime of old eating habits...Once you have these problems
often enough, you rally don't want to experience them anymore! Papaya
tablets are great for these times,as they are an enyme that breaks downa nd
tenderizes food (main ingreient in meat tenderizers too) Walking helps the
food go down faster too...This works for you banders as well as
RNYers...It's so easy to forget sometimes that you had surgery....So
practice makes almost perfect...I've been practicing for 4+ years and
every once in a while, I get something stuck (usually those things I
shouldn't eat...pasta rice and potatoes) Those almost always hurt! Or I
graze and then the fullness catches up to me and I have to go lie down and
sleep for 30 mintues til the pain stops...So old habits die hard...but at
least you are aware and have to try harder to remind yourself to chew, eat
slowly and to stop eating when you need to! You can even make a game of it
and tell the grand kids to remind you to eat slow and chew...and they will
learn good habits of chewing their food too! Half the country eats too fast
and does not chew their food and that why so many get acid reflux! Of
course if you teach them that, they bug the holy heck outta you for a long
time...My family still tells me to slow down and chew! LOL But I don't
mind...
— .Anita R.
September 9, 2008
i am almost 1 yr postop from RNY and have the same problem. my biggest
problem is at work, because i am always in a hurry and never have the time
i need to eat right, so here lately i have gotten sick 3 times at work, but
at home i am fine. i guess i am going to have to stick to soups and stuff
while at work-something that doesn't require much effort and time to eat.
it's just being more careful, eating slower and chew chew chew that we need
to focus on! good luck... I hope this helps, Holly
— RNlvnCARSON
September 9, 2008
Papaya enzyme. A chewable tablet available @ Walmart. Helps digest the food
in 10-15 minutes
— Donna O.
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