Feel like I've swallowed a meatball!

I am about 3.5 weeks out.  I can't drink or eat very much.  I can only do sips of water.  If I sip too close together, or take something closer to a gulp, I get a pain in my chest that feels like I've swallowed a meatball and it's stuck going down.  This also happens if I try to drink shortly after eating.  I'm not getting nearly enough liquids.  By the time I take my meds, eat, wait before and after eating, then can only sip, there isn't enough time in a day to eat or drink enough.  HELP!!

"...That's a spicy meat-a-ball-ah..."

I hav this same problem and my doc said, "You know, the sipping part they everyone talks about can be interpreted in many ways---don;t literally sip, but just take in a small mouthful of liquid"...See, I was literally sipping little bits, and in turn not realizing I was swallowing air.  I was too scared to take a larger swig for the fear of swallowing too much.  He said to think of it as an egg (or the size of) and try taking in more liquid than a itty bit.  I tried it and was it was an "ah ha!" moment. I didn't gulp, but definitely took in more ounces and in several drinks, my water bottle was going down in volume. Try it.

Don't worry that will get better, happened to me I love water sooo much and I used to drink gallons, after my surgery I was so scare like you said just sipping omg I need my water back was hard for a while, and now I enjoy my water again no like before(gallons) but I can still drinking a lot but slow, just go little by little and you will see take care

pre op i always carried a water jug around with me it went every where with me...at one point i had a 64 oz jug and just took it every where..but then it got a bit heavy to carry so i downsized, now i ahve 32 oz one and still take it every where...for a short time right after surgery, i had a problem with drinking from a straw...so i had the cups with a lid with the slit like a coffee cup and that helped, but then at about the 5-6 months i started using my straw again and i think i get more in with a straw, i like my water ice cold and sometimes that hurts my teeth..i cant not drink room temp water..but others cant drin**** cold water...yea at the 3 week time frame i was asking myself what did i do to myself..it is a bit over whelming, but it will get better, it really will....you just have to find a schedule that works for you...
but if you can start having a bottle of water with you at all time, but not when you are eating it will help...i would always take abite of fruit after i was done eating to give my mouth a kind of rinse but not a drink..i came home from the hospital on purees so i was eating soon not on liquids like most here...
good luck, and just keep trying and it will get better
debby

I'm 2 weeks 2 days out and I'm still trying to figure out a sip and a swallow and I haven't had that kind of pain, I do have some near my new stomach.....it was suggested to me, to buy a kid's sippy cup.  Strange I know but I'm considering it when I go to walmart.  I feel like i'm not getting enough liquids either.  I would only use it around the house ofcourse but it if helps for now, then even better!   I hope that helps!  

Try using a straw... I KNOW they say don't do it but, it might work better for you.. Just remember tiny sips.

Ok ... idk what your surgeon's plan is & don't want to tell you to ignore their plan but there really isn't any reason to not drink leading up to a meal.

I know quite a few vets on the board drink right up to their meal. The reasoning for not drinking with or right after a meal is b/c it will push the food out of the pouch quicker. But if you drink right before the meal ...  there is nothing to push out.

That may help a bit if you literally have more time to drink. GL!