Can this be a stricture?

Okay ya'll - I really need some input here.  I'm 4 weeks out and I cannot eat without my stomach groaning, flipping and painfullly burning.  I eat maybe 3 bites and then it starts. It feels like those 3 bites are bubbling back up into my esophagus and it burns in my stomach, like an ulcer. Honestly, I just want to cry when it's time to eat again.  When all this starts, I just put my fork down and stop eating. So I know I'm not even getting maybe 4 to 6 bites of food, like a 1/4 of a cup of food.  It does it with what ever I eat. Also, I can't drink much without my stomach feeling full and bloated. When the bloating goes away, I can then drink more.  Also, I'm slightly nauseated all the time. Oh yah, my nurse practitioner put me on an additonal PPI, so I'm taking two of those and I'm taking gas-x.  They just aren't making any difference.  Please help? Does this sound like a stricture.

At this point my diet is only  3 tblsps of food at a time, and sometimes I cant get all that down.  Many times when my new tummy is full it tells me - by doing this little bubble thing and then a burp.  When that happens, I am done.  Also remember not to drink with your meal.

I'd check with your doc for sure to ensure nothing more serious is wrong, such as a partial twist or kink. I don't know the symptoms, but do know it's possible. Keep us posted!

Are you doing solids, soft solids, pureeds?  Perhaps your tummy's not ready for whatever it is, maybe back off whatever texture you're using to something smoother (so if solid, try solft or pureed, if pureed, try full liquid diet for a little while longer)? 

My surgeon's guidelines say if something doesn't agree with you, to take a step back to the previous stage for one more week, so that might be something to consider if you don't have any problems with the previous stage's options.

Maybe you need to change your PPI to a different brand or a different strength.  Talk to your Dr.  I take Protonix twice a day but at one time I was on them 4 times a day so you just never know how much of what you might need to take to fix the problem..good luck!

Maybe your Dr should run some tests. Have you been checked for H-Pylori? The rumbling and burning is a lil flag to have him check for something not necessarily sleeve related.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/h-pylori/DS00958/DSECTION=symptoms
Just a thought to as the Dr. Stool samples would help.
Linda B

I had a similar problem for about 4 months post op. I thought I'd have to be on PPI forever. I did what the other's recommended, I took a step back to more bland foods such as milk, cottage cheese and yogurt.  If you're eating more solid foods be sure to chew it well.  
You're still pretty recently post-op and your stomach may still be irritated, don't try to rush things too fast.  
WHen I mentioned the nausea to my bariatric doctor she said too much fat will make you nauseated, so I've been very careful to avoid any extra fats, fried food, especially deep fried or battered, and the nausea has stopped.   
Also avoid rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, they don't sit well in the stomach and can cause nausea or a quezy feeling.  I'm almost a year post op and still don't tolerate rice or past well, although I can do a little bread, but I really limit it.  
Another really important thing is to avoid drinking too close to meals. My doctor said 30 minutes before and after,  but I found I did better if I didn't drink an hour before meals, although I could drink 30 minutes after without problems.  My doctor also has me do 3 meals a day and then use milk with sugar-free carnation instant breakfast for my snacks. I notice if I drink or have liquids with my meals, even soup and salad that I get sick, the foamies, and usually end up loosing my meal.   
You'll learn how to read your body and how it reacts to certain foods, just keep paying attention and it should get better.  You might find that it only takes a 5 or 6 spoonfuls of certain foods to fill you up, especially meats.  It only takes 5 or 6 spoonfuls of tuna to fill me up, where I can eat a cup of salad.  I avoid beef, pork and shrimp, I've found them harder to digest.  Tuna, chicken, salmon, cheese (low fat) and yogurt are my fav's.     
  

 This is one of those things I'd talk to my surgeon about. However, the most common symptoms of a stricture are constant vomiting or regurgitation of undigested food, excessive weight loss (yes, WLS patiens can lose TOO much weight too fast), upper abdominal or chest pain after eating. Strictures are not too common with the VSG but can happen.

Just as a heads up. For the first three months following surgery (once I was on soft foods after three weeks) the most I could eat was a quarter cup, that's NORMAL. *grins* The bloating may be gas and sometimes gas-x just doesn't work for that, or if you get too much air when you're eating or drinking. Drinking early out was really hard for me. I felt like I was swallowing tons of air, even taking tiny baby sips. Some of what you're describing sounds perfectly normal but, again, I'd talk to my surgeon. 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I think you've put my mind at ease. I am not allowed rice, potatoes, beef, or pork, or raw veggies yet. I eat some beans and cottage cheese, cooked vegies, and poultry and fish, and fruit at this point. I thought the problem was that I was eating too big of bites or too fast so I slowed it down even more and took even smaller bites. It didn't change anything.  I guess it could be that I'm eating too much? But, wow - the "angry stomach" starts after only about 3 bites! I usually still eat about 3 more bites even after that. My bite size is dime size.  Can a person really live on such little food; 3 dime size bites 3 times a day?  Today, I am going to take a step backward and have softer foods and see what happens. I've still not found a protein drink that I can stomach. They all make me gag, but today I will try again with some of the eggface recipes with pudding. I'm really hoping I like those. I just have trouble with sweet stuff AND I don't like the consistency/texture. Also, my insurance doesn't cover Protonix and it costs $154 for a 30 day supply! Yikes. I am cnsidering switching to Pepcid at my NP's suggestion.  Thanks again. When will this go away?  Ever?

Just remember you don't have LIVE off 3 bites but initially you MIGHT have to.  Also your body is resilant and you can LIVE for months off NO food but you always need water to NOT become dehydrated. 

In the first couple of months I LIVED off 1oz of food at a time and yes I measured 1 oz.  I mostly focused on liquids.

Ms Shell