okay - I'm a pre-newby............to be banded on 11/17 What the heck are the PB's.....I think it might have to be "like throwing up?" and i'm very fearful cause if there is anything I can't stand - its to throw up! Haven't done that in about 20 years............last time was a daquiri binge....haha ! Help! will definitely need to avoid these.

I'm three months out with my band, I've only had to PB's but they were not what you call throw-up. It was more like foam coming out of your mouth that you couldn't stop. Once was on cheese won ton, and chicken dressing. I hope I don't have anymore.

PB stands for productive burp. I also hate throwing up, I just swallow really hard to avoid it all cost. That's one of the reasons I had the lap band put on, I make a lousy bullimic:rolleyes: !!! I have pb'd only a couple of times, because I was so afraid of it, but it isn't as bad as throwing up. It's not something you want to happen or do it too often as it can cause band slippage, according to my doctor. Anyway as long as you remember to take very small sips and tiny bites, chewing extremely well, you really shouldn't have a problem.

What happens is the stoma becomes blocked, usually by something that you might want to consider a food to avoid, like soft bread, rolls, things like that. My first pb was with chicken and I know it was because I wasn't chewing well enough and I was eating way too quickly. I just got this feeling in my stomach that I didn't recognize and the next thing I knew, it all just came up and out. No heaving, no gastric acid, it really was not a big deal. A lot of people here often complain about sliming before a pb, which is nothing more than excess saliva I believe, but I really haven't experienced that myself so please forgive me if this is incorrect(sliming that is). Whenever you begin to eat something for the first time after your banding, be verrrry careful, remember tiny little bites and lots of chewing. Eat slowly and learn to recognize whether or not the food is getting through. It's a sensation you will come to recognize, you body will tell you when you've swallowed something difficult. Everyone is different and depending on how much restriction you have will determine what you can and cannot eat.

I hope this is helpful to you. Knowledge is power and fear is usually lack of knowledge about something we have never experienced before.

I wish you the best of luck in your new journey, whatever you decide that to be.

Cindy

Sometimes....when you have a really painful PB (as I did last night)....you PRAY for it to just come up........your view on such things change.

Also, a PB isn't a like a full on vomit. It only comes from the upper pouch, so when you PB, you don't get the acidy taste or smell. It's "like throwing up" but not *really* throwing up.

Well I had my 1st PB and slime today. I am in the end of mushies week right now and starting to incorporate some real food in slowly. I thought I would try one of the cinnamon raisin bisquits my students had for breakfast. The first bite I thought "oh this might be a mistake" because it just felt too heavy or thick in my stomach. I will definitely go with my instincts next time, because I went ahead and tood a second bite. BIG MISTAKE! I chewed it to practically liquid stage and when I swallowed it hit my stoma like a rock. It literally made my eyes water, it was that painful. It wouldnt come up and it couldnt go down. The slime stuff is not like spit. It is like thick tasteless bile, like mucus. And I spit several mouthfuls of this up before I finally spit up the cinnamon bisquit, and more after. The bisquit coming up was not like throwing up at all. It was more like a baby spitting up. It just came back up in its semi liquid state. And I felt almost instant relief when it did, felt sore for a while though. I think I will be one of the ones that cant handle soft breads. I did learn to listen to that very first red flag that my body sends.

I agree with what others have said - PB is not the same as vomitting when you're sick, or like the dry heaves, etc. However, getting food stuck can be very uncomfortable and painful. The slimes are pretty gross. I had really vowed that I wouldn't throw up, but, I have, numerous times. And honestly, it hasn't been all that bad and I've learned from it. The biggest problem occurs when I am too hungry and eat too fast! Bites are too big and not chewed enough. I think that you might want to resolve yourself to it probably happening, but that its just a learning process and will be rare, and that it certainly isn't the thing that should deter you from getting the band! Good luck, your surgery approaches quickly!