I've noticed that when I PB, the VAST majority of the time, no food comes up. It's thick discolored (presumably by what I ate) slime, and what I can best describe as "foam". The "foam" will float on the top of the Water, so it's definitely foam-ish, at least -- or it would be heavier than the water and sink.

So am I getting stuck on this "foam", or am I getting stuck on food, but PBing somehow pushes the food down and the foam/saliva is what's left? (which makes no sense... that food would go down but not saliva).

I understand what the foam is, and what causes it, etc. But I don't understand why it's what I bring up, and not food, most of the time.

Any input?

I think the "foam" is sitting on top of the food, so it is what is backing up on top of the "clog". therefor when you PB, the stuff "on top" is what comes up. Like unclogging a drain, you don't necessarily see the cloggin material itself, just what is on top of the clog.

My 2 cents, anyway.

I do the foam thing too, usually in the mornings before it has a chance to dissipate. The morning foam is easy, coffee or tea makes it go away.

My mid-day foamies I blame on gravity. My foam won't go through the band if there is too much of it. I have also noticed that when my meal is more solid/dry, the stoma freaks and starts with the sliming.

I turn into a slime-spitting freak who refuses to swallow saliva. Luckily a big cough is generally enough to bring up the foam. A mini-PB, sans wretching.

Eeeew

I have never experienced the foam thing. When I PB, I get that horrible tennis ball pain in the upper center of my chest and the nausea sets in. I have enough time to get to the bathroom and what comes up is what went down. Thankfully, I am getting used to fill #3 and proper restriction and am very careful to chew, chew and chew some more.

Are you PB'ing long after you've eaten?

Pain usually kicks in pretty quick, and PB comes about 45 minutes later if I let if run its course. If I encourage it to get over with (spit out the excess saliva which makes me gag which helps to bring on the PB), it's still usually about 20 mins in to the pain before anything comes up b/c I have to wait until I'm sliming before I have anything I need to spit out.

ahhhhhhhhh... I think that's the difference. Carbohydrates begin digestion in the mouth. Twenty to forty minutes later, significant digestion is occuring so that's likely where the foam is coming from. For me, the PB comes MINUTES after the pain and that pain happens while I am eating.

BTW, unfortunately for me, my restriction goes haywire when I'm near TOM. Chewing doesn't make any difference. At TOM I've gotten stuck on Soup, and today what I PBed on was chili "juice". No solids eaten at all. Anything thicker than my Protein drinks seems to have a hard time, but it's also completely random. I got stuck Saturday am, and had to PB Saturday pm, but had no problems at all yesterday. Then lunch today - whamm-o.

I do this for about 3 - 5 days, then I'm back to good/normal restriction as soon as my body lets loose some of the fluids it has been retaining.

Today... hmm. We were at Quizno's. Pain kicked in there. DH went down the road, stopped for gas (I insisted he stop, I still thought it might pass at this point), then had the drive back to my work... and it was another 5 mins at least before anything came up the first time so at least 10 mins total, if not 15. And it was about 5 - 10 mins between the first PB and the second.

I usually get the pain immediately, but sometimes it clears. 20 mins is the unfortunate guideline for when it's not going to just unstick, and will have to come back up. About 20 minutes in is when my tell-tale "have to PB" signs kick in: heavy sliming, pain in my waist, pain in my spine, difficulty swallowing, and a heavy pain in the back of my throat.

If the PB clears on its own, it's *always* very sudden. It's a small burp, one hiccup, and instant relief.

Oh the misery of being so well acquainted.

No nausea though, for me nausea feels completely different.

Hey, Wheetsin

Thanks for starting this thread. We always talk around it so delicately, and it isn't delicate. We need to know what's happening. When I get the golf ball, I also get slime - foamy stuff. I can usually coax it out, but I don't pb. And I wish I could. I'm sure I would feel much better.:cry

I can't - and never could - bring stuff up by coughing. Wish I could! I used to have major sinus problems (and oddly enough, haven't had hardly any since banding), lots o' phlegm, to where I'd have to do that gross "old people" throat clear... then it would get caught in my throat and I'd feel like I was choking... having to swallow a big lump... and my doctor would always advise me to "just cough it up" -- but I can't! Mid-throat is the best I can do.

Sometimes when I have to PB I do the "spit out the slime" thing, and just wretch, which seems to clear the stick without anything having to come up. I'm SO glad I started doing that, because it shaved off at least 25 minutes of agony!

Now, how about that slime ball that comes up, that keeps its shape in Water -- much like the lava in a lava lamp? That's some amazing stuff. I've seen it "hold" the water surface, but sink at the same time, so it forms something that looks a lot like a twisted slipe & slide stretching from the top of the water to the bottom of the bowl... like a possessed egg yolk... now there's something you don't hear people talking about all the time.

wheetsin,

Have you ever tried the Papaya tablets? When I am going Pb, or feel like it, I get pretty darn slimy. If I take 4 of them bad boys combined with the slimy stuff that is in me, that usually allows it to go through and I dont have to pb. And the slimy-er I am the faster it seems to work for me. Just a thought....

And you can buy papaya tablets, where?

My 2nd fill....I woke up w/ a headache so without thinking threw back 15ml (1 TBS) of room temperature tylenol and for the next HOUR foamed pink stuff, slimed, gagged, et al!! It was TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!! Someone explained the slime and foam came as a result of our stomach trying to "work" them through!!? This band is SUCH a learning curve!!!!! Some days things work while other days feel like death is close!! Finally got madder than snot at my band on Saturday....ate 1 small bite of cheese and then took a sip of Water and got that chest pain/golf ball feeling and got really mad at the control it has over me!!!!!!!!!!! Now....of course, my period started yesterday....so explains why that little bitty bite messed w/ me I guess....AND......I have done well w/ the band....but thinking that I was normal to get mad....it just always seems to happen when hubby and I are enjoying ourselves and it blurps up and makes me miserable for clearance!! Oh well.....still wouldn't give it up......VERY pleased w/ where I'm at...most days!!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -75lbs

Weetsin,

thank you for so accurately decribing this I too have the random , yet foodless amazing slime. I am always amazed at the sheer texture and amout of the stuff..

so here is explaination I have found, when you eat too fast or you dont chew enough something gets stuck , it holds the bottom of your esophogus open and it reacts because it thinks you have something stuck in it by prducing a inhumane amout of thick gooey slime to try to lubracate and unstick what ever is stuck..

I suffer with this at random, but I have found smaller forks and no white bread of any form helps avoid this.

I spoke to my Dr about it and he assures me that that is a sign of good restriction with bad behavior.. at least were doing something right.

I have tried to hold ogg on the heaving of slime, but mostly I feel like Im filling up, and with one blllahh.. Birth to homemade lava lamp style slime is made!!

Have you ever tried the Papaya tablets?

Yep! I bought them as part of my post-op prep kit. All they do for me is taste bad and turn my PB orange!

Possessed egg yolk - lava lamp goo - Wheetsin you crack me up. You are so accurate in your description. Just watching the slime goo makes me yack some more. I have a week stomach for some things. It is wierd looking stuff. Alien after birth. YUCK!