Finally, :banana :banana , I tried to eat a bite of my zone bar this morning and it's sitting right in the middle of my chest. Finally a golf ball feeling. I was eating out of control, but this got my attention real fast. Yippee!!!!!

I've pb'd a few times, usually from eating too fast or too big a bite. Usually the pain and then like baby spit-up (undigested, chewed food). I've only "slimed" once, from eating a too dry chicken strip. (Think Ghost Busters. Yuk!) That chicken looked like it had been through a food processor, the pieces were so small. I know now to use a dipping sauce if something's dry. Hopefully someone can give a more professional description. If I understand correctly, "sliming" is our body producing mucus to help lubricate foods and help them work their way down the esophagus to the digestive system. But being banded, the mucus just sits there and builds up until it (and anything else) comes back up. A personal observation, if you think you're having a problem - don't just sit there like an idiot (this is not going away). Get up and go to the bathroom ASAP! Just glad I wasn't trying to impress DH on a first date!

Ok, so sliming without food coming back up is a PB? And the golf ball feeling without food coming back up is a PB? In that case, I've had several!

I'm in the throes of PMS and restriction had definitely made an appearance! I just hope it sticks around.

I went to my pcp today about the swollen neck and she said it was indeed a swollen gland, either the onset of a virus or an infection of sometype. Then again, I could just get the swollen gland and 2-3 weeks it could be gone without further ado, she also measured the gland which really impressed me.

On another note, she was very impressed with my weight loss and quite excited about the surgery.

Lisa it's sooo easy to eat too fast, I will still catch myself taking a big bite of something then right as it's going down, think OMG this is gonna hurt.

Well ladies aren't we just the slimy ones, I just need to learn to be a better spitter without getting that chit all over me, LOL. My dh has dipped and spit for years, now he's grossed out by a little dribblin.

Holy cats! I cant remember when I had my band put in! Is that horrible?? Hello, Im new, just found this site, looks mega cool. I have NO clue what to post. Lets see, Im thinking, August, 20th, 2001? 2002? It cant Be coming up on 4 years, but I do beleive it was 2001. Great Googily Moggily.

hiya dream

i think you might be the longest banded on here from as far as i can tell anyway...

whats your weight loss been ? how much fill do you have? and how many fills have you had?

welcome to the site

love tracey

I agree with Tracey, I think you're the oldest bandster with this group. Would love to know your stats...please.

Hi Blossom:

Ok, so sliming without food coming back up is a PB? And the golf ball feeling without food coming back up is a PB? In that case, I've had several!

NO - sliming and the golfball feeling are just that - sliming and the golfball feeling. It means that the pouch is full and the contents are starting to back up into your esophagus, which is that pain/golfball feeling. If your body thinks something is stuck, it starts producing lots of slime to help slip it through - not really helpful in this case!!

PB = productive burp, which means whatever was sitting there in your pouch comes back up. Basically vomiting, but usually without the gut-wrenching action or nauseous feeling.

Just a reminder to everyone - it is generally accepted "wisdom" to immediately STOP eating after a PB, and do 24 hours of liquids. The causes of the PB, and the PB itself are traumatic to the pouch/esophagus, and usually there is some swelling as a result. Continuing to eat can aggravate that problem, which makes you even tighter, which usually results in more PBing, and the vicious cycle begins.

Please, baby your bands, and yourselves...

One more reminder - vomiting (PBing) is the NUMBER ONE CAUSE of slippage. So avoid it at ALL costs.

Thanks for shedding some light on that, Donali! Looks like I have yet to experience a real PB, then. I don't ever want to, LOL!

Thanks, Donali. I'm on liquids today; I PB'd at work yesterday after eating a salad, and barely made it to the bathroom. You've given all of us an important reminder of why PBs are more than just uncomfortable or an inconvenience -- they can cause serious damage.

What makes someone PB vs. slime/golf ball feeling?

How does PBing compare to burping and nothing comes up but it moves around... is that a PB?

Thanks...

Hi Blossom:

NO - sliming and the golfball feeling are just that - sliming and the golfball feeling. It means that the pouch is full and the contents are starting to back up into your esophagus, which is that pain/golfball feeling. If your body thinks something is stuck, it starts producing lots of slime to help slip it through - not really helpful in this case!!

PB = productive burp, which means whatever was sitting there in your pouch comes back up. Basically vomiting, but usually without the gut-wrenching action or nauseous feeling.

Just a reminder to everyone - it is generally accepted "wisdom" to immediately STOP eating after a PB, and do 24 hours of liquids. The causes of the PB, and the PB itself are traumatic to the pouch/esophagus, and usually there is some swelling as a result. Continuing to eat can aggravate that problem, which makes you even tighter, which usually results in more PBing, and the vicious cycle begins.

Please, baby your bands, and yourselves...

One more reminder - vomiting (PBing) is the NUMBER ONE CAUSE of slippage. So avoid it at ALL costs.

I don't think I've actually pb'd yet, just the slime. No wonder we gotta drink lots of water, once that slime starts, ya could fill an empty water bottle.

I am still trying to find a doctor in the portland oregon area to do a fill, any leads? Laura

Laura,

Call Dr. Eubanks at Portland Surgical Specialist. He is the sweetest nicest guy and will take patients from other surgeons. His current price is $250 for the initial consultation and fill and then $150 for all others. If you need flouro it is an additional $100 but he doesn't need to use it every time. That is only if your port is at some wierd angle like mine and they can't find it easily in their office. The flouro office is just downstairs. His phone number is 503-353-3005. Best of luck and tell them I referred you. It seems like I have referred them about 20 people and one of the people I referred to him has also referred another 20 people. I don't think they have any kind of referral incentive but I figure it wouldn't hurt to let them know that happy patients are getting the word out. Best of luck to you, Teresa

A little bit about me and my band.

People have requested some info from me, and I am flattered, though hardly consider myself an expert on the subject, and I think I forget most of the time.

There just comes this point, when all of the sudden, you are like, band what band? Hard to imagine I know, but it happens.

When I was new, and a year out and 2, I used to gobble up any info I could find, always in a perpetual search for *”freaks” like me.

I worried about erosion and slippage and the long term effects of this artificial THING in my body. At some point, I discovered it made me almost ill to watch others eats.. ( Especially my MOM, who taught me how to butter every bite of roll, how to use FIVE tablespoons of may on a sandwich, How to ROLL away from every meal like I was eating as though I was going on a 30 day fast. food is love, Food is security, Food is comfort. Hey guess what? Food, is, after nearly four years of living with a band, NUTRITION.

Now, don’t get me wrong.. I still obsess. I love a good dinner date. Lets do lunch? Count me in! But, the man issue is no longer, whats the biggest thing on the menu to satisfy me.. ( KING CUT PRIME RIB YOU SAY? With a Loaded baked potato AND A veggie, MAKE MINE SWIMMING IN BUTTER, AND a salad, Please waiter, don’t forget the bread! Nooooo Now its like, yeah maybe I will eat a few ounces of that delicious filet, what a nice cut of meat that is, bread? Nah… not worth the trouble… Salad? Ok, only the cukes, dipped in food lube ( for those of you who have not discovered the magical properties of ranch dressing yet… well… anything slips down that stoma with enough “white ketchup:” on it. Do NOT douse every meal you eat in ranch dressing! Do as I SAY not as I DO! Lol. Seriously, I try to avoid high fat dressings and stuff.. but, well, I don’t diet.. I eat, damn, I eat!

I watch people eat hoagies and wonder how the heck they can eat ALL THAT FOOD. Super size fries? You have got to be kidding me… however, I will have a few of yours… Fast food, ya know, is not named that cause it is served fast.. it is named that, in my humble opinion, cause you have to eat it fast to avoid the horrid taste. NEVER EVER eat a mcdonalds hamburger with out bread, slowly. What the heck is IN THAT anyway? Fast food was invented to be wolfed down in 3 swallows, no chewing don’t let it hit your taste buds! Ick!

Ok, well, I don’t know.. I type like I talk, so excuse me for jumping all over the place.

Stats? Whats a stat? I stopped counting. Here is my stat. I feel GREAT! Stat! I got my life back! Stat! I don’t need to use a wlaker to move around anymore! I chase after my 6 year old daughter and KEEP UP! I bend, I stretch, I PLAY VOLLEYBALL! OK, You number freaks out there, and you know who you are… I started at 390, I got down fairly quickly to under 300, then plateaud for a year or so while getting my head wrapped around my sexy new image at around 275. I got a efw fills along the way, truth be told, I stoppped counting those too.. proper restriction, you know it when you have it. Right now I don’t, I am maintiaintng, not losing. Last weight check I was 239, so I lost about 160 pounds. I am not done. However, I could stay here for the rest of my life and be perfectly cotent. From a size 34+ ( in stretch clothes) to a size16, in denim.

Skin, yeah I got excess. Drugs for high blood pressure? Not anymore. Cpap machine? For sale on ebay Chronic bad back and bad knees? Nope and nope.. ( though I still get monthly massages, they are no logner so that I can tolerate the pain from carting around a baby hippo on my back.. now I get em cause A.) I love to be touched B.) My massage therapist is oh my god drop dead sexy, and c.) I deserve it!

Eating? This post is too long already.. Gotta get back to y’all on that one… Pbing… I have made that an art form.. I swear, I can PB in a booth at a fancy restaurant and no one would know. ( Don’t try this at home… lol)

Enjoy Life! Life is meant to be ENJOYED!

Oh Banded in Morristown NJ, By Dr. Abkin, I live Near Philadelphia!

What a great post, I would say you are definately living with the band. Please post more often, you certainly are an inspiration.