I got banded 2 months ago, had my first fill on Oct 4 and second fill this morning. Weight loss has been going great, no pain from the band or port, and really excited to losing more and beginning my new life. However, slimming has become more of an issue, happened twice today (after getting my fill). I have read that it is a sign of not chewing food properly, which when I look back at my day is a possibility. So, I am going to try my hardest to ensure I chew well so that I don't slime anymore. But, the question I have is, IF I get that "stuck" painful feeling and feel like I am slimming (which I usually can feel because of a lack of being able to PB and a slimy feeling in my oesophagus), should I try to go through the pain and give it time to maybe pass? Or, should I just head on over to the toilet and let it come up? I have read so many times that throwing up is terrible for the band, however the pain from being stuck really sucks - and I'm sure that that can't be too good for you either. Which one is better - Painful slimming or regurgitating? Has anyone asked their doc? Thanks!

Go to the bathroom and let it come up. Being stuck can stretch the pouch and nature is trying to tell you it needs to come up. If this doesn't pass in a couple of days or it gets worse you need to call for a little unfill. I speak from recent experience.

Good luck.

Mimi

Let it come up. I've tried to hold it in while at work, and my mouth would just fill with slime. It has to come out.

Letting the slime come up is not the same as throwing up. I had a fill yesterday and this happened to me with a Protein shake.

When you throw up, your whole stomach convulses in order to push that food out of the stomach and back up the esophagus. When I slimed, the food never made it through the band. It was like it got stuck and then just sat there at the entry to my esophagus. All I had to do was open my mouth and lean over. No stress on the tummy at all.

You're lucky if you can get the food to come back up!

In my case, I never have been able to. I got stuck on some pot roast the other night and OMG, it was horrible. Chest pain all the way to my shoulder blades and I started sliming. Nothing I did, which included walking, jumping, yoga poses, dancing around, yakking in the trash, would let it come back up. So, I slimed for an hour =( Finally, it passed. Instant relief. Hope I can avoid another episode in the future!

now see.. this is why I'm afraid to start eating real food! I'm on pureed diet now for another week then on to mushies and I'm thinking I like it this way just fine!

I agree, I feel the same and am really dreading next week when I move on to solid food. I am eating most things on my plate as they come but they are things like mashed potato and soft veggies and I am still putting chicken in my mini chopper with some gravy and mushing it up for my meals because of the fear that it will get stuck.

I have also been told that if I don't get on to solid foods then the band won't be able to work properly. I am dying to try a piece of toast but am scared stiff that it will get stuck and I haven't even had my first fill yet. I only mention toast because I was told that bread on its own causes a problem despite it being on my allowed foods list for this phase. I have come to the conclusion that I am a bit of a wimp :sad:

Throwing up is really bad, so id let it go down if you can go through the pain. i never threw up from slimming its only happened to me 2 times... but i did throw up from drinking too much and i actually lost half a cc in my band which the dr said was prolly from throwing up.. sooo try to avoid it all together..

Interesting...how does throwing up cause you to lose saline in your band? I've never heard of that before.

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Elfie, I agree, it sounds very strange, as it is a closed system on the outside of the stomach!!!!

Mimi

Timmmers, I agree with those who suggest letting it come up.

Let it come up but realize that you will be swollen for about 24 hours. Go back to liquids for at least 12 hours. You should have been on liquids for a day after your fill anyway. For those who believe it needs to come up, try three large swallows of water. Be near the toilet because you won't have much time.

Bringing it up if you can is definitely the better option. If you are able to get it up you will feel relief. If you try keeping it down you feel like you are drowning or choking as their can be so much slime and nowhere for it to go.

Bringing this up is not vomiting as the others have said and it's unlikely that it would cause damage to the band. Throwing up violently with force behind it is what is more likely to cause a slip.

You may want to consider trying papaya enzymes when you think you are stuck. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, but definitely worth a try.

UMmmm i dont no how i lost saline. i went to the dr. i had 3 ccs in when she did a fill she said i only have 2 and a half in. that i must have lost half. then she asked if ive thrown up and i said yea and she said that may have cause it. i realized its a closed thing but it happened... i have noooo idea how

In reference to losing some cc's...my doc said that it was normal to lose some saline occasionally inbetween fills..NOT a lot...but like .25-.5 can happen....this had no reference to vomiting or PB-ing....

As far as sliming and being stuck..it's happened to me on ly a few times....Bread is a NO-NO for at least 4 months post op because it expands in your stomach and that can hurt the band...nevermind the fact that it's dry as hell and THAT hurts...

I hate bringing anything up...and even with sliming nothing has come up. I've felt like it might, but it never has....i'm a believer that if it's going to come up, it will. So be it...but if it's not and i just have to wait for it to pass...it sucks but that's what you have to do...

***you should be on liquids for the rest of the day after a fill....AND if you get anything stuck..let yourself heal. The last time something got stuck (because i started rushing and took too big of a bite AND had one bite too many), i was on liquids the rest of the day and mushies for 2 days after....i could tell i was swollen and wanted to be really careful. SF popsicles and Italian Ice were lifesavers!