Weigh-Ins are on MONDAYS - Updated July 3, 2017

Surgery Date: October 20, 2009:

Sunday, September 4, 2011

It Finally Happened! The Dreaded Stuck & PB Event


I have read so many of your first PB (Productive Burp) and stuck stories over the past two years.  I've always wondered what you guys were talking about.  Now I know.

My first PB/stuck episode happened last night.

I guess there really is a Lap Band in there after all and I guess that fill on Thursday did the trick.

It only took 22+ months post-op.  Here's how it went down:

I was taking my usual nightly vitamins which includes one large gel cap Omega 3 vitamin.  Yep, one of these bad boys.

As soon as I swallowed it, I knew it.  Instantly.  It was stuck.

It wasn't going down and it just sat there lodged in my chest.  The knife in the chest kind of feeling.  Then my mouth started to fill with saliva...yep...the sliming had begun.  Where does all that spit come from?  Seriously.

Then I started pacing around the room and lifted my arms above my head thinking that this would help.  Nope, it didn't help.

Then my eyes began to water and I knew that I better run over to the kitchen sink quickly as the bad boy was coming back up.  So I leaned over the sink and up it came along with a bunch of water.  But not just out of my mouth but up and out of the nose.  That stings and hurt.

I continued to slime a little more leaning over the sink.  Good times.

Then it was over.  The whole event lasted about 4-5 minutes.

I can't imagine going through this in public, like at a restaurant or at work.  This makes me wonder, what do you guys do to prepare for this? Carry a Ziploc baggie in your purse? Become good at running to the bathroom?

My stoma still feels a little irritated this morning so I'm taking it easy with full liquids today.

16 comments:

  1. Oh no, I'm sorry you had to join us in PB-land last night. I don't really know how to prepare for it, since I've only had one... but I hear bags are really useful in the car!

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  2. I am sorry to hear this but shocked you never have before. I have had many of them. Usually because I tend to eat to quickly most of the time. It really does suck!

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  3. Boo! I'm sorry it finally had to happen. It's no bueno. As for me, I've become good at running to the bathroom, although I was mad at the hubby because last time he's all "just ask where the bathroom is"... Do you know how difficult it is to talk when you're sliming?? eesh.

    .. wow. even your word verification is out to remind me to be a good bandster.. it was Portion.

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  4. You poor thing, that sounds TERRIBLE!

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  5. Sorry you had to go through that. It happened to me at the beach. I had to use an empty cup- and a paper towel! This week in Idaho, while watching my dad on a ventilator, I have been stuck at every meal! Stress does it to me!

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  6. I'm so sorry that you had to experience this!! I was hoping that you would be one of the lucky (meaning careful) ones that NEVER had to go through this!!

    But you got off easy, since it only lasted 4-5 minutes. I am NOT trying to make yours out as any less painful. Even the short lived ones are painful. I am only hoping that this is the worst that you have to experience.

    As someone who has had MANY...I do carry a small packet of small bags in my purse (the kind that you can buy in the Travel Size section of a store), and I always keep Kleenex in the Truck, for those times.

    As mine usually include the pain, runny nose and eyes!! So I am continually blowing my nose and wiping the tears away until it passes. Which has been up to 5 hours long, and involved several instances of vomiting!!

    When it gets like this, I usually find that if I take small sips of liquid, it will help to bring the food back up quicker...sorry, too much information I know!! And as I type this, I am hoping that the pain in my chest is only temporarily and that it doesn't go into a full blown session of PB, etc...

    Like the others said, take it easy for a day or two, as the likely hood of it recurring is greater for a few days.

    Hugs!

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  7. :)...yes ziplocks ar the best tool for the pb stuck thing. With and I ate too much pb I need the ziplock. A stuck usually provides me with enough warning that I can get to a bathroom or garbage disposal.

    Yours sounds definitely like a stuck but if you do not lean over the toilet but stay more upright you won't have the up the nose problem. I try to avoid the toilet at all costs these days.

    xxxooo

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  8. I've never carried baggies around, but when my band it tight, I always have an empty cup in the car... it's gotta go somewhere!

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  9. Ugh! Welcome to the club.

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  10. That's kind of what happened with my first stuck event. It came shooting out of my mouth and nose faster than the speed of sound! You're lucky it came up. Sometimes things just get stuck and won't go down or up! :)

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  11. Well...welcome to this unfortunate club. Sadly I've done it 2 or 3 times in my 8 months since being banded. I highly recommend keeping a roll of doggy doody bags in your purse. I have them in my purse because I actually have a dog...but the one time I had a 2 HOUR sliming episode AWAY FROM home, those bad boys became invaluable! They come in a tidy little roll that fits neatly in your purse.

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  12. Wow. That does not sound like fun at all! I haven't had the experience myself yet I don't understand all the saliva bit!!!

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  13. I think this is probably one of my biggest fears as I get banded. I eat way to fast and I need to learn to slow down. Glad it came up pretty quickly and didn't persist for hours!

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  14. OMG I've had hundreds of "stuck" episodes! When I walk into a public area like a restaurant, the FIRST thing I do is figure out where the bathroom is (and how far away it is to get there). Hubby also knows to let me sit on the outside so I can leave in a hurry! The worst is barfing in the car though. On the highway, it's hard to pull over safely! Keep some baggies in the car!
    Christine
    www.phoenixrevolution.net

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  15. I realy do not get stuck I just barff. I can tell right away if I eat too fast or too big of a bite, it just comes right back up and then I am fine. Hope it gets better

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  16. Well, as you said, be careful what you wish for! At least you can say you've now experienced every bandster experience huh? I'm glad you're taking it easy with a full day of liquids. I've only had one stuck/slime episode and I hope to never ever repeat.

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