What is a PB? Tell me EVERYTHING!

[saran 0]

I've been reading a lot of posts about PB's on this site (I even searched within the site for more details)... but tell me, what exactly is it? What happens? What are the repercussions? What causes them? Anything I need to know, seeing that I'm a newbie? Tell me all the details, even the gross ones! :biggrin2:

[Elisabethsew 50]

What many term a "productive burp" is the result of "stuck" food. If you try to put more food in or drink to relieve the problem, what often happens is a regurgitation of food from the pouch. The body's natural defense to move food along is saliva production. When food is stuck, the saliva production goes into overdrive. Many people "bring up" this thick mucus while others bring up the undigested food as well.

The ordeal of trying to relieve the obstruction can result in chest, back, or abdominal pain as well as a sore throat. Most surgeons advise a liquid to soft diet after such an event.

[kbinaz 0]

I have only PB'd once (today, in fact, lucky me). It happens when you continue to eat after you have had enough (oh, I think I can handle one more bite..... WRONG!!!!) and/or when food gets stuck. It is very painful - at least mine was. The actual PB part isn't that bad - the food just kind of comes up in a little burp. It's the pain from the food sitting there with nowhere to go that really is bad. I mean REALLY bad. I would avoid this at all costs. I seem to have trouble with really dry, crispy foods (chex mix, graham crackers, (which I don't really need anyway) By following the lap band eating guidelines you can avoid them - small bites, chew like crazy, take time between bites, and don't eat after you have had enough. This takes some practice, which is why most of us PB at times!

[Daisalana 33]

I PB pretty often. It's when I either 1. eat too fast 2. don't chew a bite well enough 3. eat something that doesn't go with my band

All my PBs vary on discomfort and severity.

Sometimes if I'm eating too fast or not chewing enough, without even a burp, the food just comes right back up and I can see that I did not in fact chew enough.

Less frequently something gets 'stuck', and I make a lot of slime, spit up a lot of slime, salivate a lot, and eventually I gag up whatever it was.. this normally happens with bread for me. I know better than to it, but I try every once in a while. At first it's ok, then it hurts, and slime/spit, then it comes up.

Some people very rarely if ever have PB's.

[juno610 1]

I am downright jealous of all those who can bring up food with a mere burp! :smile2: My PBs have all included outright retching to the point where I thought my lower jaw was going rip off. It's been awful. BUT, as soon as it's out, I feel a million times better. Mine are almost always preceeded by that golfball feeling in the chest, back pain, sweats, and dizziness.

[JennyLynn 0]

Hi all.... this is my first post. I had a question in regards to the PB's too.... do you actually feel nauseous before you PB or does it just happen? What would the warning signs be?

Thanks

[Elisabethsew 50]

Welcome! For me, I feel pain in the chest region and sometimes the upper back. Occasionally, I feel some nausea but I always have time to excuse myself and walk to the bathroom. Sometimes the offending food passes down... relief, and sometimes it takes a while to come up. I too have experienced retching bringing it up but then there is relief.

Many people have "warning" signs when they've eaten enough that includes the hiccups! LOL. Keep reading and learning.

[Daisalana 33]

Hiccups after eating almost always result in a PB for me.

I've had nausea 3 times total in 7 months.. it's very rare, and I'm not sure what instigated it.

My symptoms are just a tightness and sliming, and you can 'feel' the food getting stuck.

Mine really aren't horrible, it's not a 'throw up' feeling except those 3 times, and I don't even know if they were band related.

[JennyLynn 0]

:smile2:Thanks!! That helps...

I am in the process of going thru all the testing right now for my band... This is such a great place to come and get your questions answered. Sounds silly but one of the things that scare me the most is the PB'ing! :thumbup:

[blahblahblah 4]

My pb's or stuck sessions always happen the same way...I eat something and it feels stuck...and then about 30 minutes later, I start to feel nauseous and my stomach starts to hurt. So I go to the bathroom and I start to salivate heavily and feel very very uncomfortable. Only one time have I puked something out...it was quick and painless...Every other time the food eventually goes down. Once I get to the nauseous phase, it usually takes only 5 minutes until I am feeling well again.

Although it usually happens after a fill, this doesn't seem to happen very often...knock on wood

Rain

[kacee 3]

Here's my take on it....

There are two things you need to learn the names and properties of:

PB = Productive Burp (Who the hell came up with THIS term?)...This is when food goes down too fast or is not chewed enough and gets caught at the opening into the pouch. When it gets STUCK you get a knot-type feeling in mid-chest which indicates that the food isn't going anywhere. Sometimes you can suffer through it and it will go down slowly. Sometimes you need to go to the bathroom and "get rid of it" for relief. It is like a vomit without some of the accompanied "nastiness"....the food somes back in the same condition it went down in...just chewed...there is no stomach acid with it (like a regular puke...that nasty sour stuff)...and it is often NOT accompanied by full stomach contractions like with a regular vomit, more like it comes from the throat up. The PB food coming up can be accompanied by sliming....

Sliming = When the stomach sense that food is coming, it releases mucus into the mouth and esophagus and stomach in order to help facilitate the movement of the food down the canal. When food is stuck, it's like a backed up toilet. The stomach goes "Oh, here comes food!": and starts secreting, but when the food doesn't move, the mucus backs up into your throat and mouth. You wind up have a huge mouthful of thick saliva (oh the bubbles you can blow! :-) )that must be spit out. Sometimes sliming precedes a PB, sometimes the food is just slow going down and you slime a little. Suffice it to say, it's worth a trip to the bathroom to spit it out.

WORD OF CAUTION: NEVER NEVER NEVER try to "flush" stuck food down with a liquid. It works on a regular body, but not the way we are constructed now. It is a recipe for disaster. Like throwing a gallon of Water into a clogged up toilet, it's gonna do nothing but sit on the clog and come back up.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[libra 13]

I think Kacee pretty much said it all.

It's nothing to be afraid of though. I actually do it almost daily (not exactly the poster child for the lapband, I know) Most of the time it's harmless and pretty painless. Occasionally, I do something really stupid, like pop a huge piece of doughy bread in my mouth, and I know I'm in for it. You live and learn with the band, and you find your place in what you're willing to tolerate as normal for you. Once you figure that out, you act accordingly.

[mae 0]

I had no idea either what this was. I am awaiting a May date for my banding and will keep all your PB remarks in my head. It sounds awful but my future goal is to take the weight off and I will do what it takes.

Thank you for all your input. This is the best site on Lap-Band and I now come here everyday.

[CaliforniaNurse 2]

Actually it is not really that bad. There is no stomach acid in it so it is just like chewed food. This happens to me sometimes when I forget to chew well or forget and drink Water with my meal. You sort of burp the food up and usually just excuse yourself to the bathroom and spit it in the toilet. You also feel alot better after.

[ConnieC 0]

Hi All;

I have heard everyone has their little signs they are full and to stop, burps, hiccups, ects....I guess mine is PB's, because everytime I eat too much, or somthing it does not like such as bread, potatoes, Pasta, ect.. its gonna come back up. Its not a major deal, I just take care of it and thats it.

Its not like throwing up, because its stuck in my esophagus and just slimes back up.

Connie