October 20, 2009

Food getting stuck and Pbing

Instead of typing up a whole blog post - I am just going to paste the email I sent to my local support group.

Here is what happened during my lunch date today with an old high school friend. By the way - PBing =Productive burping, which is sort of like a "sour" burp but there is no sour to it.

Well, I had my first major episode today with food getting stuck and sliming (or at least what I think sliming is). I met a male high school friend for lunch today at Moe's Southwest Grill. I ordered from the kids menu and got the Moo Moo Mr. Cow - it's a 4" x 2" burrito - filled with chicken, rice, black beans, salsa and cheese. It also comes with tortilla chips, but I didn't eat them.

I cut the burrito with a knife and ate it with a fork - taking very small bites and chewing, chewing, chewing. After my last bite I started getting the "stuck" feeling and knew that I had to start spitting my saliva or it was going to hurt more. I went into the bathroom for a couple of minutes and then came out. I told my friend that we needed to go sit in my car and talk for the rest of our lunch date because I needed to be near a cup to spit in. I was so embarrassed but luckily he knew I had the lap band and is very supportive (Diane - it was Dennis DePaul).
Normally things clear up within a few minutes when I have this feeling. This time around it hurt like hell for 55 minutes. We just sat in my car for the whole time because I was too weak and light headed from the pain to drive. I filled a medium size fast food cup half way with my saliva during that hour. He kept asking me what he could do to help and I said that I didn't know - that I thought time was the only thing that would help. So we sat it out. He was ready to bring me to the ER or to the doctors. I couldn't believe how long it went on. I did some pbing and they hurt so much. I also was getting the hiccups and they hurt also. It seemed like just when things were getting better, I would burp or hiccup and the shooting pain would start all over again.

So - my question is - is there anything but time that will make things better? Does walking around help? He suggested it but I knew that I needed to be near a cup to spit and I didn't want to do that in public.

I've been trying to figure out what caused it. I did get a fill two weeks ago and have noticed a considerable difference in this fill. I am finally feeling like I have the restrictions that I have been wanting. My portion sizes have shrunk a lot. I didn't feel full or that I was eating too much at the time. Do you think that the chicken, black beans or rice caused this? I'm thinking that I should start "testing" those food items individually to see if they might be the issue. I know that there are some lap banders that have a problem with rice and pasta.

If you have pbing and have had it go on for an hour - can you tell me what tips you might have used to lesson the amount of pain, if there is any. I really couldn't believe how long it lasted. I hope to never deal with something like that again.

3 comments:

Angi said...

It was probably the tortilla. I've found that any flour based products cause that result. Have to eat them really slow or not at all preferably. Next time order the burrito without the shell. That's what I usually do. They look at me funny, but it's less likely to get stuck.

Yes, walking does help some, but sometimes its just best to go to the bathroom and spit it up. Especially if it lasts that long. Oh, and drinking liquid after will usually just make it worse, so be careful about that.

Hope that helps!! :)

kt said...

I've had this happen to me and I don't have a band. I feel as though my esophagus lifts and dumps when it finally straightens out. I've been to the ER once. They suggest I have a scope take a look down my esophagus but, of course, I haven't done that. The last serious episode--the one that took me to APD was last Christmas. So far, I've been able to feel it coming on and I just try to relax and let the dump happen.

Tamra Augostino said...

KT,
I'm not a doctor but I would definitely have the scope done. I had a friend whose child was born without an esophagus and they had to rebuild him one. He used to throw up his food and/or get it stuck all the time. You might have a narrowing of your esophagus. I think they can put a balloon down there (while you're asleep) and stretch it out.
Good luck - I know how much it stinks to get food stuck.