SLIMING (UGGGGGHHHH)

Hello,
 I just wanted to know if anyone can help me figure out this whole sliming thing? It's like I slime every other day. I'm not throwing up my food, its just large amounts of saliva (ugh I know). What could be the problem? I have said to myself maybe I'm not eating to small of enough bites? How much are u suppose to typicallly be able to eat? For me it seems like I CANNOT eat in the morning . Thats def a no no! I can drink liquids but no solid foods. Am I doing something wrong? I have been filled 3x's Im not sure how much I have in my band my last fill was about 3 or 4 months ago. I am still losing weight I can eat but its just seems like certain times in the day where its just tight or i can only get a bite or two in. I hate this sliming feeling its kinda embarrassing because when I go out with ppl i dont want to eat in fear the slime will come (LOL).Also, It usually feels like if I can burp I would be able to have some relief ,but the burps are few and far between. Should I try taking something like Pecid or zantac before I eat so my food can digest properly? Any info would help. Thanks guys....P.S  I still love my band I'm down 100lbs and my anniversary is in November :)

I can tell you whay it's happening and maybe you can figure out if you can make it stop.

For some of us, the very presence of that band restriction can be perceived by the brain as a blockage of food (or something) in the esophagus on its way to the stomach.  The brain says, "Oh.  It needs a little lube...and sends down bit of gooey (disgusting, mucousy) slime.  That backs up even further up the esophagus and the brain says, "Oh?  We need more?  Here it is!" and it sends LOTS of goo in to save the day.

In MY case, even water or a soup spoon of soup could confuse the brain into this response.  And, in my case, it was not a resolvable problem.  I would have to give up food or the band.  At first, I did what most people do, which was to move to more and more satisfying (fattening) full liquids...because I couldn't eat solids.  (The infamous LapBand Soup and Ice Cream Diet.)  But then it happened to me (but that is not to say it will happen that way with you) that even those "full liquids" cause the same response.

This is NOT an all or nothing deal.  You MAY be able to find a happy place where your body does not interpret the restriction as a blockage.  You may not.  If you can work around it, good on you.  If you cannot, do not wait forever to decide where to go next, because you won't lose much weight on the LapBand Soup and Ice Cream Diet and your esophagus may get damaged in the meantime.

Sue

Oh...and you might try chewing food into an unrecognizable pulp and taking tiny bites very, very slowly.

Thank you so much for that info. NO i def dont want to be on all liquids and bad foods for the rest of my life (LOL). I can eat ,but its just at diffrent times in the day that seem to be more tight than the others. I have a dr appt on the 11th so maybe they will be able to let me know whats really going on. thanks also for the advice on small bites I just ate some tuna and I am fine.

It is well over 5 years since I ate first thing in the morning. My band is not any way too tight, the rest of the time I can eat all foods and very rarely have any issues at all. But breakfast - no way.

I just have an enormous skinny latte which gives me about 10 gm of protein to start the day, and then I eat later on.

Being tighter in the morning is very common.

If it is happening a lot at other times, have you tried noting down if it relates to specific foods? Or perhaps to things like eating with others when I find I sometimes swallow too hastily so I can join in conversations. As Sue says, for some people it cannot be resolved but there are lots of things to try before reaching that conclusion. Basically, it should not be happening regularly.

Kate

I have had the band for more than 3 years now.

I also experienced the sliming thing, initially.  When I would get that slimy-feeling, I always sought out gum.  Chewing gum seems to stop the sliming instantly for me.  Nothing else does the trick.

Also, I finally figured out was that prior to eating, I have to have a warm\hot beverage.  The warm beverage seems to open the band a bit.  It is the only way that I have been able to eat a breakfast.

Hope these two tips help...