what is this about pineapple juice?

i was just talking with my sister who has just started her research and is "so glad I am having it first because if it sucks, she's backing out" lmao.  NIIIICE.  Anyways, she told me that she had only come on here once, but saw something about pineapple juice being a cureall when stuck?  Says a sip of pineapple juice will fix it in most cases?  I had never heard of that, anyone know anything about that?! 

I have never tried it, but have heard that a sip of room temperature pineapple juice can help to break up the stuck item.  It has something to do with the enzymes in the juice.

note to self...add small can of pineapple juice to the list of must keeps in the house for emergencies! 

Papaya Enzyme

Just a word of caution,  whenever I drink anything when stuck - it makes the situation worse. In the alternative, you mention getting canned pineapple juice -  it is my understanding that the enzyme is destroyed by the canning process, so fresh might  be better.  However.....using enzyme tables has been the subject of debate on the boards whether or not the enzyme in fact is effective for this purpose.  There have been studies that prolonged use can damage your esophagus.

I'ld like this thread to continue because I would like to learn more about this subject.

i'm with you! I drink anything and It is just worse and most times will come back up instead of waiting it out and then it will move on down. I'm usually done either way. Phyllis

yeah i have no idea where she saw it on here, but she swears up and down that it had a whole thread on it...i am going to do a search....

Ok... so I have been on OH.com for 3 years now... never have I seen a thread about pineapple!  Granted, it could have been one day that I missed that she saw.... Papaya tablets are used by some but there is no way I would use it!  Also, stuck episodes... they do pass on their own (or almost always pass on their own).  Drinking when stuck is a major no no (can cause the pressure to get worse and promote vomiting which you don't want either).  The amount of papaya enzyme (papain) you would need to take to break up a piece of meat (for example) would be more than that little tablet would carry.  Also, if you are refluxing the food a bit at the bottom of your esophagus, papain can eat away at it if exposed long enough.  In time, that could cause major problems.  Pineapple juice has a similar enzyme called bromelain. It is my belief (and that of many doctors) that using something like these enzymes (a meat tenderizer) on a modified stomach is risky.  I do all I can to baby my stomach!  Learning to chew well and slow down (and taking it slow after a fill) is the best thing you can do for your band/stomach/esophagus!

Hi, I am de lurking -  I first heard about the pineapple juice on another forum.   I went online to find something quick b/c I had a piece of steak stuck in my band for a good hour. I was completly obstructed and threw everything up continually for that whole hour or more.  I honestly thought I would have to go to the er and either get a scope to get the damn thing out, or get an unfill. I was a relatively new bander and had never had anything remotely stuck like this before.    So ask (online) sent me to lapband talk  and they answered my post.   Yup pineapple juice or meat tenderizer in warm water.  I had no canned pineapple in the house at the time but did have a fresh pineapple sitting on my counter so I cut it up and pulverized it in my cuisinart.   Then I put it in the micro for a few minutes. I took small spoonfuls at a time, and within 20 minutes that damn piece of meat moved through the band!   It felt like someone was pulling it through at the time and it did  hurt (just a tad).  But the pineapple juice did work.  I actually could feel the food dislodge and move.   I guess the acid in the juice breaks down the enzymes in the food that is stuck.  There is also a pill that you can dissolve under your tongue.  I cant remember the name of it...... but it sounds really gross.  I will stick with the pineapple juice... oh papaya juice will work also. Edited to say that needless to say I learned my lesson and have not gotten stuck so badly that I need to use any of this stuff.   I will tell you though that I do always have a can of it in the house.  In fact the same can that I bought is still sitting in the pantry to this day.   All I have to do is look at it and it reminds me to chew my food well.  I cannot tell you the terror I felt when I could not get that meat out.  Also the humilation of the projectile vomiting on my patio in front of my neightbors ( it was memorial day) is enough for me to not want ro EVER have to go through that event again.  My neighbor was traumatized and still teases me to this day about it.   Gina