Question:
Why am I throwing up a foamy white phlem after I eat? I am 2 months post op from an

RNY. I have recently been throwing up about 4 days out of the week. I take small baby bites but how small is small enough? I get a lump in my throat and then throw up anywhere from 1-4 hours after I eat. I also get heart burn and throw up from that. Does anyone have any advice for this situation? I am getting tired of always throwing up. thank you for your help.    — Kristy (posted on March 12, 2006)

March 12, 2006
I threw up until I was 8 weeks post op. It really helped when I chewed until things were liquified. I thre up when I didn't chew enough.
   — bettya

March 12, 2006
May not be the size could be what you're eating.
   — the7thdean

March 12, 2006
I have had the sames issues. I went 7 months with no problems at all then I had a string of 4 strictures. The exact things that happened to you happened to me. It is important that you see your surgeon. If it is a stricture, it takes about 8 minutes for them to clear that area. good luck
   — Steve Cohen

March 12, 2006
Hi there! I am almost 4 weeks postop and thank the Lord I haven't had any issues with vomiting. My surgeon recommends drinking hot decaf tea before every meal. It must work, because I have never had the white foamy stuff. Try it and see. I pray that everything works out. God bless! Tamara
   — Tamara J.

March 12, 2006
If I don't chew things small enough, I throw up also, but prior to that i get that foaming stuff up first. The food is stuck, i know when it takes hours to actually vomit. I am 4 1/2 years post op.....i know when something is lodged...i drink a small amount of soda and i am fine then.
   — Roxy

March 12, 2006
I had the same problem. Its called Frothing. And it stopped at about 2 months.
   — jengriggs01

March 12, 2006
Hi. I would call my surgeon's office and talk to the nurse about what is going on and see what they say. In the meantime, I am wondering if you are eating too much at once. Try to eat half the amount and wait and see how that feels then about 20 minutes later eat the rest. I never have heartburn- I didn't prior to surgery. That is why I feel you should call your surgeon's office and explain what you are going through. That is why they are there. My surgeon's office is awesome and they WANT you to call about everything dealing with my gastric bypass. Good luck. ~ Jenna
   — jstatkus

March 12, 2006
I do the same thing and I am 3 and 1/2 months post op. My doctor said that we produce more syliva now and when we eat sometimes that will happen. Mine is a lot better now I only do that every once in a while.
   — ree

March 12, 2006
I'm 2+ years post-op. That still happens to me sometimes. It is form 1 of 2 things: either I don't chew good enough and a piece of food gets caught in my pouch or I eat that one bite too much and it makes me foam and eventually throw up. When I was a new post op & for the first 6-8 months I happened quite often. Now it only happens less than once a month, usually when I'm with friends dining, enjoying myself and not paying attention to my eatting. It does get better, so hang in there and pay careful attention to what youeat, how you chew and how much you eat. Marj in WA
   — MarjN

March 13, 2006
If you eat "to much" it will happen. You are more than likely, OVEREATING.
   — Danmark

March 13, 2006
I too used to get this all of the time. I called it the 'foamies'..lol It was like spitting up foam balls. I noticed that it was when I would either eat too fast, eat too much or didn't chew well enough. It was my body's way of telling me..CHILL OUT!!! When this happens again and you actually throw up...pay attention to what comes back up....it may be too much food or bigger pieces. Oh I forgot...this also happened if I ate something that didn't aggree with my pouch....like pasta or rice. It is so much of a 'trial & error' type game so we just really need to pay attention and see how our pouches react to different thing. I wish you luck in figuring it all out. You are still relaly early post-op and will master your pouch before you know it. I am close to 2yrs post-op and this only happens once in a while now. It used to happen at least 1x a day while I was trying to get used to eating slower. With having 3 kids at home I was so used to eating so fast to get it over with to move onto the next task...I still forget sometimes but it will be a thing of the past before you know it. Congrats on joining the losing side. Take care, Julie 265/183/142/130 H/L/C/G size 22/24-size 6/8
   — J. Stinard

March 13, 2006
I am 3 months post op and this still happens occassionally. For me, it is eating too much. Unfortunately, I'm still on that "learning curve" and sometimes eat one bite too much and it triggers this. I have also noticed that some foods are tolerated so easily, while just an ounce or two of others disagrees with me. The frothy foamy stuff is all that additional saliva your body triggers when your stomach says "outta here!". Try eating less per sitting. Keep chewing a lot and keep eating small bites, too!
   — LauraA

March 13, 2006
I am now 12 weeks post RNY and sometimes that still happens; usually with new foods that just don't want to get down....Dr. put me on Prilozek and it works wonders....haven't had an episode in weeks since I have been on it....good luck and eat slowly as well...
   — ash1218

March 13, 2006
just be careful no to get dehydrated I did from throwing up and ended up back in the hospital with IV fluids.
   — sunnie

March 13, 2006
I had the same symptoms at 3 weeks post-op (I am now only 4 weeks post-op) I Had a stricture. I had an EGD last tues. they opened my pouch from 1mm to 12mm, and things are great now. I wish you the best of luck!!!
   — Kim M.

March 13, 2006
Hi there I am almost 4 years post op and every once in a while. I get the throwing up of the white foamy stuff too. It is always b/c I ate to fast and didn't chew my food well enough. I feel "backed up" to my throat with the food and all of the saliva that goes down just from regular swallowing eventually comes back up exactly like you describe. Unfortunately I don't throw up the food until hours later either. Hang in there. My advice would be to be sure you are chewing really really well b/c the opening is small and when something gets "stuck" this might continue to happen. As you get more comfortable with eating you can fall back into the habit of eating to fast and under chewing your food, so try and be vigilent about slow eating and you should be fine. Good Luck to you. It can seem a really long road at times but believe me it's WELL WORTH THE TRIP. Penny RNY 7/2002 300/153
   — pcollin4

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