Question:
what are foamies?

   — Laritza10 (posted on November 4, 2009)

November 4, 2009
There are some foods...mostly chicken that don't digest well and the stomach pouch protests the second you begin to swallow. This will be pressure, discomfort and etc. It might be the greasy animal fat or really dry, over cooked meat like chicken or fish. What you may end up throwing up is a wad of mucus foam. Gross. Sorry. You will feel so much better after. It can be quite painful to have this pressure so avoid dry meats, too much meat or animal fat like fried chicken skin. I've had one episode. Never again. I though my husband was going to have to call an ambulance...all over one piece of fried chicken. Be careful. Nibble a little to see what you can tolerate and then if you can proceed you are good to go but at the slightest discomfort...stop and eat something else.
   — jana11

November 4, 2009
TRUST ME YOU WILL KNOW IT WHEN IT HAPPENS!.I forget sometimes to chew chew chew and when it gets stuck it can be painful or just very uncomfortable.when i did it i had to cough real hard to make myself get sick and whola! i felt 100% better,it don't take too many times doing it before you learn your lesson on not chewing or eating something that doesn't agree with you.best wishes.
   — carolyn1970

November 4, 2009
OH god.. i think i had it then and yes it was after eating chiken... i felt soo bad.. my husband had to stop the car and i was just throwing that stuff up// eww!!
   — Laritza10

November 4, 2009
as Carolyn said it very well...you will know when it is a coming down the track...best thing is to head for the porcelin and be ready..it is usually when something doesnt agree with me. Chicken..yes at times....just never know when it will hit.You will be ok.
   — alaskaman

November 4, 2009
OMG besides chicken mine was toast! I was dying for a poached egg (ok) on toast and made it the other day.I thought I was going to DIE!!! So no more bread more me... and that's a killer! I also cannot eat steak anymore - chew chew chew and pain in my lap-band pouch! Good luck.. don't let it hurt for you!
   — LinnieJean

November 4, 2009
OMG! You will know it when it happens. My first & only time was after eating a piece of pumpkin pie (I was stressed & wanted it so bad) it got stuck somewhere between my throat & pouch. I had unbelieveable pain for about 10 min then all of a sudden I started to cough & this YUCKY mucusy fluid started coming out of my mouth. It came out for about 15 min. I did feel better afterwards but felt really off for days. I think it was from the sugar. I was 4mos out from surgery & down 80 lbs. I doubt very much if I will test the sugar thing again. Its not worth it! Susan Gisondi
   — suegis

November 5, 2009
The "foamies" actually refer to the thick saliva you begin swallowing after food gets "stuck". The saliva that you would normally swallow and which would then go through the stomach and into the intestine can't follow it's normal route because you've got "stuck" food in its way. So, when you throw up, the first thing that comes up is that saliva that you've been swallowing, and it looks thick and foamy. That's why it's called "the foamies". Any kind of food can get stuck, and you'll know it right away. I'm eight months out, and I'll STILL occasionally get "stuck" food. Last week, for two days in a row, I had "stuck" food and had to go throw up. One day, it was really tender beef tips in a nice gravy. Either I didn't chew it well enough, or I ate too big a piece, or I ate it too fast.... no matter, it got stuck. The next day, I went to an Indian restaurant, and had a bite of vegetable pakora, and same situation...either I ate it too fast, didn't chew it well enough, or ate too big a piece. But after adding more bites of food on top of it, I knew I was in trouble. The three rules to avoid "foamies"... 1) don't eat anything larger than the size of your little fingernail. 2) Chew it at least 30 times or until it disappears on its own. 3) Don't eat too fast. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach (pouch) to recognize that it's full. And remember, you are eating "volume" - not actual ounces. Depending on how far you are out.... you should either be eating what will FIT in a two ounce container, or what will FIT in a 3 ounce container, or so on. I'm eating what will FIT in a 4-to-6 ounce container now. And it RARELY actually weighs the same amount as the container indicates. Good luck to you in stopping your "foamies".... but at least you're not "dumping". Foamies might not be comfortable, but they say with "dumping" you are sick for hours, and you NEVER want to be that sick again.
   — Erica Alikchihoo