Question:
I saw small (tiny)specs of blood in my vomit. Should I be worried?

This is my first time vomiting since my operation 3 weeks ago and I haven't really been sticking to my doctor's strict post-op diet. I think I just ate too quickly, but then I noticed small specs of blood. Could I have done some damage? Please help.    — Jennifer R. (posted on December 18, 2002)

December 18, 2002
Since none of us are doctors I would recommend that you contact your surgeon's office just to make sure everything is ok, unless you have had other symptoms. I will bet that the tiny pieces are just "left over" from having had surgery on your stomach, probably nothing to worry about. But check with your surgeons office to make sure.
   — twenc

December 18, 2002
Call your surgeon and get back on the program.
   — Pat B.

December 18, 2002
I had a stricture at approx 3 weeks post-op and was throwing up so much that I began vomiting blood. It looked like coffee grounds so I hesitated before going to the ER. When I finally did, it tested positive for blood. I ended up having what was diagnosed as a Mallory-Weiss Tear. There shouldn't be any blood coming up from your surgery. And vomiting one time should not cause any damage. Could it be something that you ate that was red in color? It is something that you need to figure out if it keeps happening. Blood in your vomit is NOT normal. Hope you get better.
   — Cheri M.

December 18, 2002
Call your doctor, confess that you haven't followed instructions and get this seen about. It is critical that you follow your doctors instructions about eating in order for you to be safe and for your tool to do what you want it to, help you lose weight. This surgery is not a miracle cure that will allow you to eat anything you want and still lose weight. When you hear posters say they can eat anything, they usually mean anything healthy and almost always after many months post-op. Don't sabotage your surgery and endanger your health! Be careful. WLS is not something you can cheat on. You must follow the instructions. Even if you don't do life threatening damage, you can cause your surgery to fail to produce the weight loss it's intended to help with if you cheat. I hope you'll forgive me for scolding you, I don't really mean to and I don't want to hurt your feelings. I do want to impress on you the danger you can cause yourself if you aren't careful.
   — Teri D.