Question:
Could my problem be eating too fast or something else?

2 days ago I had some chicken, and ate a piece of skin, a no no, then about 20 minutes later I got a burning pain in my chest, with lots of burps, and white foamy stuff trying to come up. The pain came in 5 minute intervals. I had to spit constantly. I also threw up lots of white mucus or something. This was an AWEFUL experience, lasting about an hour. Today, I ate a 2 shrimp and a little angel hair pasta, a few minutes later the same thing happened, also lasting an hour. I am so afraid that this will happen again. I chew my food well, and I think I eat slow, but my husband said I ate too fast. Is this a sign of eating too fast or could it be something else? I dont want this to happen again. Help!    — Laurie L. (posted on December 22, 2001)

December 22, 2001
I had the exact same problem up until two weeks ago. I had that god awful pain and spitting up after almost every meal. I finally realized that I was eating too fast. I now eat with those little seafood forks and chew really well. After I swallow a bite instead of immediately reloading my fork I sit for a minute and let my tummy start digesting that last bite. I haven't been sick once since I started this routine. I hope this helps.
   — vbenedict0208

December 22, 2001
I also tend to eat very fast and this happens to me alot. That is the foam backs up. And this almost always happens when I eat chicken. "Chicken how I love thee despite the pain I have to go through when I eat you". lol Anyway it could be the chicken. I think I can not tell the "Full point" with chicken so I "overeat" it??? Then the foam starts backing up and I've learned to "just go in the bathroom and throw it up" and quit suffering. If I'm lucky I can do just enough to relieve the painful presure. Sometimes it all comes up. I don't do it to purge, only to stop the physical pain that eating "chicken" almost always does to me. (I love bar b que chicken at the church dinners but I pay dearly for eating it.) I suspect your problem IS the chicken. But it could also be the pasta in the other meal you mentioned. I've found that chicken, bread, and ANY products that have "flour" in them, do the "foamy thing" and just before the foam is the PAIN. But by the time the pain hits, it's to late to prevent the foam so I have to bring up some of what I ate to stop the pain.
   — Danmark

December 22, 2001
Isn't good to know you're not alone with your problems? I, too, am a lifetime race-eater, and this is my main nemesis. Since I can only speak to my own experience, although I think I'm eating slowly, my stomach doesn't. I am now eating with one eye on the clock, a meal is supposed to take 20 minutes so that my stomach has enough time to tell my brain that it has food in it. I find it that it's one of those things that's simple, but not easy, certainly for me. Keep smilin', Margie B
   — Marjorie B.

December 23, 2001
You didn't say how far along you were. I am only 6 weeks and haven't experienced this quite as bad. I I throw up a "meal", I get mucous. But the nutritionist at my surgeon's office refers to the white foam as "frothing". Many people experience this in the beginning. Fortunately, I am not one of them. Look up "frothing" on the site and find out what causes it exactly.
   — Dianne K.