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My face, just thinking about the foamies... Knowing How to get rid of the foamies after gastric bypass is an essential skill you'll need immediately. This is one of the ways that Post-Op Gastric Bypass and Gastric Sleeve are very different. I don't understand the foamies from the point of view of gastric sleeve. From what I've read about gastric sleeve foamies, the side-effects are similar, but your physiological make up is very different with these two surgeries. So, that's an important thing to understand as you do your research. I didn't have gastric sleeve. I had gastric bypass. And I'm very familiar with how to get rid of the foamies after gastric bypass. It's one of the many things you're going to learn about after Gastric Bypass surgery. And one of the side-effects of learning what you can no longer eat. Experiencing the Foamies is the new way you'll experience vomiting. Yep, I said the "V" word. So, what are foamies after Gastric Bypass and what are you to to about them? Let's talk some more about this real life thing that will happen. What Are The Foamies After Gastric Bypass Foamies occur when a post-op gastric bypass patient regurgitates a blend of mucus and somewhat broken down food that cannot pass through the stoma of the new pouch. This new way a gastric bypass patient vomits happens because you've eaten too much or you've eaten too fast and haven't chewed long enough. The food blocks the stoma, and the body responds by trying to make it slippery enough to get out of the pouch by filling the pouch with slimy, foamy mucus. It's a lot like when the garbage disposal is backed up, and everything goes back out the sink. Gross. "The Foamies" happen when we eat too much or too dense of foods, and the stomach tries to get it out. This is why the foamies after gastric bypass and gastric sleeve are very different. Gastric sleeve has a straw-like stomach that still has stomach acid that they might regurgitate. Gastric bypass patients should NEVER experience stomach acid when throwing up, because their natural stomach is no longer attached to the esophageus. Is having the Foamies like throwing up? No, the foamies are not like throwing up before surgery. This is unlike how you've experienced throwing up in the past. Because prior to surgery, your stomach acid, bile, and digestive stuff came up with the food. Since your natural stomach is no longer attached, that painful acidic stuff should never come up. If you are experiencing bile or stomach acid coming up, stop reading this and call your doctor's office now. It is normal for Gastric Bypass patients to throw-up the excess food. Five years out, I might still overeat because of a few different reasons. Maybe I'm eating a new food and am not sure how dense it will be or how it will sit in my pouch. Though more likely, I will get the foamies because I didn't plan my day well and ended up starving by the time I actually ate something. So, I ended up eating too fast. Especially with chips. My husband always gets this warning voice when he sees me with chips, because he knows what's coming. How To Get Rid Of The Foamies The fastest way to get rid of foamies is to expel all the offending food from your pouch. This might take practice, and there are a lot of people who would say don't do this because they think that this is going to damage their pouch. You can throw up everything in your pouch. It's not fun, it's not something I enjoy doing, but it's a good lesson in eating slower and being pickier about what you do eat. But, maybe you're just physically unable to expel anything or are really worried you'll do damage. What then? Eat Papaya Enzymes. These are something every gastric bypass patient should have in their house all of the time. They are only about $6 per bottle, but will be worth every penny when you're in pain. Do yourself a favor, click the picture or click the link here to get some in advance of your own Foamies. How Do Papaya Enzymes Help Get Rid Of The Foamies After Gastric Bypass? Papain is what's in Papaya Enzymes, which break down protein. Papayas are the only fruit with papain. So, you've probably never heard about this before Gastric Bypass unless you've been blessed with severe IBS or Celiac's disease. As you should be only eating mostly protein, this is a perfect solution. Especially with chicken, which usually sticks the most after gastric bypass. The Papaya Enzymes work SO fast, and is such a better option to trying to make yourself throw up. The chewable option is so effective, because once you swallow, the enzymes are already broken down into amino acids and ready to attack the food. I can't recommend this enough. I feel like it needs to be said, though - Don't eat Papaya, the fruit, when your food is stuck or you have the foamies - only the enzymes. You don't want to be adding food to that pouch pain, only the chewed up enzymes. HOW TO AVOID FOAMIES Take small bites. Dainty, fancy lady bites. So small that you're annoyed by them.Chew, chew, chew, chew your food! Chew it until it is liquid.Make sure your food is moist - I'm looking at you, dry chicken! A LITTLE bit of EVOO and balsamic vinegar, or some sugar free homemade Italian dressing on that chicken can go a long, long way to preventing it from sticking. Adding some guacamole to fish (I know, I'm a weirdo... but a healthy, happy weirdo), and mixing it up to make tuna salad will keep the fish from sticking. These actions, especially in the early months after surgery, will keep you from feeling the pain. WHAT TO DO AFTER THE FOAMIES ARE OVER - PREVENTING GASTROPARESIS OK, so we've figured out what are foamies after gastric bypass and what to do about them. So, now wen you experience the foamies, do yourself a favor and drink as much water as you can stand. You need to flush your pouch. What I experienced was after the foamies, my pouch would not empty completely. The left over food in the pouch would ferment, causing excruciating pain from the fermented gas. It literally felt like a chest burster from the movie Aliens was trying to get out of my body. I've had natural childbirth without pain medication, folks, and this pain is right up there next to that one. Flush your pouch with water. Don't think of it as drinking water to hydrate. Who cares about hydration right now? We've got to prevent the food from fermenting. I don't mean to fear monger, sorry if I'm freaking you out. That's not my goal. I just do not want anyone to go through this pain when it is so preventable. Drink water to flush your pouch after the foamies. Related: Your Fastest Guide To Gastric Bypass How I feel about the foamies...