Regurgitation of Phlegm after food

Hi Rich

Well done on getting this far, and I hope your recovery goes well for you.

May I ask what PPI dosage you're on? I finished treatment last February 2024, and have been clear since. However, as I am on a study I have regular checks still, and in December I mentioned that I didn't think my Omeprazole 20g twice daily was doing much. I didn't spit out phlegm (sorry to be graphic) but did get a bit wheezy and drippy nose after eating sometimes, and was told this indeed is due to reflux. My endoscopy also showed up that although all was healthy, there was a bit of nuisance phlegm there 

Apparently I was on a very low dose for what we've been through, so she upped it to 40mg twice daily, and the change is huge! No more reflux, it's fabulous!

I would therefore suggest perhaps mentioning it to your team. I feel heaps better. I still get a bit of an 'acid' feeling at times, as though fluid is just sort of 'resting' there, but a Gaviscon tablet usually sorts that out too. It does take a bit of digging around to find what works, I've found.

My nurse also said there are much stronger PPIs than Omeprazole, but she wouldn't prescribe 'the big boys', as she called them, unless there were serious reflux issues. So there is medication to help, don't suffer with it, or worry. Good luck

When we went to see my dad's consultant last time we spoke about how he can be sick after food at times and how it's more phlegm then actual sick. Apparently, this is expected as it's comes from the stomach. I read alot of people suffer from this. He said due to the oesophagus and stomach being fragile it's kind of like a reaction and causes bile to rise. 

We felt more assured that it's nothing sinister but doesn't take away from how horrible it is for you all as when my dad has these bouts it's like he's retching .

Finding the right foods that will be more tolerable to the stomach has helped my dad. 

Hope you are ok x

Hi Rich,

It’s great to read that you’re at this stage of recovery. 

I’m 7 years post opp and I have and still do from time to time suffer with the symptoms you speak about. 
Over time this does get easier and as other people have said, speak to your team there’s other ways of dealing with this problem to a more tolerable level such as anti sickness increasing or even decreasing your PPI’s

Phlegm is produced for a number of reasons, you’ll find your body can over react to simple things like food because it’s not normal for your stomach or food to be so high in the chest and the rest of your body especially the brain doesn’t know so will start to protect its self.

simple things like drinking more water or drinking it more often could help you ease your symptoms. 

I hope you get it sorted soon. 

Hi Nicky, Kayle’s and Clive. 

Thank you all for your lengthy replies I hope you’re all doing well, sorry about the late reply from myself I’ve only just seen the messages. 

I was beginning to think it was just a problem I was experiencing from something other than the operation but seems like it does happen, it’s really weird. Like Nicky says after some food my nose starts dripping which I presume it ends up going down my throat and my stomach is confused or can’t handle the amount and I end up bringing it back up. It’s like it just sits there ontop of everything. It doesn’t help when I pickup a bit of a cold does anyone else have this experience? 

I had spoken to my surgeon about it and he has recommended a stretch of the pyloric sphincter is it not sure how this will effect anything ! 

Regarding my PPI’s I have now switched to lanzoperzole from omperazole, im now on 30mg in the morning and then 30mg of the evening and it does seem to be doing something atleast. 

Many thanks, Rich.

Hi Rich,

You are on exactly the same PPI regimen as myself. I also occasionally take Peptac (like Gaviscon) during the day if needed. Occasional bouts of reflux is my main digestive issue now. Hope the lanzoperazole does the trick. CB