Suggest Treatment For Severe Vomiting In An Elderly Person

Posted on Thu, 2 Feb 2017

Question: my 90 year old mother had an operation 6months ago her stomach was pulled up into her esophicus now she is vomiting whte clear stringy phlem /mucus but not the food.why?

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (33 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please give details and post old/recent reports.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query about your Mother, albeit very short.
To recapitulate: Female/90 - surgery 6 months ago - stomach pulled up into esophagus - now vomiting white clear stringy phlegm/mucus but not food - wants to know the reasons ...

Please give some additional information for me to have a bit clear picture and assist you better:
- Details of the disease for which surgery was performed at the age of 90?
- Details of surgery please.
- Do you mean to say vomiting white clear stringy phlegm/mucus even though has taken food?
- Any other history?

Awaiting for your details.
With Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (29 minutes later)

she couldn't hold her food down and vomited very often after eating - tests were done and showed that her stomach had ascvended into her esophagus - they did the operation to pull her stomach back down. but after the op she still had problems and the doctors didn't really have an answer to why other than it may take a little time- she later was able to hold her food down most of the time-when she did vomit it was food and sometimes phlem mixed with the food- she was 89yrold when she had the operation she is 90yrs old now- and yes even tho' she had taken food and vomited no food only the phlem she also has been drinking vitamin d regular milk- I only know of afew of her meds thamidal -sprynonlactone and metoprolol thank you.

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (24 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Lax lower esophageal sphincter associated with other changes.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feedback.
The history you have provided indicates that the lower esophageal sphincter might have been lax allowing the food to regurge or get vomited.
The phlegm may be the one swallowed sputum and secretion or may be there is altered mucosa in the lower esophagus that secretes mucus and hence seen in the vomitus.
Upper GI endoscopy, which she may not allow can tell the changes in the lower esophagus, is necessary to rule out any sinister problem.
The Surgeon will have to do the clinical evaluation and ask for investigations as per requirement.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar