I throw up after I sing Opera?

Question:I just started taking opera lessons and I find that when I go home to practice I throw up or gag after I do my exercises and sometimes during. I drink hot tea before but I do not know how to stop this.. :S I know that clearing my throat and throwing up can cause strain on my vocal chords so I have no idea what to do? Is this normal? What can I do? Does clearing your throat really harm you bad?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I just started taking opera lessons and I find that when I go home to practice I throw up or gag after I do my exercises and sometimes during. I drink hot tea before but I do not know how to stop this.. :S I know that clearing my throat and throwing up can cause strain on my vocal chords so I have no idea what to do? Is this normal? What can I do? Does clearing your throat really harm you bad?

Could you be swallowing air? The other possibility is that you are tensing up the wrong muscle. When I get stressed I will sometimes tense up my stomach muscles unconsciously and give myself chronic heartburn for a day or 2 until I realize what I'm doing. As soon as I relax those muscles, it's gone. I would suggest practicing tensing different muscles in your abdominal region (when you're not singing) so that you learn what they feel like and you can tell (when you ARE singing) when you are tensing the correct ones for airflow and not any extra muscles which might put strain on your stomach.

ask ur doctor it sounds serious.

that is a good question i am taking regular singing lessons and i don't throw up u should ask ur doctor about it

You're not supposed to clear your throat.
You REALLY aren't supposed to throw up. It's ridiculously horrific for your vocal chords. You're stripping all the natural lubricant off your vocal chords every time you throw up.
It might be the tea you're drinking, maybe? Try drinking tons of water before, during, and after you sing.
You may be aggitating your gag reflex with the excersises?
If you're doing things like lip drills or gutteral anything, you may just have a really strong gag reflex.
You might just not be doing them correctly though. =/
Do you throw up at the dentist?

I throw up when I hear Italian opera. Maybe it's related to that.

I throw up when I have to listen to it!...

Hmmmm. Do you find yourself light-headed after you practice? You could be hyper-ventilating. Sometimes that makes me throw up.

You should tell your doctor, or at least your vocal teacher. Also, I'd be very concious of the muscles you tense while you sing.