dreamingofasleeve

I am 3 months post sleeve tomorrow. I experience regular dumping, and it's a bit hit and miss as to what food has caused it. I try to eat very slowly, and I avoid all sweets, lactose and carbs
I usually start feeling nauseous, then break out in to a cold sweat. I feel overwhelming tiredness, as if I could lay on the floor wherever I am and sleep. About 20 mins later I have explosive diarrhoea. Occasionally I will vomit as well.
It's pretty unpleasant. 🤢

I have experienced it a few times, but never on the same thing twice. Once you experience it, you will be gun-shy ever after. Dumping Syndrome is something only people who have had some sort of gastric related surgery, but even someone who has never had surgery can experience the symptoms.
A drastic spike in blood sugar or fats can cause mild symptoms in an otherwise normal person. However a person who has had surgery on their stomach; not just WLS, can dump. Drooling, sweating, vomiting, explosive diarrhea... all the greatest hits! For me, it was a Protein coffee drink. It was just a frappacino with a scoop of protein in it. So it had all the fat and sugar that Americans seem to love in their "coffee". I'm sure my family member meant well, but it ended in tears.

I am a sleeve patient and dump with liquids or liquidy soupy food. Sometimes a Protein Shake will do it, and it isn't necessarily tied to sugar, fat, carbs for me. I get heart palpitations and am very drowsy. No bathroom problems. It sucks!

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I have the nausea, the sweating, and the overwhelming tiredness, but not the vomiting or diarrhea. It’s always triggered by too many carbs and/or too much sugar. And it sucks because all you can do is wait for it to go away.

I'm new, as in I just received my insurance approval a few days ago. I'm to see my doctor 5/8 to schedule my surgery. Dumping syndrome terrifies me, I'm going to do my best to stay away from foods/drinks that might cause it, but man I feel like I'm headed to the Upside Down. Lol.

Had anyone who had the sleeve had dumping syndrome?
If so do you know what caused it?
This is a fear of mine post surgery.

Sleeve folks typically don't dump.
The closest i've come...is eating WAY too much sugar around the holidays...and getting a little nauseated. Had to have a big glass of Water, and felt better in 15 minutes.
Bypass people dump. It looks incredibly painful. They sweat and look like they feel horrible.
Sometimes I sorta wish I had a worse reaction to sugar. I love it...and it's a really bad choice. Easy old habit to fall into.
But yeah...no dumping with sleeves for the most part.

My understanding is, dumping happens to about 25% of bypass folk. It happens because on our surgery, the new small stomach outlet is reconnected into the intestine maybe 70-80cm down the small intestine - in a sleeve it remains connected at the top (start) of the small intestine. That difference is why a bypass is ‘malabsorbtive’ - you restrict both the stomach volume capacity AND the intestine absorbing capability. So in a bypass sugar goes through the small tummy and ‘dumps’ into a spot well down the intestine - in a sleeve, this doesn’t happen.
I have had it twice and it is awful - sweating, bad nausea, then diarrhoea - 45 minutes to pass. If I have a smaller volume of sugar, I can have ‘dumping lite’ - I feel very sleepy and yawn a lot and maybe fall asleep for 20 mins.
But - I am never tempted to try a chocolate bar!!

Dumping sucks the big one!

I had bypass and do not dump.
For better or worse it is up to me to not eat things I should not.

I've never dumped yet, but I steer clear of things with added sugar. If I do have something with added sugar it is less than 5grams per serving, typically. Its just not worth it.

About 1-2 years after my ex husband had his bypass (R&Y) he had serious issues with his gallbladder & required emergency surgery. That said, he wasn’t that bright & brushed off a lot of symptoms.

I KNOW!!! Im getting closer! Just have to keep doing what they want, and that is ok cause i would much rather get the surgery locally.
I will! thanks for the support! This community is so nice!

That is so good to hear! I feel like being in that +-10lb range is pretty normal and ok i feel like most "normal" people chase that range of weight!
plus 10 pounds is doable if you are managing it at 10 and not 100 that is amazing!
Glad to hear you haven't had many side effects! I haven't had any issues with blood sugars but i am glad it is manageable after the sleeve!
i cant wait to be on the other side of this!
Congrats on getting your life back

Oh ok ill have to ask my surgeon about it when i talk with her!

Crazy i didnt even notice haha! I am going to have surgery at Bingham Is is the only other hospital in idaho that is a MBSAQIP Accredited Weight Loss Center other than ST.lukes!
I dont have a date yet Still doing the song and dance for insurance!

That is so good to hear! I feel like being in that +-10lb range is pretty normal and ok i feel like most "normal" people chase that range of weight!
plus 10 pounds is doable if you are managing it at 10 and not 100 that is amazing!
Glad to hear you haven't had many side effects! I haven't had any issues with blood sugars but i am glad it is manageable after the sleeve!
i cant wait to be on the other side of this!
Congrats on getting your life back

I will be four years out from sleeve surgery this June. Maintained at 130's first two years easily. My third year I had a gain 10 to 15 pounds. I got it back down. Maintaining for me is chasing the same 10 pounds up and down the scale.
My health is fantastic, Type one pre surgery my a1c is in the non diabetic range. I'm in the best shape of my life, I am making up for lost time.
Only one small complication. Reactive hypoglycemia ( Low blood sugars ) Its manageable with food. I've been managing my blood sugars all my life so this is nothing new.

There’s a medication called Actigall your doc can prescribe during the loss phase if your gall bladder is fine now

No I understood what you mean, the post ops don’t tend to hang around on the site past a few years!

I had my gallbladder removed several years before my WLS so I’m not a good one to ask on that!

Thank you so much! sorry i worded that weird i totally didn't mean people wern't maintaining their weight loss i meant people that had met goal and are in the "maintaining phase"
That doesn't sound too bad, as you've said you shouldn't eat those anyway! i am glad to hear you are doing so well 5 years post op!
One question do you still have your gallbladder?

Sorry that isn't what I meant I should reword this.
I meant people who are in the "maintain" phase we're they are at goal weight and just trying to maintain the weight they want. Haha Should have read that before I posted. I have seen a ton of people do so well also! Just wanted to see some people who were out of the fist year or so!

Thank you ! You CAN do it!!
I had both my gall bladder and appendix removed at the time of surgery, as my surgeon felt it would reduce the risk of issues later. I'm not sure if that's abnormal ? I'm grateful though.
Good luck!

Have you had any long term side effects from wls? What procedure did you get? I haven't really been able to find anyone who has stuck around in the community for longer than a year or two. Does life feel normal again?.

I'm actually new here - I came looking for information about some Vitamin supplements, but I'm glad I found this ! I had VSG ... the only long term side effects so far have been new onset GERD (just started within the last year and a half or so) and anemia (tried every kind of Iron supp. - eventually came to the conclusion i just need annual iron infusions). The anemia may not be related, but my hematologist does blame the sleeve for it. My only concern the older I get is whether I'm getting enough Calcium (and whether I'll end up with osteoporosis). I can't find a lot of studies on that. I would love if anyone had information on the % of people who have long term bone issues after VSG.
Life feels absolutely 'normal' .. though I'm not sure if that's just because it has become the new normal for me over the years. I can eat fairly normally (much smaller portions than most people of course), though there are still bad days. Every now and then, I'll feel sick or even throw up after just a bite or two of something that I can normally eat fine. It happens rarely enough that I don't feel like it hinders my daily life. There are certain foods that I absolutely don't handle (eggs, for instance ..unless cooked into something.. so sad about that one), but I know that and stay away. Biggest change since surgery has been my sugar intake - more than a couple tiny bites of something even now (ice cream, candy, jelly/jam, Cookies, etc) makes me feel absolutely awful.
I can still go out to eat - I just order a side/app or bring leftovers home. I don't completely stay away from carbonation like I've seen many people talk about .. but it hasn't prevented success and it doesn't make me feel bloated, gassy, etc. Calorie counting has long since gone out the window - how much and what you eat everyday to maintain becomes a habit - you'll know if what youre putting into your body is going to mean you have to exercise a little more or choose better at your next meal.
The last thing - never a day since my surgery have I regretted this decision. It was the catalyst we all hope it will be - the push needed to get off my butt and start living and being healthy. Once I started exercising, eating better, seeing the weight drop off - I started noticing a significant change in my mental and emotional health. Not only did I become physically healthier - my mind starting keeping pace. It is so true that when you start loving yourself, you can really start loving and appreciating everything else in life! (BTW - not that I didnt love myself prior to my weight loss--we should ALL love ourselves anyway .. we are beautiful regardless of our weight, but its a different feeling that blooms when you start feeling accomplished, confident, and proud of yourself).
Please dont hesitate to ask more questions! I hope this made sense -I kind of rushed through it before having to go to work.