What to do when dumping?

[aferrenberg 0]

I'm wondering what people do to ease the symptoms of dumping? I know it's best to avoid, but it happens and when it happens, I feel like I MUST eat. Low blood sugar and my body wants to fix it. Should I eat and if so what? Anything anyone found to help?

RNY 14 months out.

[KimTriesRNY 1,853]

If you are getting late dumping...or reactive hypoglycemia, keep something quick on hand to raise your blood sugar. I keep fairlife chocolate milk in my fridge. It is higher in sugar and carbs but also has some Protein in it. I drink it as soon as I start getting heavy sweats, which is my first sign of low blood sugar.

Once I drink some I feel better in 15 minutes.

[catwoman7 11,278]

I have reactive hypoglycemia (RH) (but not dumping - that is controlled by limiting your sugar intake). To control RH, my PCP suggested I eat some Protein - or something along with protein - every 3-4 hours to keep my blood sugar stable. It seems to be working - it's really cut down on my "episodes".

[ummyasmin 1,603]

In the Diabetic world we call them hypos. The difference is usually a timing thing. If you're dumping pretty soon after eating, try and lie down and take it easy for a little bit. If it's more than an hour after eating, your blood sugar may have dropped too low (due to increased insulin response to the sugar you ate earlier). In those cases, I do a spoonful of honey or juice or if I'm out and about I've even done proper (not diet) Coke. You need a bit more sugar in your blood but not too much or you'll start the cycle all over again.

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[elcee 3,343]

The general advice for a hypo ( non wls ) is to have something that is high in sugar and easy to absorb, liquid is better than solid. So orange juice, high sugar cordials etc ( avaoid carbonation). Alternatively foods such as honey or jam also wok quickly. Then once the person appears to be returning to normal it should be followed up with a good quality, low gi carb e.g a banana or whole meal bread sandwich.

Obviously for wls patients i imagine the recommendations would be a little different . However it is still important to raise and stabilise the blood sugar.

[mousecat88 2,281]

I have seriously wondered this myself. If the dumping is causing low blood sugar due to the increased insulin pumped in, it would make sense from a diabetic viewpoint to have something a bit higher in sugar to counteract it. But, given our new anatomy, wouldn't that be unproductive and maybe even exacerbate the problem? Like adding fuel to the fire? Because it isn't going to be absorbed and digested like it would in a non-WLS diabetic.

[jasmineinmymind 204]

On 11/29/2018 at 1:45 PM, mousecat88 said:

I have seriously wondered this myself. If the dumping is causing low blood sugar due to the increased insulin pumped in, it would make sense from a diabetic viewpoint to have something a bit higher in sugar to counteract it. But, given our new anatomy, wouldn't that be unproductive and maybe even exacerbate the problem? Like adding fuel to the fire? Because it isn't going to be absorbed and digested like it would in a non-WLS diabetic.

This is exactly what I want to know. If dumping is insulin issue why would a person not have some kind of medication available to counter it? Like Ive heard of people suffering up to 10 hours and it seems like there must be some remedy for that? Im talking about dumping right after eating

[Frustr8 7,886]

I seem to remember glucagon somewhere in the equation. Not 5hinking on a cylinders mys3lf this morning or I would have deduced it all for myself. If Christmas was a Hard-Candy Christmas , today I feel like I have a non- alcoholic hangover, at least what others have said a hangover feels like, nauseated, headache from Hades and don't give a flying flip about much of anything.Is that describing it? Seems like just drinking something light in the Bad Old Days worked, but what works on a remodeled body like we now have? Not even weak warm Decaf tea sounds good.

[mousecat88 2,281]

I asked my surgeon if having sugar would help when dumping and he said absolutely not. That it would make it significantly worse and is different than diabetics with low blood sugar. Just lay down and riiiiide it out. Best thing for it.

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[KimTriesRNY 1,853]

1 hour ago, mousecat88 said:

I asked my surgeon if having sugar would help when dumping and he said absolutely not. That it would make it significantly worse and is different than diabetics with low blood sugar. Just lay down and riiiiide it out. Best thing for it.

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There are two types of dumping, and late dumping is usually also referred to as reactive hypoglycemia.

I wouldn’t recommend riding out a blood sugar of 35 or so.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dumping-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20371915

Edited December 29, 2018 by KimTriesRNY

[mousecat88 2,281]

There are two types of dumping, and late dumping is usually also referred to as reactive hypoglycemia.
I wouldn’t recommend riding out a blood sugar of 35 or so.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dumping-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20371915

Yeah, I know. I asked specifically about the hypoglycemia... he said to never add in more sugar because it will make it worse in bypass patients. *shrug*

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[KimTriesRNY 1,853]

57 minutes ago, mousecat88 said:

Yeah, I know. I asked specifically about the hypoglycemia... he said to never add in more sugar because it will make it worse in bypass patients. *shrug*

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So your surgeon said never to treat a low blood sugar? What did he suggest to do if your blood sugar was low?

I was at work a few weeks ago and had a blood sugar of 45. I had to go drink some juice and followed that with my chicken breast I had brought for lunch.

Good luck to you if you become severely hypoglycemic and decide to do nothing. I hope someone is around that can call 911.

[ummyasmin 1,603]

There's different types of dumping. If you eat something sugary and in a very short time you feel flushed, nauseated, want to lie down etc. then I wouldn't add sugar to the equation because it will make you feel worse and exacerbate the problem. I'd go find somewhere quiet to rest and ride it out.

If, on the other hand, you haven't eaten something for a while, after having something carbish a few hours ago, and you start to feel irritable, shaky, can't concentrate etc. then having a *small* amount of immediate release glucose (eg a couple of jelly Beans, a small glass of juice) will treat the hypoglycaemia. Perhaps he only calls the first thing actual dumping.

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[Hop_Scotch 1,634]

i have a friend who was experiencing late dumping following bypass, from what I recall her dietician advised her she still eating too much carbs. She said she was a moderate carb eater and once she went lower/low carb the dumping improved.

I have no experience as bypass is not my procedure but was interested in finding out more (upon reading this thread) so went looking as to what caused late dumping and what could help. Some sites said the same as my friend's dietician, one mentioned the vagus nerve.

From the following website:

https://bariatricsurgeryco.org/bariatric-surgery/bariatric-surgery-risks/dumping-syndrome/

Late stage dumping syndrome, which occurs 1 to 3 hours after eating, consists of hunger, fatigue, dizziness and lightheadedness, and feeling like your muscles are made of jelly. It is caused when sugar makes your body produce too much insulin, which drives your blood sugar down below normal levels. Again, the key to avoiding late dumping syndrome is to avoid sugar or high-glycemic-index foods and increase your dietary Fiber content.

[elcee 3,343]

1 hour ago, 2shea said:

i have a friend who was experiencing late dumping following bypass, from what I recall her dietician advised her she still eating too much carbs. She said she was a moderate carb eater and once she went lower/low carb the dumping improved.

I have no experience as bypass is not my procedure but was interested in finding out more (upon reading this thread) so went looking as to what caused late dumping and what could help. Some sites said the same as my friend's dietician, one mentioned the vagus nerve.

From the following website:

https://bariatricsurgeryco.org/bariatric-surgery/bariatric-surgery-risks/dumping-syndrome/

Late stage dumping syndrome, which occurs 1 to 3 hours after eating, consists of hunger, fatigue, dizziness and lightheadedness, and feeling like your muscles are made of jelly. It is caused when sugar makes your body produce too much insulin, which drives your blood sugar down below normal levels. Again, the key to avoiding late dumping syndrome is to avoid sugar or high-glycemic-index foods and increase your dietary Fiber content.

I think most people know what they are supposed to do to avoid it but noone is perfect and slipups happen. The issue is how to resolve it when it happens.

Low blood sugar is dangerous whether it is caused by being diabetic or as a result of surgery. It makes sense that something is needed to lift the sugar levels immediately eg orange juice and then food needs to be eaten to keep the levels stable. Generally those would be foods containing complex carbs, fiber etc.