Hi. I am fast approaching my surgery date and I would like to hear some thoughts on the following.

I have been working toward surgery, losing around 40 pounds over the last year. I try to avoid or limit sweets but I have a real sweet-tooth and will occasionally have a SMALL treat. NOT EVERY DAY, JUST SOMETIMES. I know we are supposed to avoid any sugary sweets once I've had the surgery. But I was wondering:

1. If you were to eat something sweet, will you always have dumping?
2. Do you find some sweets safer than others? (e.g. a bite of dark chocolate versus a bite of Ice Cream)
3. Do carbs (like from the dough in a slice of pizza) behave the same way? (I realize there are 2 types of dumping).

I am thinking I will never be able to have a bite of chocolate, ice cream, cake, donut, waffle, pancake, maple syrup, honey, etc. EVER again (without horrible dumping). I find that hard to imagine giving up. The prospect of giving up these things or have crippling dumping syndrome as a result of eating them as the most onerous things about the surgery.

Obviously, this is a lifestyle change and I cannot expect to eat as I once did, but not even a bite of chocolate once in a while?

Signed: The nervous sweet tooth

p.s. BariatricPal inserted the links in the text above, not me.

It is likely that In a few months you could enjoy these things smaller quantities.

im 6 months post and am able to enjoy most of those things, much smaller serves than previously. The thing is to focus on nutrition first, sweets later. The biggest difference is I don’t want them unless I’m struggling with something else and using food as a crutch, so I try to understand what’s happening and redirect myself

Thanks for the info Pearldrop! You have a Gastric Sleeve, right? I am going to get the Gastric Bypass which increases issues like dumping, etc. so I wonder if my experience would be radically different than yours.

I have a sleeve, so I can speak to dumping, but I can say that it has been easier than I thought to avoid sweets. I thought I was going to be obsessed with candy and dreaming of sweets all day long, but that hasn't been the case. Your tastes will likely change.

I had RNY 03/17. I occasionally eat sweets. I don't dump at all. I ate 1/2 slice of cake 2 days ago. Absolutely nothing happened. For some reason I wanted the dumping. I thought it would help me stay on track. Though I don't dump I'm still very careful of what I eat. I don't want to go back to the old habits. I also consciously watch my carb intake

I haven’t had the op yet so can not say with any authority but I think sweet foods are less likely to cause an issue if combined with other foods such as protein and fibre. Quantity probably also makes a difference.

So eating a chocolate bar as a mid morning snack probably wouldn’t be a good idea but having a bite of chocolate at the end of a meal ( if you have space) might be ok.

I occasionally eat sweets and do not dump.

I have had... a few pieces of chocolate, a home made cupcake, a few homemade cookies, a small piece of red velvet cake...

Naturally I do not eat these items in the quantities I did before surgery but I have a sweet tooth myself and I refuse to never have a small treat around a holiday, birthday, or special event.

Life is to be enjoyed after all. ?

There's tons of stuff that mascaraed as sweets like chocolate chip cookies that are actually high protein low carb substitutes. Look on Amazon.

Approximately 30% of gastric bypass experience dumping, so it is not common. It can usually be controlled by avoiding the food (almost always sweets) that causes dumping.

I’m only 2 months in and have not experienced dumping. I’ve managed to stay away from most sugar but have had Halo Top frozen treats, max fruit popsicles, and non diluted juice with no problem.

Never accept that you are a sour lemon drop, you are high-quality, you are a Pink Starburst!???

Thanks everyone! I am leading up to my surgery next week and fighting the last minute (or week) cold feet and jitters.

I’m 13 months past RnY. Sugar doesn’t give me the dumps, but I get the sweats and the mouth slimeys and I feel terrible. I have found that chewable vitamins (calcium chews, multi, vitamin C) and sugar free popsicles help with the sweet tooth. I can have a bite or two of baked sweets, but I usually pay for it after and tend to avoid it now. Carbs only get me in a bunch when I drink too much liquid after.
It is a good thing for me.
You’ll have to see how your body adjusts to the surgery. Everyone is different and you may lose your sweet tooth or be just fine.
Good luck!