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Dumping for 4 days straight? Need advice.



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I am 1 week today post sleeve and hernia repair. Everything was great until Sunday. I had a few sips of a chocolate Protein Shake and OMG the stomach noise could be heard 3,000 miles away!! And 10 mins later running to the bathroom. So ok I had a dumping episode no biggie. But it has been going on for 4 days! I have literally had 2 Jello cups since Sunday and a lot of Water and propel. I know TMI but this is so bad I have to sit in the tub for 15 min to be able to walk. My below parts are raw, bleeding, and very angry. I have ruined sheets, bath mats, and 8 pairs of undies. Today I’m loosing my mental ability. I called my doctor and they totally blew me off and said sleeve doesn’t get dumping and you probably have a stomach bug. Ok but could you maybe see me? Nope. I have an appointment at urgent care today but they will probably be like woah this is beyond us! Any suggestions please. Thanks!!!!

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Omg! I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. It doesn't sound like dumping at all, but your surgeon shouldn't have blown you off!!! This does sound like a stomach bug, but given that diarrhea could cause dehydration since you're maybe not drinking too much now.

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Thanks for the reply much appreciated! Yeah my surgeon is not very nice and rather condescending. But he is good at what he does I guess. I wanted to get a general idea from the community who have been through dumping if this was normal or not. I have read forum topics about people who have gone in their pants (which is awful) so trying to figure out is it a bug, that came on after a classic dumping episode or a straight up bug??. I had all the classic symptoms of dumping on Sunday, heart palpitations, tired, etc. thanks again!!!

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I haven't experienced dumping, but generally it wouldn't last so long. And yes, a lot of surgeons have terrible bedside manner

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First, sleevers do dump. I’m a sleeve, and i dump on excess sugar. That your surgeon does not know this is possibly cause for concern…

Second, despite the fact that you are experiencing the classic symptoms of dumping, the fact that you have not really eaten (nor drank?) anything prior to symptoms would indicate its not dumping. As i write this, I wonder if you are drinking Protein Shakes? Perhaps you are sensitive to artificial sweeteners in them? Could explain this also if your Jello is made of the stuff?

But anyhoo, its good u have an appt with urgent care.

Good luck and hope you get to the bottom of it ❤️

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2 hours ago, HajEddie said:

I am 1 week today post sleeve and hernia repair. Everything was great until Sunday. I had a few sips of a chocolate Protein Shake and OMG the stomach noise could be heard 3,000 miles away!! And 10 mins later running to the bathroom. So ok I had a dumping episode no biggie. But it has been going on for 4 days! I have literally had 2 Jello cups since Sunday and a lot of Water and propel. I know TMI but this is so bad I have to sit in the tub for 15 min to be able to walk. My below parts are raw, bleeding, and very angry. I have ruined sheets, bath mats, and 8 pairs of undies. Today I’m loosing my mental ability. I called my doctor and they totally blew me off and said sleeve doesn’t get dumping and you probably have a stomach bug. Ok but could you maybe see me? Nope. I have an appointment at urgent care today but they will probably be like woah this is beyond us! Any suggestions please. Thanks!!!!

Sorry it’s been a rough week! Any resolution yet?

Yes sleepers can dump however it may not be dumping because dumping tends to resolve quickly not usually days long (unless you keep eating the offending foods)


Also Desitin or any diaper rash cream works wonders even for adults.

Edited by GreenTealael

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It could be a number of things.

You could have a sensitivity to something in the shakes. Are they dairy? Try non-dairy. Are they non-dairy? Try dairy.

It could be GERD. One of the symptoms when I'm having an attack of GERD is my stomach literally feels like someone's rubbing it against itself like they're trying to get a spot out. It makes the most revolting and embarrassing noise, and then I have chorro for a little while. You could take a pill or two (over the counter in the US) of Prilosec and see if it helps.

Or you could just be dumping. It does happen for sleevers, just not nearly as much as for bypassers or DSers.

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Thank you to everyone who offered advice and best wishes! Back from urgent care and as suspected doc was kinda at a loss. Super nice guy thou. He doesn’t think it’s a bug since I have no nausea and I’m not displaying other “bug like factors”. He did give me some medication to stop going to give my poor bum time to heal. Not sure if that’s the right course of action but just need a day to heal.
The artificial sweetener thing might be aggravating things. So I will stop that too. I guess that leaves plain ole water! Yeah! If this keeps going on and on my surgery doc is gonna have to see me wether he likes it or not! Thanks again everyone. This has been so helpful it’s like talking to experts!

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Try some Bone Broth or Soup so you’re still getting in some nutrition & fluids.

Dumping usually has cold sweats, heart palpitations, as well as vomiting, diarrhoea, etc. So a reaction to what you’re eating or a bug does seem most logical. Did they at least take a sample at urgent care to ensure you don’t have a bug? Did the recommend some Imodium or similar to slow/stop the diarrhoea?

Hope this resolves soon & you feel better.

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VSG people can dump, but it's not very common - it's much more common with the RNY. You get it from eating too much sugar at one sitting (or for some people, fat). It can cause diarrhea - but it also causes chills (or sweating), heart palpitations, rapid heart beat, flushing, and dizziness. And it doesn't last four days - more like a few minutes to maybe an hour or so. So I agree with the others - this doesn't sound like dumping. But I also agree that your surgeon treated you like crap.

Edited by catwoman7

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Hi, I just experienced something very similar last week after eating a fatty meat (Brisket). Pretty much immediately after eating, I had stomach cramps and an immediate urge to go to the restroom. That went on for two days at which point I KNEW it wasn't dumping. Pain was pretty knarly and I ended up in the ER when my docs office didn't have an appointment. One CT later and I was diagnosed with colitis. UGH - 8 days of bathrooms and antibiotics, I'm MUCH better. I was able to get some additional bloodwork done and see my surgeon's PA - She said while it wasn't "normal" to have an episode of colitis, the fatty food may have well set it off and that I shouldn't be overly concerned at this point as long as the pain was gone now, I don't have any addtional espisodes, and to expect my digestive system to get back to normal over the next week or so.

If you aren't feeling better soon, definitely do what you need to do to have additional testing done.

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Hi everyone thank you for the advice. Woke up this morning without running to the bathroom, yeah! I thought I would since the medication only lasts for 6 hours. I feel very bloated with some abdominal pain thou. But maybe that’s normal since the meds put the brakes on my intestines. I am so weak since I haven’t been eating and I appreciate the suggestion of Bone Broth from Arabesque and am sipping it as I type with fingers crossed. I think it is definitely surgery related, and not a bug. From the reaction to the meds to slow things down it sounds like everything was just going through my sleeve into my intestines at freight train speed. I am cautiously optimistic today that I will be able to consume more than just Water today. If anyone has any suggestions for other Clear Liquids to try it would be most welcome! Thanks.

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I second the possible reaction to artificial sweeteners. I told my best friend to try the twizzlers zero and she said they are the best laxitive she ever had. If the same sweeteners are in the Jello and your shake it is very likely that as your culprit. Glad to hear you got some medicine and some relief.

Edited by ShoppGirl

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19 hours ago, HajEddie said:

The artificial sweetener thing might be aggravating things. So I will stop that too. I guess that leaves plain ole water!

Make your own Protein Drinks. You can eliminate the artificial sweetener by using fruit to sweeten the smoothies. Add unflavored Protein Powder.

You HAVE to keep up your Fluid intake or you will be back in the hospital for IV fluids.

Consider the possibility that you have a stricture. Your surgeon should explore this possibility.

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3 hours ago, Sunnyway said:

Make your own Protein Drinks. You can eliminate the artificial sweetener by using fruit to sweeten the smoothies. Add unflavored Protein Powder.

You HAVE to keep up your Fluid intake or you will be back in the hospital for IV fluids.

Consider the possibility that you have a stricture. Your surgeon should explore this possibility.

although a stricture would cause vomiting - not diarrhea. At least that would be the case with RNY (I had two of them early out). I agree with what you said about fluids, though - and artificial sweeteners. Those give a lot of people G/I problems - esp sugar alcohols (those whose names end it "-itol" - like xylitol.

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