Hellooooooo

So I'm one week shy of being 7 months post op, and for those 7 months I have avoided sugar like the plague except for some rare occasions where I was traveling and the European country I was in was famous for desserts that I would order and only have a miniscule bite of. On one occasion I got excited and had 3 bites and thought I was fine. 10 minutes later I started feeling extremely nauseous that I was almost dry heaving, I started walking back to the hotel and after 1 kilometer I felt much better so I guessed that was dumping! Not fun Yikes!

So fast forward this week, and it is that time of the month and I was craving some chocolate, so I picked a 72% dark chocolate square which I had with a few roasted cashews (to manage the blood sugar spike) and guess what? 10 minutes later I am extremely nauseous and queasy that my skin was crawling. I was at my desk and got up and walked back and forth but to no success. It lasted a good half an hour/40 minutes and it only fully subsided midway through my Pilates class.

Does this happen to anyone? The chocolate square barely had any sugar!

Will I ever be able to have a little fun? A tiny slice of cake for my birthday? Ice cream? Anything? I don't crave sugar anymore but I like to taste things and take bites here and there especially when I'm travelling/out for a nice meal (which is often).

Edited July 10, 20242 yr by Lilia_90

I also have the extreme nausea and then vomiting. It IS dumping syndrome. Please see the information below.

https://draxe.com/health/dumping-syndrome/#:~:text=hypoglycemia symptoms. (3)-,Common Signs and Symptoms,becomes difficult because of the discomfort that follows soon after.,-Causes and Risk

Common Signs and Symptoms

The initial signs and symptoms of dumping syndrome occur right after eating a meal, especially if it’s high in sugar. Symptoms may include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal cramping and pain
• diarrhea
• bloating
• dizziness or feeling lightheaded
• weakness
• flushing (blushing)
• sweating
• wanting to lie down after meals
• increased heart rate

The rapid movement of fluid into the small intestine causes dumping syndrome symptoms like abdominal distention, cramp-like contractions, bloating and diarrhea. One of the most important clinical clues for doctors who are making a diagnosis of dumping syndrome is profound fatigue after a meal, with a need to lie down.

When your body releases large amounts of insulin in order to absorb the sugars that have entered the small intestine, your blood sugar levels drop. This drop causes the following symptoms of late dumping syndrome:

• weakness
• sweating
• dizziness
• rapid or irregular heart rate
• flushing
• confusion
• hunger
• aggression
• tremors

Early dumping syndrome is the most frequent type of dumping syndrome. It may occur alone or in association with late symptoms. Sometimes dumping syndrome cannot be separated into two separate episodes. This is because early dumping symptoms blend into late dumping symptoms, seeming like an entire disease spectrum. In other cases, early dumping symptoms resolve before late dumping symptoms develop. Or, a patient may only experience late dumping symptoms. (4)

Dumping syndrome can also lead to emotional symptoms. These symptoms may include anxiety and apprehension about eating, as the consumption of food and fluids becomes difficult because of the discomfort that follows soon after.

On 7/12/2024 at 6:01 PM, JennyBeez said:

I want to echo the possibility of reactive hypoglycemia -- I've a relative who suffered a long time before they figured out what it was. But it sounds pretty similar.

The problem is, I feel like the symptoms of so many things are similar. If you're suddenly having 'low tolerance' (rather than outright intolerance) of lactose, or cacao, etc, it could manifest in the same way.

It might also be a pre-cursor to dumping? Like your body telling you "Heck No, Stop RN!" before you have enough of something that would trigger a full-out dumping attack. I've had awful dumping syndrome four times now post-OP, but have had near-misses several times that I catch the warning signs early enough on that I'm able to prevent it. (I really have to get better at knowing what constitutes 'dry' food. Broccoli & Cauliflower steamed or in broth? Fine. Broccoli or cauliflower in a thicker creamy Soup? Just kill me already. This is why I stick to leafy veg and green Beans lol.)

I think this is could be the closest thing to an explanation! Thank you.

On 7/13/2024 at 12:01 AM, JennyBeez said:

I want to echo the possibility of reactive hypoglycemia -- I've a relative who suffered a long time before they figured out what it was. But it sounds pretty similar.

The problem is, I feel like the symptoms of so many things are similar. If you're suddenly having 'low tolerance' (rather than outright intolerance) of lactose, or cacao, etc, it could manifest in the same way.

It might also be a pre-cursor to dumping? Like your body telling you "Heck No, Stop RN!" before you have enough of something that would trigger a full-out dumping attack. I've had awful dumping syndrome four times now post-OP, but have had near-misses several times that I catch the warning signs early enough on that I'm able to prevent it. (I really have to get better at knowing what constitutes 'dry' food. Broccoli & Cauliflower steamed or in broth? Fine. Broccoli or cauliflower in a thicker creamy Soup? Just kill me already. This is why I stick to leafy veg and green Beans lol.)

This sounds like the foamies not dumping. Food that is too dry or coarse or if you eat too much or too quickly will set off the foamies. Sometimes a food sensitivity can set it off. Food gets stuck or you’re over full. Can start with coughing or throat clearing, runny nose, maybe your restriction or a tightness, extra saliva & then maybe bringing up the excess thicker saliva & finally maybe regurgitating the stuck or excess food. It usually passes quickly once the food is brought up or moves down. The symptoms are triggered more in the upper tummy region so simply put everything (the offending food, saliva) moves upwards until maybe or eventually vomiting/regurgitating.

Dumping occurs by eating foods with too much sugar or high fat that passes rapidly into the intestines. The symptoms are triggered from here so simply put everything moves downwards so maybe or eventually diarrhoea.

Ugh, I definitely get the foamies from time to time (nice to know there's a word for it!) but a few times it's developed into all-around nastiness: sweating so badly my skin is wet and I soak all my clothes, bad cramping, concurrent vomiting & diarrhea, dizziness, and basically wanting to die LOL. I just assumed it was dumping, but none of those times have occurred with sugar -- and I'm pretty sure none of them were due to high fat content cause I've been ridiculously careful about that. (Other than the chicken, which was thighs cooked with skin on -- removed before eating though.)

That said, most of the time it's also been with food cooked in a restaurant so who knows what kind of things they put on that they just weren't admitting too. At this point, I'm too scared to eat out other than at a few restaurants I know I can trust. :S

48 minutes ago, JennyBeez said:

Ugh, I definitely get the foamies from time to time (nice to know there's a word for it!) but a few times it's developed into all-around nastiness: sweating so badly my skin is wet and I soak all my clothes, bad cramping, concurrent vomiting & diarrhea, dizziness, and basically wanting to die LOL. I just assumed it was dumping, but none of those times have occurred with sugar -- and I'm pretty sure none of them were due to high fat content cause I've been ridiculously careful about that. (Other than the chicken, which was thighs cooked with skin on -- removed before eating though.)

That said, most of the time it's also been with food cooked in a restaurant so who knows what kind of things they put on that they just weren't admitting too. At this point, I'm too scared to eat out other than at a few restaurants I know I can trust. :S

I think with restaurants that you almost have to tell them that you have an allergy to get their attention. They don’t care if you just on a diet. They still want it to taste good.

Lillia, I had the exact same thing happen to me. And like you, it was at the 7-month mark (I'm now 10 months post-op.) I was very surprised by it because I'd gone 7 months without dumping or anything like it. But I felt the exact same way you did. Same symptoms, totally. It would take about 10 minutes to recede, and then I was fine. I've had it happen two times only. But my cause was different from yours. In my case, what caused it was overloading my stomach by eating too much too quickly. I felt my esophagus sort of seize up as if it were screaming at me, "Stop it, you idiot!" And then the dry heaving and just feeling like I was going to vomit, but did not. Anyway, just letting you know you aren't the only one it happened to.

11 hours ago, JennyBeez said:

Ugh, I definitely get the foamies from time to time (nice to know there's a word for it!) but a few times it's developed into all-around nastiness: sweating so badly my skin is wet and I soak all my clothes, bad cramping, concurrent vomiting & diarrhea, dizziness, and basically wanting to die LOL. I just assumed it was dumping, but none of those times have occurred with sugar -- and I'm pretty sure none of them were due to high fat content cause I've been ridiculously careful about that. (Other than the chicken, which was thighs cooked with skin on -- removed before eating though.)

That said, most of the time it's also been with food cooked in a restaurant so who knows what kind of things they put on that they just weren't admitting too. At this point, I'm too scared to eat out other than at a few restaurants I know I can trust. :S

I can end up all sweaty & flushed in the face when regurgitating with the foamies. Even developed petechial haemorrhages after one particularly harsh experience. (There was something stuck down low & my body struggled to bring it up.) Wasn’t pleasant.

Edited July 16, 20242 yr by Arabesque

Thankfully I had only a couple dumping episodes over the course of a year. Both involved sugar. A small piece of birthday cake. It tasted wonderful but I paid the price with stomach cramping and spent the entire night running to the bathroom. I never had heart palps or nausea with it.

I think we all have varying degrees of symptoms. It was miserable enough not to test it again. I can eat a piece of cake now on special occasions if I forego the frosting or make a sugar free cake/frosting.

Nausea was more of a problem for me post-op. It wasn't from eating stuff not allowed or eating or drinking too fast. For me it was a texture thing. When I got to the whole food phase my tummy wasn't having it. Meat and raw veggies were the worst for me sadly enough. I was craving a cold crisp salad so badly by that point. But just because I could now have it, didn't mean that I was going to eat it. I backed off and waited by drinking and eating my softer foods for awhile longer, then reintroduced the denser foods later on. Ground beef, beans and protein drinks became my go to for a long time. I guess my tummy just needed more healing time.

I still struggle with certain meats and veggies. But over time it's gotten easier to consume without the nausea and happens way less often. I still keep a supply of barf bags with me wherever I go though. Just in case. ?

Edited July 16, 20242 yr by BabySpoons

i dump. and its always from ingesting too much sugar (for me), or eating something with sugar on an empty stomach. sometime it's from ½ a ice of cake, sometimes from 2 spoonfuls of ice cream, sometimes its from a single sip of a high-sugar-content cocktail.

it always starts with an increased heart rate.

from there it may progress to lethargy, dizziness, nausea and/or sweats. could end there or even progress further to vomiting and/or diarrhea. the final boss stage it can get to is me just passing right out. which i honestly prefer because then im not suffering at all. but not so much fun for Mr. as he's the one that has to carry me to bed (which he has done a few times in the past almost 6 yrs).

luckily much of the above doesn't happen as often as it used to cuz im better at regulating my sugar intake. but sometimes life happens, and i'm presented with a beautiful slice of pie or something...and well, u know. lol.

p.s. im a sleeve

I get this same feeling when I eat ice cream. It took a couple times to finally say NO MORE. It will happen with cheesecake as well. It’s either the milk or the fat I guess, for me. I eat cheese and it doesn’t bother me. Knocks me down for about 40 minutes. Sometimes I take a nap and then feel better.

I have severe reactive hypoglycemia my blood sugar goes up over 220 even with even a protein shake then 1-2 hours later drops dramatically it has dropped as low as 38. With blood sugar I slow down and appear confused, but no pain. Dumping I am sweating and doubled up in pain. Luckily I don’t get dumping often.

On 7/22/2024 at 5:03 PM, Kat said:

I have severe reactive hypoglycemia my blood sugar goes up over 220 even with even a Protein Shake then 1-2 hours later drops dramatically it has dropped as low as 38. With blood sugar I slow down and appear confused, but no pain. Dumping I am sweating and doubled up in pain. Luckily I don’t get dumping often.

What do you do for the reactive hypoglycemia?