Dumping Syndrome

I experienced the same symptoms for many months. It does get easier - a friend and I had the op at the same time. She had no problems and I had them all. The diarrhea does eventually ease off. There are triggers like tea and coffee. The eating and drinking thing gets easier too. It used to be about an hour between them but now it can be done at a much closer interval. I found eating cheese seemed to slow down the bowels.... you may find a food that binds you up a bit too.

Found this interesting bit of info after researching gastrectomy.

If you would like to read to whole article.............
http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/g/article/gastrectomy/?print=1

Dumping syndrome

Dumping syndrome is a term that is used to refer to a set of symptoms that can affect people after a gastrectomy. It is caused when particularly sugary or starchy food moves suddenly into your small bowel.

Before having a gastrectomy, your stomach would have digested most of the sugar and starch. However, after surgery, your stomach is no longer able to perform this role, so your small bowel has to draw in water from the rest of your body in order to help to break down the food.

The amount of water that enters your small bowel can be as much as 1.5 litres (three pints). Much of the extra water is taken from your blood, which means that you will experience a sudden fall in blood pressure. The drop in blood pressure can cause symptoms that include:

•faintness,
•sweating,
•palpations, and
•you may need to lie down.

The extra water in your small bowel will also cause symptoms such as:

•bloating,
•rumbling stomach,
•nausea,
•indigestion, and
•diarrhoea.

If you experience dumping syndrome, you may find it useful to rest for between 20-45 minutes after eating a meal. You can also ease the symptoms of dumping syndrome by:

•eating slowly,
•avoiding sugary foods, such as cakes, chocolate, and sweets,
•slowly adding more fibre to your diet,
•avoiding soup and other liquid-type foods, and
•eating smaller, more frequent meals.
Most people find that the symptoms of dumping syndrome improve over time. Only 5% of people still experience symptoms of dumping syndrome a year after having a gastrectomy.

It should be temporary - while the valve is not removed during the sleeve op, peristaltic action is diminished for quite a few months. Therefore the stomache no longer massages the food through but opens the valve.

Sooner or later normal peristaltic activity resumes, you can eat a bit more, and sugar doesnt hit duodenum in a rush - thats how the surgeon explained it to me. YMMV.

Think I have a agree with the conclusion here.

I for one, never eat anything sweet on an empty stomach!!!

FYI- a very recent article regarding dumping syndrome and the sleeve

Symptoms Suggestive of Dumping Syndrome After Provocation in Patients After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.
Tzovaras G, Papamargaritis D, Sioka E, Zachari E, Baloyiannis I, Zacharoulis D, Koukoulis G.
Source
Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Viopolis, Larissa, 411 10, Greece, gtzovaras@hotmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Dumping syndrome is a well-known complication after upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery. There are scarce data in the literature about the incidence of dumping after bariatric operations but, certainly no relation between this syndrome and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has been attempted.

METHODS:
We conducted a prospective clinical study in order to evaluate the potential presence, incidence and severity of Dumping syndrome after LSG. Thirty one non-diabetic morbidly obese patients (eight male, 23 female) eligible for LSG were evaluated. Median age was 38 (22-58 years) and mean body mass index (BMI) was 45.55 (±5.37). The diagnosis of dumping syndrome was based on clinical provocation of signs and symptoms using an oral glucose challenge before and 6 weeks after the operation. The Sigstad's dumping score was estimated in order to separate dumpers from non-dumpers, and the Arts questionnaire was completed to distinguish between early and late dumping. Moreover, blood glucose levels during the oral glucose challenge were measured.

RESULTS:
No patient had symptoms of dumping after provocation preoperatively, whereas after LSG 9 patients (29%) experienced definite dumping and other 5 patients (16%) symptoms suggestive of dumping syndrome. Arts' questionnaire demonstrated that dumping occurrence after LSG was associated with early symptoms. Late hypoglycaemia occurred in one patient.

CONCLUSION:
A significant proportion of patients after LSG experienced dumping syndrome upon provocation. It seems that LSG should no longer be considered as a pure restrictive procedure, and it might be an option for heavy sweeters by changing their food tolerance patterns.

Although I realise there is a bit of debate about this, I think I have it. Self diagnosed, of course, but with some informal medical opinion (ie talking with my dad over tea). I have terrible runs, up to 7 or 8 times a day. I have reverted to only being able to eat a few mouthfuls and then feeling extremely full, and vomiting has returned. My stomach is going crazy gumbling all the time, and I'm burping again like I did at the start after the op, after every mouthful of food. I have looked at the info and feel that I'm doing everything that they suggest. I am probably guilty of drinking too close to meals, but with the symptoms comes unquenchable thirst, I'm guessing due to the fluid loss. I have been shaky alot, originally thought it was due to my thyroid meds. If anyone else has some general advice I'd love to know...I'm feeling extremely miserable at the moment, as this has been going on for about 3 weeks, really bad for the last 2 weeks. Gotta run back to the loo again :S

I enjoyed reading the recommended site, thank you for the link.

Zoe

hey Pippa
I think u recommended this site a while ago...I linked it from your page (maybe...?)
anyway what I wanted to say was that this site recommended 3 cookbooks (which also have great info on pre + post op eating) I purchased them and they arrived last week have been trying lots of recipes and love it...will actually post some on the forum, I'm sure there is a recipe section... but thanx

I'm changing the topic name of this one to make it easier to find xox

Hi Guys - after being told today that my palpitations and tiredness after eating were due to dumping I thought I'd better do some research. This site is really useful for what to eat, when to eat and how to eat after surgery - with reasons for and against some foods.
Bariatric Diet, Bariatric Eating, the Top 5 Long-Term Success Factors and 12 Tips to Keep You on Track
Reviewed by Nancy DeLuca, RD
http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/bariatric-diet.html
"Life after surgery" is very interesting too.
I'm going to print this out so that I have it to hand easily - may stop me eating the wrong stuff and get me into good habits.
Have a good evening all xoxox
Pippa

yes if you know what casues it stop it, heheehhehe

I have experienced this its awfull and im not a spewer, just cant do it, doesnt work fingers everything, no luck, so i totally avoid sweet stuff, lollies, actaully it was skittles ...never again

Ive had a few episodes of this! Its horrible i come over in a sweat and start to become short of breath, then I get really bad cramps to the point where I cant move, the I feel the need to vomit! Most of the time once I vomit I feel better but it is a very horrible feeling! Especially when your out with friends and need to rush home! Now i know what it is thats happening to me! I have learnt not to eat sweet things. I spoke to my doctor today and said it will eventually get better. But don't eat those things and it wont happen! haha

Whatever you want to call it, I have experienced it a few times and certainly is not nice. Each time I have experienced it I have also put it down to bad diet. MOstly too much sugar.

On all occassions I have sat on toilet with bucket. Uncontrollable convulsing, Sweats, dizziness, heart racing and awful pain in the gut.
It certainly is a deterent of the food that makes you feel that way.

Max

I

I've had something similar, but would have just called it a "sugar rush"....

I have also had this 'feeling' after eating a small piece of Tirimisu. Within about 5 minutes I felt nauseus, heart was racing and became all sweaty. I agree totally with the link below which says When food (especially sugar) moves too quickly through the stomach, it is “dumped” into the small intestine.

Hi Mappy :)

That was a great link honey...thankyou

I didnt actually feel the need to go to the loo...just felt like vomiting, shakes, heart racing etc....I think its a great thing actually whatever it is cause I have not eaten those two foods again...lol I am sooo not game...mine may have been that I ate those foods too early on on the post op stage as I havent had anything like it for months now and can eat anything (but try to avoid dairy stuff)

Thanks for that link, Mapmar - very interesting, and confirms my opinion -and my doctor's - that what I experienced several times after surgery was, indeed, dumping syndrome.
And it also refutes what Apple has to say - sorry, Applesauce, I know you're very firm on this point, but there are other opinions and/or "facts" that differ greatly from yours.

once again applesauce thanks for your opinion.

I think a lot of people get "dumping" and having to go to the loo "quickly" confused as well...... that is where irritable bowel comes in..... you can eat something and "it goes straight through you".... ie food intolerance not dumping......

I just found this website which explains a bit...... hope it helps people...

http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/dumping-syndrome.html

It is actually really important not to attribute false info with the sleeve.
Also important to use correct terminology for the same reasons.
False info gets out there and it is so hard to turn around misconceptions.

Dumping syndrome may be enough to turn off someone.
Shame if they thought dumping occurs with the sleeve.

it isnt an opinion it is a medical fact. dumping is NOT a bunch of syptoms it is the dumping of food into the intestine to fast something that can NOT occur when you have a sleeve because the bit that allows that food to dump into the intestine is NOT removed.

No matter how much somebody wants to label a bunch of syptoms they might experence that seems similar to dumping there is NO way on this planet it can be dumping it is that simple. Now all the medical profesionasl in the world can get together and discuss the syptoms all they like but the reality is they are just being lazy if they label it dumping because dumping is an actual physical reaction that occurs in a body that has been modified in a way that a sleever has not and never will be.

If people want to disagree with my attitude that is fine, but to disagree with a 100% correct medical fact just because they want a label to put on how they feel is pretty silly when it just can not be what they want to call it.

applesauce

Its great for you to have your opinion apple sauce, but i have to agree with shortsleeve : )

It "could" be assoicated with irritable bowel syndrome..... we see a lot of people who eat certain foods that "go straight through them" etc..... There are a lot of dietary problems that are associated with the bowel......

Its OK shortsleeve...I was waiting for that :)

I'm OK with how it was explained to me, by rights it should not happen as they have not removed our sphincter during the sleeve provess...I am however quite happy to wait to see what the medical field find in relation to it all...obviously there is talk amongst the surgeons and their dieticians to investigate it all further

OMG applesauce................thanks for the information but take a chill pill gurl!!

Applesauce, have to agree with what you are saying.

Isn't dumping syndrome association with gastric by-pass??
There is no where for the food to dump with a sleeve, we still have all our bits!!

I am nearly 8 weeks post-op have had no trouble eating anything, no nausea, no vomiting or near vomiting, nothing