Dumping and Choclate, Please help.

I heard about the dumping sydrome, with eating choclate, is this permanent? Do we have to go the rest of our lives without eating cholcate and pizza? I am not a big choclate eater but I would like to know that in the future, not right away, that I can have choclate again in my lifetime, also can people still drink diet soft drinks. thanks for your help. Tori

The dumping affects some people but not all who have WLS. It is not triggered by chocolate, but by the refined sugar in the chocolate. I would expect that after some time most of us would tolerate SF chocolate well. By the way, there is an excellent chocolate protein powder called unjury that you can mix with low fat milk. It tastes just like chocolate milk. It is available at www.unjury.com As for pizza, some people have similar reactions to white flour. If you eat it with a whole wheat crust, you probably will be able to enjoy it. For a while the fat in the toppings might be a concern as well. The real issue with these foods, in my opinion, is that with a smaller capacity for eating, we must make sure we get our nutrients in first. Pizza may work into that, but it is hard to justify a 4 oz MEAL of chocolate candy, even if we don't dump. (Personally, I will count myself lucky if I do). Joy (3/1)

I can only tell you what I've read about the soda, diet or otherwise. My surgeon absolutely forbids soda - forever - period. The thought is that the carbonation will expand your pouch. I've read that on many, many sites. My own pcp used to nag me constantly about drinking soda. When I was running in on my lunch hour to get weighed or have a blood test, he'd look at the diet soda in my hand and say, "When are you going to stop drinking that sh*t? Don't you know that stuff is going to kill you?" I love that guy. Anyway, he explained to me that the liquids that hydrate you are absorbed through the colon. Water is easily absorbed. Things with caffeine are not easily absorbed which is why you can get dehydrated, even if you're drinking a lot of soda or coffee. Since it will be tough enough to get all of our water in anyway, I guess it makes sense not to drink caffeinated soda. Now, having said all that, I read a post today from a woman who takes caffeine free diet cola, lets it go flat, pours it over crushed ice, stirs it some more and says that it takes care of the soda cravings. I would imagine that would be OK every once in a while. Mind you, I'm not carting around a medical degree so this is only my humble opinion. Connie

From years and years of dieting, I would have to use this well worn term: YMMV (your mileage may vary). I have a doctor who says I can have coffee a month after the surgery. I couldn't *not* drink coffee forever because I do love it so, but I will be careful when I start drinking it again to ensure that I have no negative effects from it. I will be the same way with soda. I am an admitted soda-freak as well. I drink at least 1-3 diet sodas a day right now, and have at times had so much more than that. Pepsi One and Diet Vanilla Pepsi both go flat pretty quickly and they aren't as carbonated to begin with as Diet Coke. I'll likely drink it with a small bit of fizz. Don't think I can buy into the theory that the carbonation expands the pouch....at least not to any noticible degree. That's what burping is for, IMHO. In the grand scheme of things, I'm not so worried about these liquids. It's the solids I'm going to be watching out for most. Dina

Have you considered trying the sugar-free chocolate that's out there? I've seen in in the grocery store, usually in the aisle that has the "special foods" for diabetics and dieters. I tried the sugar free Reeces's cups, and they were delicious! Of course, I am still a pre-op, so I don't know if this would be something I would want to try a month or two, post-op. Still, if you have severe chocolate cravings, you can always try some and see what happens. Best of luck! Rita (3/1)

Hey, all... Like you said, Rita, we're all still pre-ops here, so we can't give "experience" advice. But I do know what some have told me and what I've read, etc. My nutritionist explained that SUGAR ALCOHOL has the same negative effect on us that sugars will, only it will manifest in a different way...diarrhea, cramps, nausea, etc. (which, to me, is just the same as some of the dumping symptoms but not quite as painful). A lot of the sugar-free foods have sugar alcohol content, so you need to pay close attention to those, too. As for soda, my sister lets her diet soda go flat and then drinks it. Ick!! But if it works for her, se la guerre! No soda allowed per MY surgeon, but one of my closes buddies (post-op) drinks it constantly, so she can obviously tolerate it (we'll SEE if she keeps the weight off...she's slowly creeping back into her pre-WLS bad eating habits...) BUT, ya know, it's so way early in the game to be concering yourself about this...chocolate and soda is what got most of us here, ya know? JMHO... These are questions you need to be asking your doctor! (S)he can answer them for you. Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to all Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles Zero-minus-21 and counting!

Uh-huh.....what got me here was biscuits and gravy! And pizza! And many graveyard shifts where there was nothing to eat but Red Hot Tamales and Fritos for dinner. Ugh! Seriously though, diet soda never affected my rate of loss (I tried it both ways). I've been to several of the support group meetings and found half of them with their Diet Pepsi's and half of them with their waters. It may not be enriching our exsistence on anything more than a purely aesthetic level, but I don't think it's worth the struggle for me to feel so deprived. I will try to go without it, but I'm not going to try too hard. I think the thing to consider is this: How are you feeling going back to soda/coffee, etc and is it causing you to crave some very bad things? If you feel lousy or you feel like you have to have that Twinkie with that Diet Pepsi, it might be best to leave it out for awhile at least. I will concede also that some people might notice a difference in weight loss. For me historically that has never been the case. Dina

I concur. I've always "indulged" myself in little things 'cuz I'm single, I've worked hard for what I have, and I'm the only one who DOES 'indulge' me. If I CAN'T have something I want, I can get REAL cranky. Fortunately, there's not much I want for (probably 'cuz I've already indulged myself with it...). I see my sis who's 2.5+ yrs post-op RNY and a close co-worker who's 2+ yrs post-op, and they eat EVERYTHING, and I MEAN everything, now. So I'm not so concerned about what I'm not going to be able to have. My sis is a bit extreme: she dumps, and still eats candy on occasion knowing she'll dump. OMG...after all the PAIN she went thru, I just can't 'go there'. But that's her, it's not me. I don't deny anyone anything that'll keep 'em level. That's their fight, not mine. Besides, after knowing that my tastes and cravings will change post-op, I'm not gonna waste valuable energy worrying 'bout it. My ONLY worry (and I truly mean this) is that post-op I'll become lactose-intolerant. My name is Kimmer, and I'm a milkaholic. But if it does happen, I'll advise you all to take stock in Lactaid! Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to all Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles Zero-minus-21 and counting!

My doctor said that adding a cup of coffee back in after 2-3 months is not bad, but that you cannot count any caffeinated drink as liquids for the day. Some say you need to drink an equal amount of EXTRA liquids to compensate for the dehydration effects. The carbonated diet drinks is a different problem. I would definitely wait 2-3 months for complete healing, then strictly limit quantities consumed at once. (and don't jump up and down after drinking!) Joy (3/1)

...d'ya think if ya jump up 'n down ya could 'splode??! BWAHAHAHA!! Nah, I know I'm gonna venture into parts 'forbidden'. I just can't see eating crablegs without clarified butter. But instead of doing SHOTS of the butter with the crablegs, I'll daintily dip them ever-so slightly. I had to cut back on my caffeine BIG TIME in '94 when I was diagnosed with the evil FMS, so I'd pretty much down to nothing on that. But I know there's areas I'm going to test. It's just my persona... Everyone's got their own gigs. I just want to enter this with the right mindset - I don't want to plan to fail (a work term...can ya tell?). I'm lucky that I just happen NOT to like candy or chocolate (I know, I know...I'm a communist), so that is so-o-o not a problem. It was a major adjustment cutting out my sole cup (is a 32 oz. container considered a "cup"?) of cappuccino driving in to work every day, but I'm now over that. But the crablegs will be a challenge. Yup. I'm a sick pup! Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to all Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles Zero-minus-21 and counting!