Dumped?

I posted the other day about getting chills when I throw up. Someone said that it sounded like I was dumping. I really didn't think that throwing up was a part of dumping. Don't know how I missed that one. I have been faithfully avoiding sugar. But, I have been sick a lot. Tonight a friend called and asked if we wanted to have mexican food. I love mexican food and can eat some things at our normal place. But, Taco Bell makes me puke rather quickly. He wanted to try this new (to us) place that is similar to our normal place. I didn't over eat. But, I puked twice at the restaurant. Then, I puked all the way home. Each round was filled with some really bad chills. I should have known better than to eat anything there because the meat wasn't pure ground beef. And, the bite of my son's taco was so grease covered. (I had to try it because he thought he tasted peanuts and my other son is deathly allergic to them.) He wouldn't let his little brother eat until I had asked the staff about peanuts and tasted it myself. OK so when I got home, I was so tired. I laid down on the floor to give my dog some much needed love. I passed out for an hour. I only woke up because my arms were numb. I wonder if in addition to puking because of my strictures, I have been puking because of dumping. Today's meals were a total of 2 1/2 chunks of jerky and one protein shake worth 15 g of protein. Comments? Hat

Gosh, Hat - I don't know much about dumping, but whatever is happening it sound scary! What does your surgeon say about it? Maybe you should take this question to the main board - there's a lot more experience there (although sometimes they scare me a bit ) and maybe someone has had similar reaction. How about keeping a journal of everything you eat, and then marking down any reaction to it. Perhaps it is hidden sugars or something. Hugs, Nancy -86

My surgeon doesn't have a problem with my throwing up all of the time. I think my surgeon is a great surgeon, but he doesn't quite follow up on later complications too well. And, his nurse blames me for my strictures. The only reason I was treated for my latest stricture is because I know I am losing my insurance any day now. So, I bypassed my surgeon and went straight to making an appointment with the gastro. This pissed off my surgeon until I was able to get him to see why I had to have it treated while I still had insurance. My stoma is 11 mm at its largest. My surgeon says that he wants it to be 12. But, because of a stitch that he put in during surgery, it won't ever be up to 12. I can live with that if it would stop getting smaller. It just means that I have to chew really well. By now, that is second nature. It is when it gets to 8 mm and smaller that I really start having problems. BTW, my surgeon says that strictures are great because it keeps us a little extra honest. Aren't you sorry you asked now? LOL I have gotten two replies on the main board. One said that throwing up is not part of dumping. The other said it is. I know this will get better. I am just trying to understand it all so I can do what I can to help it out. Until now, it never dawned on me that I might be dealing with two different issues. I have kept food journals in the past to try and help figure all of this out. Maybe it is time to do it again. There are only a few foods I eat now. So, I thought I could keep it in my head. But, sometimes putting it down on paper helps. Hat

I hope you don't take offense because I don't wish to hurt you, but your surgeon makes no sense. A stricture is a narrowing of the stoma. It's not something to keep you honest! Constantly being sick and throwing up is NOT normal. You've kept a "stiff upper lip" with the amount of time you spend being sick, but you really should consider a consultation with another surgeon to make sure that your surgery is ok. I know that for myself, I only vomit if I eat too fast or it's something that really doesn't sit right. But it's not a regular occurrence by any means. At this point, perhaps no more than once or twice a month. irene

My options are as limited as my budget. Plus, getting another doctor to touch me at this point would be challenging. My surgeon is the only civilian surgeon that accepts my insurance. That means the only option I have is to see a military surgeon. I have thought seriously about insisting that one of them see me. I have wondered if a stoma stricture isn't my only stricture. I wouldn't have even thought of this except for Nancy's story. When I saw the gastro, I asked him to try and get in further to check out my pouch. After he was in there, he said there was no way to get in further. It is just too tight. He was afraid of damaging me if he pushed to much. If this continues, then I will be calling the military surgeons and begging. It seems like after I get stretched, I feel better for a week and then things start to go bad again. Don't worry. I didn't take offense. Everything you said are things that I have already thought and worried about. Hat

Well, my poor, petite Beanie Beret - I hate to say it, but your surgeon sounds like a NUT! Honestly, I'm not making light of your problems, but he makes no sense! It sounds like he's too lazy to help you out. I think you did a smart thing bypassing your surgeon. And for the nurse to blame you for stricutres is absurd...what did you do, heal too well??? (She would have hated me...my stoma healed over completely!!) I wish I knew what to do to help you or where to tell you to go. It's scary with losing your insurance. Did the gastro try and enlarge the stoma at all? I hope things get better for you REAL soon... Hugs, Nancy -86

I don't think it is lazy. I think it is ego. When I called about my first stricture, I seriously thought I was going to die. I was so sick and dehydrated. My stoma was only open 4 mm. Even water wouldn't go through. When I finally connected with his nurse, she told me it was my fault. I obviously hadn't been eatting right. I stood my ground and she finally agreed to have me scoped. The whole experience was horrible. It's all on my profile if you or anyone is interested. Another of his patients told me that he told her that strictures are the patient's fault. Seems to me that instead of playing the blame game, they should be trying to figure out how to help people with their strictures. Anyway, I don't see this surgeon any more because my referral ran out. I could get another one. But, I don't see why I would. I like the guy. But, it isn't worth a trip to Seattle just to say hi. And, that is about all my appointments amount to. He did ask me to send him a picture when I hit my goal weight though. He has a book coming out soon and wants to include my picture. I doubt he would want one of my headless pictures. Hat

I have heard of greasy things making you dump. Was the taco hard or soft? It might be the sugars in the taco shell itself especially if it was soft. I have heard of a woman that threw up just about everytime she ate and it was because she was eating too fast. I am BAD about eating too fast and I sometimes get to the point of but I usually am alright. Hope you get to feeling better and get to where you can eat and not 's Carrie

Hat, dumping is not only caused by overdoing sugar consumption. Other things like grease and fat can cause dumping too. I'd say stay away from greasy foods. ~Debra

HI ya Hat when I eat too fast or my pouch is being finiky I puke too.. and always accompanied by chills and the need to sleep .. I didnt think it was dumping .. but hey .. everyone dumps different I guess.. Idont dump from sugar.. ::: christmas cookies showed me that::: but beef and chicken just dont sit right and I So I guess what Im saying is .. Im pretty much the same as you when I make my trip to the porceline god! I had surgery on the 28th and Im down 80 no stricture that I know about. hope this info helps Dawn