My first dumping experience

I know that I have read and read this only last a half an hour...I am now in my second hour. I called the weight loss clinic and they told me it could last up to 48 hrs...it just depends on the person. I only had three bites of chicken and I know I didn't chew it up good enough because my stupid cat was bugging me to death. I felt the pain in my belly and thought CRAP ******I've done it now. I am still dumping. I take a sip of water and I start cramping and dumping...They say once you've done this you don't do it again....I believe it now! Any suggestions...besides dumping it out? I have laid down, breathed deeply, put a cool fan on me (like to froze my butt off too) nothing is helping...Do I just wait it out until it passes in a couple of days??? Lord, I hope it passes faster than that!

If you have any meat tenderizer, put some in a little water and try that, it might help break it up. It would be odd to dump on chicken, I bet its just stuck or you little pounch is just not ready for it.

Everytime I sip anything the cramping starts...I might try the tenderizer later....I really want this stuff to digest. FAST...It gave me a headache from all the dumping I've done and it was like a dog foaming at the mouth ?????? Totally weird. Thanks for the advice. Deb

I always get foamy too when something makes me sick. I never throw up the food just get the foamies. It might be to early for chicken, just go back to the full liquids for a day or two.

Finally around 4:00 it stopped! It only took 3 1/2 hrs...compared to 48hrs I think I did pretty good. At 5:00 I ate a small container of applesauce. No chicken for awhile. Although I can have it as long as it is chewed or pureed. I had it the other day but chewed and chewed and chewed...but now I think I will wait awhile before going in that direction again. Thanks for all the help!

Debby, Welcome to the world of 'name this post-op problem'! That sensation wasn't dumping. With dumping you have diareah (sp??), chills, very flu-like symptoms. The most common causes for dumping is eating sugars, fried foods, or anything rich. That intense pain was the chicken being stuck in your stoma. The stoma is where the intestines are attached to your new pouch. This can also occur with lapbanders at the site of the band. The most frequent cause is from the food being underchewed...and will occur with any food you don't chew up well enough (no matter how far out you are). The best thing really would have been to drink a little bit of dissolved meat tenderizer. Other people...like myself...have no problem getting the culprit to come back up the way it went. Should this occur and you KNOW you chewed the heck out of the food, call your surgeon's office. The stoma can close up on you and not allow food to pass. It can get so small tha****er is even difficult. When this occurs, your surgeon will need to do an endoscopy to dilate it back open. Normally, that opening is 12-15 mm. Mine has been as small as 1 mm. Sherri

Thanks! That was really informative, more so than my dr's office. They told me to just be patient and it would pass. Which it did but I had 3 1/2 of cramping and foaming. I am only 3 weeks out and have alot to learn yet! Deb

Debby, That's what we're here for! Has your surgeon/nut given you any guidelines as to what you can/cannot eat and when? I know that all of them don't always do that. For most of us in the Indy area, we are told, as Sarah suggested, to wait awhile on all meats. When you do introduce meats back into your meal plans, begin with canned meats as they are already ground up fairly good for you. If you like tuna, that would probably be a good meat to start with. It is moist (unlike alot of chicken) and VERY high in protein. Up until 4-6 weeks post-op, most of us were/are on pretty bland soft diets (if you'd feed it to an infant, you would be ok with it) such as creamed soups, mashed potatoes, refried beans, oatmeal, sf pudding, cotage cheese. That type of stuff. As you increase your options, do it slowly and do it keeping in mind moisture and ease to chew well. Because it is easy to form ulcers, also avoid citris and caffiene (which can also cause other issues such as dehydration). Once you learn the ropes, it isn't that difficult knowing what to do and not do. But don't worry, you have plenty of people here who has been down your path and can help guide you. Sherri

Oh my poor friend Deb, I hated to hear about your experience. As I told you though the more you share the better for me. I certainly am going to learn from your experience. Thanks again, Deb

Thanks Deb....I'm getting to like all this sympathy No really these folks on here know their business! I am suppose to eat anything that I puree but I didn't puree this chicken which I bought in the can. It was my cat's fault Since yesterday it has been only soft foods and protein shakes (which I hate YUCK!) But I've got to get the protein in...my weight loss clinic wants me to get 80 to 90 per day! That is so much to get in. I can have stage 2 baby food meat...but I tried my nephew's..he's 10 mo old and I don't see how he eats that stuff! I do the SF cocoa, SF puddings, V8 juice, anything to get a dab of protein...I may have to try the protein water. I live in a small town that doesn't have a GNC store so I have to drive 30 miles to go to one. Anyway, how are you doing??? You've not had your surgery yet, right? Let me know! Deb