WebMedic Question/Help Please

I read all of your informative posts and was wondering if maybe you can help with something. I'm 6 months out of RNY Surgery (open) and 8 weeks pregnant. For the past 3 weeks everything I eat, whether it be protein, yogurt, crackers, toast, anything basically, I dump on. Pretty much I dump almost every meal. My dumping isn't as harsh as most, but it still sucks - I just get shaky, have heart palpatations, get sweaty/flush, light headed, and have to rest so I don't blackout (I've blacked out only once). Any ideas why this would happen? I am watching my sugar levels, I haven't been a diabetic since August 06, but had Gestational Diabetes with my first pregnancy. SO I check my sugars 4 times a day (first thing in the morning and 1 hour after each main meal). Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh yah before I forget, I posted this question on the Post-Op Pregnancy forum and found out that there are other ladies with the same problem. No answers for why or how to deal with it, but there a more of us. Thanks! Tiff

Tiff... is it really dumping, or is it morning sickness?? Ive known normal non-WLS people who can't keep anything down either and it's just because of the morning sickness.... I figure when you get to your second tri-mester things will work out...

To be honest I don't know. I"m not tossing my cookies, I'm having the same dumping feelings that I had pre-pregnancy. Example - I could eat Dannon Low Carb yogurt no problems. Now I get light headed, shaky, flushed, etc. Which is how I felt when I dumped previous the pregnancy. But I could be completely wrong. Maybe this is just what post-op pregnancy is like (in which case I'm going to give up food until my second trimester because this sux!) *shrugs*

Tiff, I was a gestational diabetic 5 times and eventually had the full blown stuff (pre wls).....I know that the pregnancy does whack our insulin surges into craziness. You said you are testing but didn't say if you had normal reads or not??? I'd suggest trying to stay away from simple carbs and even some cmoplex carbs which our bodies receive as SUGAR. Try eating protein 7 to 8 times a day at 1 oz or 2 oz portions. Protein keeps the sugar levels steady and then you won't have dives later on which may be what's happening? If you must have a cracker then make sure you have some cheese with it. Apple? a bite of peanut butter or cheese.....In other words, any time you have any carb at all....try to balance it with a bite or more of protein so that your sugars don't spike and dive at all. And....I'd be calling Jenel for some direction (You are a ST Luke's post-op, right?).......Since she's a nutritionist, she should be able to guide you through your eating while your p.g. It doesn't sound like morning sickness since you're having the heart palpitations, etc. Take care -- I can't wait til we have our gigantuous WLS baby shower for Tiff junior! Joyce

I am testing when I wake up, an hour after each meal (not snack), and before bed. I have been running between 70 and 107. My wake up is usually high, I don't know why, but it has always been that way. This reminds I need to get a script for test strips. Which is amusing, since I wasn't diabetic for the last 6 months and now it's starting to look like I am again... *sigh*. Take Care! Tiff

I'm sorry I missed your post until now, I had a meeting... Well, Congratulations on the BABY!! I'm sorry you are feely so bad. Joyce is so right about your blood sugar, when do you go to your OB? They will want to watch you very closely so you aren't kicked into full blown diabetes. You may have more than one thing going on such as dehydration which may be causing low blood pressure & heart dysrhythmias, you may also have electrolyte imbalance, anemia, a little dumping syndrome and pregnancy (morning) sickness all wrapped up into one yucky glob. You are right at the time of morning sickness but you shouldn't be having heart palpatations, dizzy, light-headedness to the point of thinking you might pass out, it sounds suspiciously like you may be dehydrated, I don't know, that would be a guess for me. I recommend blood work-up if they haven't done it yet ... they will as soon as you see your OB.

I get to do blood next week. I'm suppose to do the 1hour blood glucose test, but have been advised by my RNY Dr. not to do it. So we'll have to see what happens with that. Thanks for your insight. I really appreciate it. Maybe once we do blood work again, things may get better. Tiff

I'm taking it you get to see you OB next week also, that's good. Until that day, drink your water and if you can't eat, try drinking a cut of broth at least once a day to keep your electrolytes up. Can you take your vitamins still? Hopefully, all of this will help keep you more balanced until you can get checked by your physician. I would agree with your RNY Dr. but I think your OB knows the best thing for you and your new baby. Make sure they know you've had RNY and don't make you over-drink in volume.