Dumping Syndrome

I have some questions about this.  I am almost 7 weeks post op and I have not had any problems with dumping.  My NUT told me to keep my carbs to 75 per day and although I do not track, I do not eat anything that has more than 18 carbs at the most per meal.  18 carbs has been the highest I have eaten.

I am really afraid of dumping and am trying not to go there :)

What kind of carb intake have you limited yourself to without getting sick?  Are carbs the only thing that will make me sick?  I know total carbs includes the sugars but what about something that is lower in carbs but is fried?  For example, I have eaten half of a chicken breast from Wendy's and not gotten sick.  I think it is 16 carbs for the fried one. 

I have been scared to eat fruit and haven't tried a low fat yogurt because of the carb count.  Any advice will be appreciated!

Thanks!

My understanding is that only 40 percent of RNYers dump.

You can dump from fat as well as carbs.

It takes a lot for me to dump now, but I have done it. For me, it's a combination of fat and sugar that does it -- a whole lot of fat and sugar.

I had an oatmeal/chocolate bar thing (it did have SOME fiber in it) that made me want to crawl under my desk at work and moan. I can't even guess how many grams of fat and carbs were in that thing. And there's no rhyme or reason, I ate the exact same thing 24 hours earlier (in smaller bits with some time in between pieces) and didn't have any issue.

Early out, I dumped a few times. Liquid Tylenol did it the first time. One bite of spaghetti did it to me when I was about 8 weeks out. I am very careful with teeny bits of regular pasta even now. (Dreamfields pasta is heaven sent.) I sometimes still feel oogy if I take more than two bites of fried chicken strips.

For some people, 5 g of sugar will do it. The lactose in skim milk will do it to some people. I've had stuff with 30 g of carbs and nothing happened -- this week. Could be totally different tomorrow.

Here's where I'd get skewered if I posted on the Main Board: I didn't have this surgery to spend the rest of my life on Adkins. I am trying to live with a healthy amount of good carbs --  high fiber stuff. I've reintroduced fruit to my diet. I eat a whole wheat cracker now and again. I just keep telling myself over and over that I am in control. I don't binge on carby garbage like I did preop. I eat four whole grain crackers with cheese or tuna for lunch. Not a sleeve of crackers.

I've observed that the longer you can stay away from lots of carbs, the better off you will be. Kind of a detox thing. Especially, really bad carbs like brownies and sugar cookies .  (Brownies and sugar cookies are the debil!!)

So, my belief is that if you're not super sensitive, a little bit of healthy carbs is good for you. Maybe try the low fat yogurt. Or even better try a greek yogurt with some fresh fruit and Splenda or Truvia.
 
Whatever you choose, take it slow. Read labels. Live.

I am the same way I avoid anything with more than 16 grams.  I have switched over to greek yogurt because no matter what all the others seemed too sweet for me.  I have had the greek yogurt with blueberries and strawberries.  I have found that I dumped on a bite of honeydew and some orange, seperate occasions.  I can eat about 5 red grapes and that is it because I am not trying to test things:)  Anyway good luck I have been very slow with fruits because the first time I tried the honeydew I realized that wasn't worth it.  But I occasionally try some new fruits because they are important and I don't want to just swear them off. 

There are many artificially sweetened yogurts out there.  I like Walmart's Great Value for one.  Juice is more likely to cause a person problem than a small piece of fruit.  Good luck, Loris

Kim.. you are doing great.. I had surgery just a week or so after you on the 23rd.. I ahve only lost 12 lbs since surgery.. mind you I did loose 67 before but still this loss is slow..
I was nto told how many carbs to eat.. I just try to limit them. I do have wheat crackers 4 with tuna and such but no breads or pasta or sugar.. everything I eat has less than 5 grams of sugar..

I have eaten a half a banana and did ok with that but have not had any other fruit yet.. I eat greek yogurt with sugar free smuckers strawberry jam in it and sometimes I add a spoon of splenda to it.. yum.. better than any ready made yogurt.. but I ahve had the carbsmart yogurt too from Kroger.. other stores carry it just not WalMart.. it is goos and low carbs too..


I have dumped once. I was told I could have sugar free hard candy so I got some cinnamon  made with splenda and had them at night when I was wanting to eat.. One night I didnt get up to go get the cinnamon ones and had about 3 pieces of another sugar free hard candy I had in a bowl on the end table.. that night at 2am I was awakened with the worst tummy ache and pains I ahve ever had.. I spent the next hour in the bathroom and sat there so long my legs feel asleep.. I hurt so bad even after that.. I got in a hot tub of water and soaked my belly for another 1/2 hour.. finally after that I was able to lay back down and get to sleep before daylight but the next day was only liquids my tummy was still upset..   so see I dumped on the sugar alcohols.. the candy was not made with splenda it was sweatened with some ....tol.. can't remember which.. it is not in the house anymore.. lol... so try as you may to not eat the wrong things it can happen.. or not.. some people never dump.. I never would wish that on anyone and I hope it never happens to me again..

I have not tried fried foods.. I would be more afraid of that with the fat then a piece of fruit..

I have only dumped a few times, but it was never from carbs. I dump from food that has too much fat and too much sugar. I can tollerate things that have up to about 9g of sugar per serving, beyond that and I am asking for trouble. If i take a nibble of something that is high in sugar I am ok, but more than that and I am sick.

Fat is another problem. I try to eat normal foods, and have at times gotten very sick from food that I thought would be fine. For example soups. Soups are great, they go down easy they warm me up, but I really need to watch any soups that I have that I am not making myself because most of them have way too much fat in them for me.

Also I have never had full blown heart palpatations, cold sweats, passing out dumping. Ive gotten really nausious, puked something right back up and have had to rest or lay down for a lil while. Always feeling better within 30 minutes.

Don't worry so much about dumping. It will probably happen at some point. Just eat healthy  and remember, this is not a diet this is a life change. You should never deprive yourself of something you really want as long as you are comfortable with your ability to tollerate it and eat it within moderation.  You will be surprised how much your taste for food changes and how rarely you want the bad stuff once you see how awesome you feel with the good stuff :)

P.S. I made a ton of holiday cookies and didnt even have the desire to eat one.. until I made pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips and walnuts. Guess what, I ate one. Just one. It was awesome and I was fine. That one cookie was enough and I am super happy with that :)

*hugs*

I swear you people on this board are the most sane! LOL

Patti, I agree with you, trying to live "normally" is why I had this surgery. Get rid of the weight and the compulsion to eat my weight...in anything!

Dumping is so hard to gage. It is very individual and even more so on a day to day basis. Like many others have said, sometimes one thing will be ok today and not work tomorrow. Just try to make healthy choices and you will be ok. I don't think there is really anyway to avoid it. Like teresa said, she was eating sugar free candy and was assaulted (and that is just what it feels like...an assault lol)

I didn't have a problem with fruit. actually, after surgery it was one of the things my stomach didn't object to. I like the ruby red grapefruit, just don't eat the white lining. that also moved through very quickly and kept me regular. There are low carb yogurts like others said. You might be better off to try those than the fried items. I still can't do fried food, it makes me sick, so i stick to the grilled.

Good luck!

Thank you everyone for your replies.  They are really helpful and it is good to get this advice!