rough day

Hi Kathleen, I have not dumped yet, at almost 5 weeks out, so I cant help you there. But do you still have your gallbladder? I found out that I have kidney stones--I never would have known if it werent for the preop ultrasound! But I've heard that the symptoms can include pain that goes all the way through to your back. You might want to check with your Dr. about your gallbladder. I hope you feel better soon, Cathie

Hi Cathie Yes I do have my gallbladder but I had an ultrasound done on it March 1 and it was fine. The back pain went away as soon as I had a BM so I guess it was dumping. Thanks for the response! Kathleen

Hi Kat Sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling so hot. I thankfully have not had a dumping episode like that. THe only reason I have vomited since surgery is to bring chicken back that wasn't chewed enough, gross I know so I wouldn't even really call it vomiting. Just foamies and trying to feel comfortable. I have had the dreaded D but again not that bad. My dumping is more like I get really tired, pouchie groaning at me very loudly and that bloated feeling. I do know that plenty of people have had the experince where one day something is fine and then next it makes them dump. I have only experienced it with whatever the food was not agreeing w/ me. Unfortunately alot is trial and error. How are you feeling now? If you need any emotional support I'd be more than happy to PM you my number and you can give me a call tonight or whenever you wish. Hang in there in gets better, I promise. The first month was my worst by far. Gwen

Hi Gwen, I am feeling better, thank goodness. The dizziness is still there. One of the residents at the hospital said it sounded like vertigo which is completely unrelated to the surgery. I think that's a weird coincidence, that I would suddenly get vertigo when I never had it before? I have been off my bp meds since Thurs - not sure how long it takes to get them out of my system. So you had a tough first month too? I told Dr P that I think I must have thought this would be a 6 week vacation which it definitely is not! I wasn't prepared for the emotional reactions I've been having. I'd love to chat sometime - please PM me your #! thanks, Kathleen

I am 13 months out and have dumped one time. I ate some pumpkin bisque soup from Shaw's. I got some severe chest pains, uncontrolable shaking with chills, dry heaves, non stop diarreha-let me tell you it lasted about 1hr and 45 min. Luckily I was in the hospital after thyroid surgery and the medical team thought they were treating me for a heart attack. It was the worst experience of my life. I lost 3 lbs because for the next 2 or days I would not eat. I couldn't because I was petrified of getting sick again. But slowly I gained my courage and started to eat again. Hope that helps. Before or after I have never experienced dumping. We did talk about dumping at my last support meeting and if you are expereincing a runny nose after eating, that is a very mild sign of dumping. It is your body signaling that you have eaten enough. Best of luck, Stephanie

Thanks Stephanie, I truly did think I was going to die. I hope this was my last experience! I'll keep the runny nose in mind. I also had the hiccups earlier that day, wonder if that meant anything.... I had only eaten CIB and applesauce earlier that day. Kathleen

Kathleen, Hey hun well from my experience and I am 17 months out. It sounded like a bit of many things but ultimately Dumping. The factors could be alot of things, it could have been the amount of which the foods you ate, it could have been the sugar but I doubt that, it could have been the fat content but I doubt that as well, I had my surgery in California with a different fiet after surgery from what it sounds like. Because at 4 weeks I would only be on full liquids and some pureed cottage cheese. The pain could be fromt he amount of fiber in the foods. Give your intestines a rest. Check the fiber content in the foods you are eating. After just getting cut adn rearranged the intestines need rest to heal themselves. Are you drinking protein shakes to help with protein intake? Also I know this may seem like not really an answer but at times my intestines where just tired and didnt want to work the food, so then I would wait and just try to put my protein in liquid forms till I wanted to eat which after surgery even now I have to look at the clock adn sometiems say well I am not hungry but it is time to feed me. Feeling depressed right now is normal and the lack of energy is the bodies way of changing to the conversion of protein for your bodies energy. Keep up the protein it will help. After surgery most people go through the Hybernation syndrome. I know I did and reading up on it helped alot to understand what I was feeling and going through. Things will get better at times you will wish you had the tough times at eating back. Amy

thanks Amy! I'm getting very little in as far as food goes these days.... possibly 200-300 calories a day. Some protein but not a lot. My doc wants me to focus on fluids and put a couple of tablespoons of food in every 2-3 hours (or more, if I can eat it, but usually I don't eat much). I think this will all change this Thurs. at diet advancement. Dumping sure does make you never want to eat again! Kathleen

Hey Hun one of the things that helped me was to mix my protein shakes with half the water it said. I love using IDS vanilla cinnamon. or the mocha mocahino from Champion Whey, ALso there is a chocolate mint our there. These are my staple proteins. They are thin when mixed the way the manufacturer says to so I mix 1.5 scoops of protein with 4 to 6 ounces of water. Also there is a really good tasting one called unjury I loved the chocolate. This will pass hun, when you get to be almost 6 to 9 months out your appetite comes back for food, never the way it was thank the gods but it does come back. Then you deal with food on a whole new level because the body speak((( that is if it isnt speaking already)))LOL the noises our intestines make now are hilarious. I have a tattoo of a dragon on my belly, my husband just laughs and if I havent eaten he says you havent fed the dragon, if I have he giggles and says look the dragon likes it and wants more.LOL!!! Hope you day gets better Amy

Kathleen, As you know already I went threw the emotional breakdown the first 2 weeks and then it seemed to pass...Although Dr. P told me dont be surprised if it comes back again around 4 weeks so my advice to you would be try and walk walk walk as much as you can and surround yourself with family or friends, something to keep your mind busy. If you ever need someone to chat with I am always free (I will give you my number on Thursday when I see you) I have had an episode of dumping but not as bad as you have. I accidentally sipped my sons strawberry shake from McDonalds, completly not even thinking about it...WELL let me inform you I spent an hour on the toilet and some sever stomach cramps and LOTS of intenstinal noises...I got very nervous and went threw a sweat. But I also experienced the back pain right below my shoulder blades and some chest pains...I didnt vomit but I am not a person in general that vomits easily. Needless to say I pay more attention now....haha. Dr. P is great and I am sure this will all pass. I so far have been doing really good and I can only pray that you feel better as well. Hang in there and like I said we can chat anytime.