gotta measure, gotta do the math

I dumped last night, for the first time in I don't know how long.  I think this is the sixth time I've dumped since surgery three years ago.

I was having cheesecake Greek yogurt stuff, and discovered we had some chocolate chips in the fridge left over from a dessert my partner made the other day for a Christmas party at his work.  I thought chocolate chip cheesecake sounded good.  So I added a few chips but didn't think it was that many so I thought it would be OK.

Wrong.  I didn't actually measure, and I didn't add the sugar in the chocolate chips plus the sugar in the yogurt and I guess it added up to more than I was thinking it would.

Five minutes after I finished eating, I knew I'd made a mistake.  Gotta measure, gotta do the math.

 :( I'm sorry you had a bad night but I think it's good to remind ourselves of our bodies' limitations on occasion - It's a learning experience!

 I had the worst dumping episode ever on Friday, and I think I've only dumped a few times in the last two years.  And I can usually tolerate sugar, though not in large quantities.  We went to lunch at Mimi's and I ordered the chinese chicken salad, which I never do, dressing on the side.  And it came with a muffin so I got the seasonal pumpkin muffin, which I've had some before.  I also had a little of the bread they serve before as I hadn't eaten yet that day.  Oh, and started with some french onion soup, left the bread, ate the broth, onions and cheese.  I didn't think I used much dressing, but definitely ate more muffin than I should have (not quite half) and felt too full.  But within half an hour, boy did the pain start.  Spent the rest of the day and night on the couch.  Never had something like that happen before.  Stomach is still a little tender.  Reminds me I still have to pay attention to what and how much I eat.

I am trying to have my arsenal of information ready for post-op surgery. Can you explain sugars? How much sugar can we have right after surgery? When do you suggest experimenting with the amount of sugar our bodies can handle?
 What is the difference between alcohol sugar and regular sugar for us?

Thanks Polly

Well, there are different types of sugar.  Sucrose is table sugar, the white granular stuff.  Fructose is the natural sugar in fruits.  Lactose is the natural sugar in milk.  There are other types, too.  Most people do not dump on sugar, only about 30% do, but they may not dump on all types of sugar and can usually tolerate a certain amount before they dump.

I suggest sticking to no more than ten grams of sugar at a time right after surgery.  As far as when to experiment to see how much you can handle, well, I guess whenever you feel ready to find out if you dump and get really, really ill if you do dump, that would be the time.  Honestly, I suggest not trying to find out.  Most of us do eventually, we accidentally eat something with more sugar than we thought it had, and find out.

sugar alcohols are in artificial sweetners and they cause gas and discomfort for some people and not for others.