DUMPING (HYPOGLYCEMIA)

I posted the following in response to someone else's post, but I decided it would be a good idea to share it with those who for whatever reason don't read that particular thread.

***Although those of us who've had gastric bypass are warned about "dumping", I don't think we take it seriously enough.  To read about it here on this forum, it sounds like something very uncomfortable, but that will pass after awhile, and all is well.  As Sin Kim posted, it's kind of like a "badge of honor" we earned for having this life-changing surgery. 

The truth is, dumping is basically another term for hypoglycemia, where our blood sugar levels drop drastically because of the rapid release of huge amounts of insulin by the pancreas.  It's usually brought on eating foods high in sugar.  The thing I didn't understand, or take seriously enough, is that dumping (basically HYPOGLYCEMIA) can be VERY DANGEROUS.  Here's some information from the Mayo Clinic website:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypoglycemia-unawareness/MY01835

For the first 6 months or so after my surgery, my diet was stellar:  no sugar or junk foods crossed my lips.  Over time, though, I started slipping here and there, and at some point I ate something (I think it might have been ice cream, but I don't really remember for sure), and I dumped.  My dumping symptoms were somewhat different than what I'd read they would be, so it took me a time or two before I realized fully what was happening to my body.  The other thing I didn't realize is that the dumping sometimes doesn't occur until and hour or more after eating, so I don't think it's always associated with what we've eaten. 

My symptoms are:  severe sweating (for women of menopause age, it feels like the worst hot flash ever!); sometimes rapid heartbeat; dizziness; confusion; and sleepiness.  During my first episode, I actually lost consciousness for a few minutes.  At the time, I didn't have a clue that I was at a very dangerous point, and probably needed immediate medical attention.  I was fortunate in that it passed without consequence (other than that I started researching dumping, and realized that dumping brings on hypoglycemia.) 

I'm sad to say I didn't learn my lesson right away:  since then, I've had a couple more episodes, though not quite as severe as the first.  Now I know that if this happens, I need to immediately eat something very sweet, to rapidly raise my blood sugar, and then eat something else to stabilize it.  (This was what a nurse friend confirmed.)   

Short story long, DO YOUR RESEARCH!  Then, keep your diet clean and healthy.  You shouldn't have a problem if you do that.***

Just a couple of corrections/clarifications.

Dumping can happen in both "early" and "late" forms, and the early form doesn't have anything to do with a sudden drop in blood sugar.  It is the reaction of the lower intestine to too much unprocessed sugar/carbs. Research "rapid gastric emptying". This is normally what people refer to as "dumping" and it does not carry the same medical concerns as the late dumping which IS a rapid drop in blood sugar and what your post is talking about in terms of it potentially having serious repercussions.

Also, there is a difference between HYPOGLYCEMIA and REACTIVE HYPOGLYCEMIA.  I had mild hypoglycemia for years before my RNY (and the RNY made it worse), but I do not experience RH (which is "late dumping").  They are similar in that the solution to both is eating small meals with a balance of protein and carbs (and often fats as well) throughout the day, but the regular hypoglycemia is primarily a reaction to the TIMING of eating whereas RH is primarliy a reaction to WHAT you ate.

i just don't want people thinking that they are risking their lives if they eat a little bit too much sugar

Lora

(edited for autocorrect issues...)

If eating something very sweet helps you when you have dumping, then I guess do it.  The few times I've dumped, I had no desire to eat anything and I believe it would have made my symptoms worse.  I'm talking about early dumping, though, which as Lora said does not really involve low blood sugar.

I do have reactive hypoglycemia, or late dumping, and when that happens I do eat.  I don't eat something very sweet, though.  I don't see how causing early dumping on top of the late dumping or RH would help matters any.  I eat something with some carbs and some protein, which brings my sugar up without causing additional symptoms of early dumping.

Thanks for the clarifications.  I wish I'd put a little more effort into my post.  I just wanted people to realize dumping can be more than just uncomfortable, and that it's important to be as knowledgeable as possible about what we're putting into our bodies.  I still have a lot to learn about my new relationship with food.  My experience with (and knowledge of) bypass surgery seems to evolve on a daily basis.  Losing weight and learning to live with a new digestive system is somewhat daunting at times, but after meeting my first 100 lb. hurdle, I'm more and more interested in becoming more of an "expert" like you old-timers are.

I haven't posted much (if at all) since my surgery a year ago, but I'd like all the people reading this who're contemplating having this surgery to know my experience has been so rewarding, and uneventful.  Getting over the first few months after surgery is a little tricky sometimes (learning how different eating is), but it really has been pretty smooth sailing for me.  As a side note , I've lost my weight much more slowly than most people, and have gone through some disappointment in that regard, but even so, I can't recommend the surgery any more highly.  I'd do it again in a heartbeat!    

Yeah, LOL!  I know.  I tried earlier, but couldn't remember how to do it.  Keep in mind I wrote my post in the a.m., which isn't my best time of day. (I'm a night person.)  After I did that, and saw the photo I have on here, I realized I'd like to update some of this!

under health tracker to enter your current weight.

So dumping at 8 months out would be considered what? I dump more than i care to admit and i am really not eating food that would normally make you dump.. thinking high sugar.  I am definitely in that 30% i consider myself thankful really makes me think because taking that 1 bite of the wrong food.

Hi, Laura! I still dump at five years out, and not only on sugar - any simple carb can bring it on, so I really have to limit those - which is a good thing because it helps keep me on track!

I'm confused by your question.  How far out you are doesn't have anything to do with the type of dumping you experience.  Note that some people find that dumping fades over time, while others find it doesn't change or even gets worse  as time passes.

Because carbohydrates get converted to glucose (from which you get energy), high carb foods, especially those that break down into glucose quickly, can also cause dumping, so you can still have traditional "early dumping" without eating anything high in sugar if it is high in carbs.

Lora