Dumping or Norovirus?

Clearly from the subject title, I'm having a bad night! I ate a Hershey kiss last night around 6pm (I know, I know...). At about 8pm I got the shakes and sweats and then the diarrhea and dry heaves started. It's lasted all night and I still can't keep water down. I've had mild dumping symptoms before, but this is crazy.

So I'm taking a poll...who thinks I'm t legit sick, and who thinks it was the Hershey kiss?

Its super important for me to attend a very important work event today so if it's dumping, I want to try to go. But if I'm sick I don't want to risk others getting this.

Also, how long should I go before needing IV fluids?

Dumping won't last too long, so if a few hours pass and you're still sick, it's not dumping. Dumping also starts within a half hour or so of eating sugar. 2 hours after probably isn't dumping, but could have been RH.

Thanks Grim. That was my "gut" feeling, too (all puns intended).

But I think I'd like to learn more about RH. Do you have any go-to websites that do a good job explaining it? 

I lot of RNYers get RH a year or two after surgery. The best way to treat it is by being careful with your diet.

Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. It can cause all sorts of symptoms. Diabetics will eat something sweet, and blood sugar goes back up.

Reactive hypoglycemia is sometimes called late dumping. It's a bad term, and isn't the same as dumping at all.

If you eat too much sugar or simple carbs like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc, about 2 hours later your blood sugar will drop. If you do what a diabetic does and eat something sweet, fruit juice, etc, you will have started a horrible roller coaster ride. Remember, it was sugar or simple carbs that caused the blood sugar crash to begin with.

So your sugar is down, you eat a piece of candy, drink OJ, etc, your blood sugar goes back up. Then two hours later, it crashes again. So you eat more sugar, and the cycle goes on and on.

You need to avoid the somple carbs to avoid the roller coaster. Protein first, along with some fats, will keep your blood sugar stable. A little simple carbs along with protein and fats won't cause a crash. If you do get an RH episode, a small mix of protein, fat and carb will get your sugar up, and keep it from crashing. Protein bars seem to work for many, as does peanut butter on a cracker.

I've seen people go to doctor after doctor seeking medications and complicated solutions. It is completely avoidable if you eat the right things.

If your food choices make you ill, you need better food choices.

Thanks--very helpful!

Sorry for my ignorance but what is RH?

There are no dumb questions, here! RH = Reactive Hypoglycemia.

In keeping with the theme of no dumb questions... can you test your blood sugar and tell from the results if it's RH?

Yep, you sure can. That is how I found out that I had RH (Reactive Hypoglycemia). You do the same thing as a diabetic. *****Blood Sample, read the value. (Blood glucose meters are like dirty cheap at at the Pharmacies I checked and usually come with a few test strips).

Since you will not be reading you blood values as often as a diabetic test strips shouuld last you a long time.  You will hear RH sometimes referred to as "Late Dumping". "Dumping" "RH" or "Reactive Hypoglycemia".

Usually if I get it, (The physical feelings as described by the poster) I test. If my blood sugar is BELOW 40/35 I will eat a wee something with sugar and then immediately eat something with Protein! String cheese is my best friend. ;)  Or you could do a LOW sugar protein bar that kind of thing.

To make things easier, when I am with friends or people who do not know I had the surgery, I simply say I am a "Type 2 diabetic"....Yeah, it isn't truthful I know, but at nearly 6 years out and being underweight I really don't want people to know every nit and detail of my life either.

Also I don't eat anything that has a sugar value of higher than 10 grams. (You will learn to read ALL nutrition labels!) LOL!

If your Blood Sugar ever drops BELOW 35 this can be a medical emergency. Have some diabetic sugar tablets around. Take one or two, some complex carbs an your protein and lay down.  Keep a card in your wallet that says Diabetic if you have RH. Good luck and hope this helps.

Warmly,

Jackie

I think you have a virus.  Get plenty of fluids and rest and you should be better in a few days.  Keep drinking water and you will not need IV.