Advice from those who are carb sensitive and dump

I've had a very crazy Covid experience. Just prior to all this lock down stuff I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis from OA. The shift in activity caused the back pain to get worse as I went from 5 2hr a day workouts to under an hour, etc. I also wasn't careful with my posture and that just made my back weaker - exacerbating things and the pain. I started losing a ton of weight also without really trying. I assumed it was lower appetite due to pain and pain meds. I was also having bathroom issues, but didn't connect that to the weight loss. I knew I was eating too much sugar at night and I was reacting. Well I went from 193 to 155 since February. I reached out to the surgeon who thinks I have a mild form of dumping, since I have a fast reaction to the carb/sugars and only run to the bathroom. I don't get any of the other dumping symptoms. So assuming he's right and you are also a dumper and having to really manage carbs and sugars, I'm curious what you've learned.

How many carbs and types of carbs can you eat? Sometimes I can eat some fruit and be fine and other times, if the fruit is paired with another carb, I dump. I'm experimenting this morning with oatmeal, which had been fine before things got really bad. Can you eat things like good carbs in moderation? I'd love to know the watchouts as I'd like to not go below 155.

Thanks for the help!

I was always told that if I will be consuming a carb or a something with sugar, I MUST accompany it with a protein in my classes. So, that helps me know what I need to do when the time comes to deal with less of the symptoms of dumping. I am also someone that knows a lot of friends with "grouchy pouches" and some days they are fine with some foods and others, not so much. I will just need to stop what I am eating and choose something else rather than force myself to eat. Something that I will have to learn as I go when the time comes

Hi there,

Are you attributing the weigh loss to dumping? I have RH, and at 11 years out it hasn't gotten any better. However, even if I felt rotten during the dumping, I never experienced weight loss due to it. I have learned how to manage it thankfully.

1. There is no set number of carbs. I can't tell you if it's 20 carbs, or 43 carbs that can cause a reaction. Every single meal is different.
2. I eat carbs, and lots of them every single day. I eat a completely plant based diet, no animals products whatsoever so this necessitates intake of carbs in order to survive.
3. All carbs are not created equal. The carbs you will find in simple carbs, **** cream, cake, candy, etc.) are not the same as what you find in complex carbs (brown rice, lentils, etc.)

That being said, what I have learned to do is to really watch what I am eating all the time. I absolutely DO eat cake, candy, vegan ice cream. However, small quantities, and it's always after an actual meal. At 11 years out from RNY, I have the capacity to eat lots of candy, chips, etc. I just don't. It makes me feel lousy, and causes weight gain.

I am currently at the lowest weight I have ever been, even after my initial 18 months honeymoon phase from RNY. Personally, I attribute it to a focus on whole foods (plant based), intermittent fasting (helps with insulin response), and a desire to feel better and not allow myself to go down a destructive path.

What you will find is that the carb counts (watchouts as you called them) are different for everyone. There's so many variables, I would hate to tell you "XYZ is fine for you, because it's fine for me".

I eat fruit daily. Multiple times a day. However, I do pair it with something else (like peanut butter and crackers, etc.).

At this point, you are down almost 40lbs. Is there anything else going on? Are you COVID positive? I only ask because you called it a crazy covid experience.

Not Covid positive. Just an issue that started during the lockdown. The surgeon believes when I dump, usually within minutes of a carb load that the reduced transits time is carrying most of the nutrients with it. I still have my Endo appointment coming up so by then I will know if this stabilizes. I'm being very careful and recording everything. Thanks for the perspectives everyone.

I can only say that I experience dumping if I eat processed food or too much. My symptoms are tachycardia, chest and stomach pain, sweating, etc. The best way for me to avoid that is to eat small, protein forward meals and not go near breads, pastas, processed sugars, etc. It i**** or miss but if I eat close to bariatric I am usually ok. It is different for everyone but I know for sure when I have gone past the line. It is very unpleasant.

I have found that certain carb combinations definitely are not good choices with me. Example: cereal and milk. Oatmeal with a trace of milk. Any combination like that and I am down and out with dumping. (I seldom drink milk, but am not dairy sensitive, and can eat plain cereal from time to time without a problem.)

Fruit is ok with me.

Basically avoiding processed carbs is my key, as well as most sugary foods in general. I can get away with a few things but when I really analyze it, a LOT of sweet foods don't agree with me at all. So I am best off to avoid sweets in general.