What is YOUR dumping experience like??????
I didnt really test the waters until I was about 10 months out and ate a whole candy bar. Ive found that theres no effect on me with about 10-15 grams of sugar in anything. Anything more than that and I get a rapid heart beat, sweaty, jittery, slightly nauseated, tired and sleepy. Unfourtunately this doesnt keep me from eating the junk every now and then. The more sugar the more intense those symptoms are. I never throw up but have felt so bad before that I prayed to God he would just let me. The funny thing is it doesnt happen until about 10 minutes after your finished. I also notice that if I go a long time without having sweets, when I do, I dump harder. If I have them a few days in a row its not that bad. Crazy I am, I know. A little stupid sometimes too!
From one Candy to another
I'm happy to say this is a no sugar day...
xoxoxo
Sugarless Candy 
i AM A SUGAR ADDICT
DIANA
RNY 9/17/03
360/202 
Hi Candy ... Sorry this is so long ...
well, Sunday is my 3-year surgiversary. I have NEVER intentially tested myself with sugar. I'm afraid to do sugar, because I'm afraid I WON'T dump. I also have seen some people dump on something once, try it again and not dump, and I just can't trust myself. So, I just won't start, because I know I won't be able to stop if I find I don't dump.
I've dumped probably 3 or 4 times (that I've noticed, so now that I look back, I may have had milder symptoms which I didn't realize that I was even dumping). My first dump was about 2 months post-op ... on a strawberry protein shake ... got very flushed and nauseated with cramping that lasted a few hours. I don't quite remember another one or two episodes, but last December, I took 4 sips of a Kahlua and cream, and less than an hour later, I was sweating, heart was racing, horrible cramps (worse than any period cramps I ever had), and very nauseated. Luckily the club I was in had a couch, and I was out of commission for about 3 hours.
Most recently ... I was in Dallas a couple weeks ago for work. Our group rented out a fantastic club. The food (hors d'ourves) was mostly passed around by servers, and they didn't come around all that often. I had a couple drinks over a three hour period (I'm thinking the culprit was a mango martini ... I don't drink fruit juice to start with, so that alone may have done it ... and with the alcohol on top of that, BUT ... it could have also been the sauce into which I dipped a chicken nugget ... well ... )
At 11pm they called the paramedics ... I was found on the floor in the bathroom. I was coming to as the paramedics were taking my blood pressure, but I wasn't intoxicated. As my head was clearing, I (and a few others) were telling them I had gastric bypass surgery (and a dyskinetic gallbladder), but they ended up leaving (and to my doctor's disgust, they didn't do a blood glucose test).
I had to stay another day because I pretty much just slept the next 24 hours (while still quite nauseated the entire time), and there was NO WAY I could have sat on a plane for 2-1/2 hours).
The following day I was chatting with a friend and told him what had happened ... and he said, "you were dumping, weren't you?" WOW ... I hadn't even thought of that ... here, the paramedics (and everyone else) just thought I was inebriated (which I *knew* I wasn't). So I did a little more research and found info on Dumping (early and LATE), and hypoglycemia. It seems to fit to a "T".
Here's some of the info I've found:
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Dangerous Side Effects of Gastric Bypass Surgeries - http://www.mercola.com/2005/nov/3/dangerous_side_effects_of_gastric_bypass_surgeries.htm
(NOTE: THIS DOC IS ANTI-WLS, BUT STILL FOUND IT AN INTERESTING READ)
Two new studies indicate that gastric bypass surgery could have severely dangerous side effects, including severe hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level) and even death.
Black Outs Causing Traffic Accidents
The first study demonstrated that gastric bypass surgery can result in a potentially dangerous hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) complication that may require quick treatment. It examined the history of three patients who suffered such severe hypoglycemia following meals, as a result of high insulin levels, that they became confused and sometimes blacked out. In two cases, this caused automobile collisions.
None of the patients responded to medication, and they all eventually needed partial or complete removal of the pancreas, the major source of insulin, in order to prevent them from undergoing dangerous declines in blood glucose.
"Dumping Syndrome"
A possible reason for the postprandial (after-meal) hypoglycemia they experienced is "dumping syndrome," which occurs when the small intestine fills too quickly with undigested food from the stomach. This can happen following gastric bypass surgery.
However, the failure of the symptoms to respond to treatment suggests there are other mechanisms at work as well, such as increased insulin sensitivity following the surgery, and abnormal hormone secretion patterns resulting from alteration of the intestinal tract.
Symptoms of severe hypoglycemia can include:
Confusion
Lightheadedness
Rapid heart rate
Shaking
Sweating
Excessive hunger
Headaches in the morning
Nightmares
Risk of Death
At the same time, other research has uncovered a higher-than-expected risk of death following surgery for obesity, even among younger patients. In a study of more than 16,000 subjects, more than 5 percent of men and nearly 3 percent of women aged 35 to 44 were dead within a year of the surgery.
Slightly higher rates were found in patients 45 to 54, and among patients 65 to 74 almost 13 percent of men and roughly 6 percent of women died. Among those aged 75 and older, half of the men and 40 percent of the women died.
Malnutrition, Infection, Shock to the System
The potentially deadly complications can include malnutrition, infection, and bowel and gallbladder problems. The surgery itself can be a dangerous shock to the system, particularly for older patients.
Gastric bypass is the most common U.S. obesity surgery. About 160,000 people undergo gastric bypass surgery every year.
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St. Vincent's medical center: http://www.stvincents.org/healthservices/bariatrics/longtermcomplications.cfm
Possible Long-Term Complications
The development of gallstones is related to the rapid and significant amount of weight loss and therefore is highest in the first six months after surgery. Gallstones are not a complication of surgery as such, but rather a complication of rapid weight loss. Obese persons have a very high rate of gallstone formation compared to normal weight persons. By age 50, nearly 50 % of morbidly obese women have developed gallstones.
Bowel obstruction due to a blockage from adhesions (scar tissue) can occur as it can after any abdominal operation, trauma, or intra-abdominal infection.
Stomal ulcer is an acid-peptic ulcer that occurs on or near the anastomosis (connection) between the stomach pouch and the bowel, "the stoma". An ulcer may also rarely occur in the usual duodenal ulcer position. There is a higher risk of developing ulcers after bariatric surgery. Patients who use non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, Aleve®, etc., and smokers have a even higher incidence of ulcers. For this reason, all bariatric patients are instructed to avoid the use on all anti-inflammatory medications containing ibuprofen (i.e. Advil®, Nuprin®, Haltran®, Midol®, Motrin®, Aleve®, etc.) after surgery and for life. Ulcers can also lead to erosion of the Lap-band® into the stomach wall.
Late stomal stenosis, or narrowing of the outlet of the stomach pouch, is a complication that can occur in gastric bypass patients. Re-operation may be necessary to correct this.
Iron deficiency anemia is a complication of significance in the long term. It usually occurs in menstruating women who do not take extra iron supplements. It is almost always preventable. It is not difficult to treat, but must be recognized in order for it to be treated. This is one of the important reasons for long-term follow-up.
Lactose intolerance results from the body's inability to digest the cow milk sugar called lactose. Gastric bypass surgery can unmask lactose intolerance, but not cause it. Lactose is commonly found in dairy-based foods and beverages, and is digested in the intestines by the enzyme lactase. Lactase breaks down lactose so it can be absorbed in the blood stream. When the body does not produce enough lactase, lactose cannot be digested,which may result in lactose intolerance.
Depending on the individual, the symptoms may including cramping, diarrhea, bloating, gas and nausea. If you experience these symptoms after eating dairy products, you may be lactose intolerant.
Products that contain large amounts of lactose are cow milk and ice cream; smaller amounts of lactose are found in yogurt, cottage cheese and hard cheese. Prepared foods can also contain lactose. You will need to look on food labels or ingredient listings for whey, lactose, non-fat milk solids, buttermilk, malted milk, margarine and sweet or sour cream. Some breads, dry cereal and instant soups contain small amounts of lactose. Although there are supplements that you can take, elimination of dairy is the best approach to solving the problems associated with lactose intolerance. You can still enjoy goat milk products without any worry of having lactose intolerance, or Lactaid® and soymilk.
DUMPING SYNDROME
Under normal physiologic conditions, the stomach and pylorus (the opening of the stomach into the small intestine) control the rate at which the gastric contents leave the stomach. That is, the stomach, pancreas and liver work together to prepare nutrients (or sugar) before they reach the small intestine for absorption. The stomach serves as a reservoir that releases food downstream only at a controlled rate, avoiding sudden large influxes of sugar. The released food is also mixed with stomach acid, bile, and pancreatic juice to control the chemical makeup of the food that goes downstream and avoid the "dumping syndrome."
Dumping syndrome occurs with the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass patient only and is divided into early and late phases.
Early dumping syndrome happens when the lower end of the small intestine (jejunum) fills too quickly with undigested food from the stomach. Patients can develop abdominal bloating, pain, vomiting, and vasomotor symptoms (flushing, sweating, rapid heart rate, light headedness). Other patients may have diarrhea. Since with the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass the majority of the stomach is not being used and a new, small pouch that directly connects to the small intestine is created, there may be dumping. Early dumping syndrome is due to the now-rapid gastric emptying causing bowel distension plus movement of fluid from the blood to the intestine to dilute the intestinal contents. These symptoms usually occur 30 to 60 minutes after eating.
LATE DUMPING is related to the blood sugar level. The small bowel is very effective in absorbing sugar, so that the rapid absorption of a relatively small amount of sugar can cause the glucose level in the blood to rise rapidly. The pancreas responds to this glucose challenge by increasing the insulin output. Unfortunately, the sugar that started the whole cycle was such a small amount that it does not sustain the increase in blood glucose, which tends to fall back down at about the time the insulin surge starts. These factors combine to produce hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which causes the individual to feel weak, sleepy and profoundly fatigued.
Restricting simple carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes and other sweet tasting foods), eating more protein and not drinking liquids during a meal can reduce the symptoms of dumping. Further, avoid foods that are very hot or very cold, which can also trigger symptoms.
Obviously, surgeons consider dumping syndrome to be a beneficial effect of Gastric Bypass surgery. It provides a quick and reliable negative feedback to eating the "wrong" foods. In practice, most patients do not experience full-blown symptoms of dumping more that once or twice. Most simply say that they have lost their taste for sweets.
Be aware that late dumping is the mechanism by which sugar intake can create low blood sugar, and it is also a way for patients to get into a vicious cycle of eating. If the patient takes in sugar or a food that is closely related to sugar (simple carbohydrates like rice, pasta, potatoes) they will experience some degree of hypoglycemia in the hour or two after eating. The hypoglycemia stimulates appetite and the patient will want to eat again
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On this site (OH), I also found some interesting information for anyone who drinks wine. California wines are not "allowed" to add extra sugar to their wines, they are judged on the "sweetness of the fruit". BUT, no other state or country has that "rule", and many wines have added sugars (such as beet sugar, etc.). I occasionally drink wine, and in the future I will definitely look for the California wines.
I've also seen that dumping is different for so many people ... and I don't understand why some people do and some don't.
--Karyn
wow i read every bit of this and it is kinda scary to read what dumping is in technical terms,my experience with dumping is after a fairly good amount of sugar,high fat or foods with alot of milk in them..i get the shakes,heart rate increases,some trouble breathing,lightheaded,somtimes i have diarrhea,sometimes i just get really tired ,nausea sometimes too but my symptoms vary depending on what i eat...
lemon
rny 4 year postop
263/143/119
Thanks for the input!
Hugs!
Candy 
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