Question:
I can't dump...

I know this sounds totally twisted but I have tried to make myself dump (so I can understand what it's like) and can't do it. I am really afraid of dumping so I wanted to do it at home so I can know how bad it is. My worst fear is eating something when I am out and dumping.<p> At about 4 weeks post-op I ate a whole sugar cookie to try and cause a dump....nothing. Yesterday I ate a normal sized slice of cake that my kids made for Valentines day. I did scrape over half of the icing off (I always did that pre-op too). I did not have the slightest reaction to it. I felt full and satisfied with one piece and pre-op I would of tried to force myself to stop at 3.<p> I decided on RNY instead of DS partialy because I WANTED to have an adversion to sweets (my downfall). I feel like my tool is broken or something. I am terrified of failing with this since I failed on so many attempts at weigh loss. I am having success (45 lbs in 6 weekw) and the size restriction is working great for me. I just don't understand why I don't dump!<p> Am I the only person on the face of the earth that WANTED dumping as a reinforcer to help loose the weight?    — Barbi B. (posted on February 15, 2002)

February 15, 2002
Some post-ops can tolerate sugars in small quantities. You obviously can tolerate some sugar, but maybe not as much as you did pre-op. I have read stories of other posties who dumped and it is like everything else in that it is different for each person. I feel as if I swallowed a rock and it is sitting at the entrance to my pouch and I am nauseated. It either goes away in 10 to 20 minutes or it comes back up and I am immediately better. Thankfully, I have only dumped a very few times and I just don't attempt those foods again. If you are really intent on knowing what dumping is like for yourself, try something spicy, like hot wings. And, don't be too concerned that you can still tolerate sugars, because as I said before, you probably can't tolerate as much now as you did pre-op. You said you were satisfied with one piece of cake and one slice isn't going to hurt you. It was those 3 or 4 big slices pre-op that did the damage. You are doing fine.
   — Susan M.

February 15, 2002
Not everyone dumps, even w/rny. Some like me consider this a blessing. I have no desire to be sick when I eat, just to eat less, and I do eat MUCH less than I ever did. I am 2 months post op, I've lost 45 lbs and I eat what I want, just not a lot of anything. Some dump severely and consider it a blessing to keep them away from fats and sugars. Even though I can eat both I find that I don't desire them nearly as much as I did pre-op.
   — jsuggs

February 15, 2002
I thought I didn't dump either, but--I guarantee you--if you eat enough sugar fast enough, you WILL dump. I got overconfident one time and at ate 12 Welch's popsicles in one sitting. (I know - STUPID!!!). That was an equivalent of 600 calories of pure sugar within a 2 hour period. Let's just put it this way ... I dumped, I dumped hard, and it WASN'T pleasant. My advice is not to push it by "testing" your tolerance. Just trust that you will dump if you do something stupid enough.
   — [Anonymous]

February 15, 2002
One of these days you may find that you dump on something totally unexpected. I did. My family wanted to go out for ice cream so we went to Baskin Robbins. I has one small scoop of fat free sugar free ice cream and dumped big time. (That was my evening meal that night). <P>I also take two iron tablets a day because I'm anemic (was before surgery) and they have a tendency to cause constipation. I drank a small glass of Orange Juice one morning to help eliminate that problem and dumped on it. I normally drink the same sized glass at bedtime a couple of nights a week with no problem. Go figure. <P>Congratulations on missing this experience so far. I've read that something that you tolerate one time you may not tolerate the next. I know it's true because it's happened to me with several foods. Time of day, what's already in your system, etc. all play a part in whether you dump or not. Good luck.
   — [Anonymous]

February 15, 2002
I'm with you. I'm four weeks postop too and don't dump either even though I tested it with icecream and valentines chocolate. I'm disappointed because I have always had more of a problem with sugar than quanity of food. I'm wondering if my years of high sugar intake has made me immune. I worry that I will fail. I have been on a plateau already for a week. Your doing good though you have loss twice as much weight as me.
   — Candace F.

February 15, 2002
As odd as it sounds, the dumping thing was a big selling point for me in having the RNY. I saw it as some kind of negetive reaction therapy. Well, I THOUGHT that I didn't dump, because I've sure tested it but like a previous poster said, you still could. I can eat sugar with no problem, but got completely stressed out the other night and had eaten probably 10 pieces of valentine candy in about 10 minutes and guess what? I was a dumping fool! I know it sounds crazy, but I am so relieved. It was these stress/boredom/depression induced binges that got me to 315 pounds. I a little over 5 months out and down 89 pounds. Though my original desire for this tool didn't quite work out, I'm glad to know that if I get too crazy, I'll pay for it. And I did and it's been a reminder to stay away from that junk, it's not worth it! This surgery only works on your stomach, not your head, and it didn't take all your bad habits away. Good luck!
   — Robin O.

February 15, 2002
I have a friend who experiences "dumping" whenshe has fried food. go figure. She sweats, heart palpitations, vomiting etc.
   — Cindee A.