Question:
I am still learning about WLS, could someone tell me what

   — Amy B. (posted on March 17, 2000)

March 16, 2000
"Dumping Syndrome" is caused by the uncontrolled release of foods (usually sugar, sometimes fats or other foods) from the stomach into the intestine. In our pre-op anatomy, the food goes into the stomach, and is then squirted out into the intestine in small bursts through the pyloric valve (a small, sphincter-like opening at the end of the stomach). With the RNY, the pylorus is bypassed, so food goes directly into the intestine from the stomach. This can result in a "overload", which the body compensates for by producing a large amount of insulin. The physical symptoms include dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, and other yucky stuff. Not all people who have an RNY experience dumping, but many (if not most) do. Some people like the dumping, because it keeps them from eating sugar. If dumping is a concern for you, you may want to explore the BPD/DS. In this surgery, the pyloric valve is not bypassed, and there's no dumping. For more information about the DS, you can go to www.duodenalswitch.com.
   — Kim H.