Question:
Dumping vs. Vomiting. What exactly is dumping?

I have seen "dumping" referred to many, many times. I thought it meant vomiting, but I just recently read an answer that referred to both dumping and vomiting as if they were different.    — Janet C. (posted on May 25, 1999)

May 25, 1999
Vomitting is ... vomitting ... Dumping syndrom is caused by sugars, milk intolerance, and high fat (probably other things, I'm not a dr.) which causes symptoms similar in "feeling" to an anxiety attack. In my experience, a feeling of heart palipitations, sweats, light headedness, sometimes diarheah. For me it only happens when I've eaten something too rich, drunk a glass of milk, or happened to drink fruit juice or attempted to eat a rich sweet when someone insists on OH JUST A LITTLE WON'T HURT!!! To my knowledge it isn't anything life threatening .. just extremely uncomfortable!! A good deterrent to behaving! If you listen to what your doctor tells you to do ... and do it ... you should be fine!
   — Sherrie G.

May 25, 1999
Dumping is a reaction ..(usually to fat and/or sugar). Water rushes to your intestine..it very often mimics a blood sugar reaction...in that you feel week, disoriented, etc, etc...and ..in most cases..you end up on the toilet for a while (sometimes screaming in pain). I've never vomited when I've had a dumping episode....
   — Deanna D.

May 25, 1999
Dumping for me comes from eating too much sugar or too much fat. It usually means several bouts of diahrrea over a period of about 45 minutes time. Then it is over and I am fine again. Kind of like your body is "dumping" the bad stuff. Technically it is when food enters the intestine too quickly.
   — dboat

May 25, 1999
Dumping can be anh or all of the following: dry mouth, cold hands & feet, sweating, heart palpitations, extreme over whelming sleepiness and thirst, nausea, fuzzy vision and fuzzy brain. But not vomiting, tho you wish you could. It's sometimes followed by diarrhea, sometimes not. It is a GOOD THING, as it effectively keeps me away from sugars and otehr behaviors that could undo my surgery, such as drinking with eating. It IS nasty, but well worth it to maintain your best weight.
   — vitalady

May 26, 1999
To understand 'dumping' it's important that you understand the physiology of the digestive system. the stomach is an acidic enviornment the intestines an akaline enviornment. when you bypass the duodenum you bypass the area where acids are converted into akalines therefore if certain foods (mainly porcessed sugar produces and greasy foods) go from the gastric pouch into the intestines too rapidly it cause a reaction similar to insulin shock. You heart will race above 120 you will feel lethargic, you may sweat and feel very weak. This can last up to 30 minutes and the remedy of course is to not eat those foods that cause the "dumping" syndrome. After you have had an attach sit quietly in an upright position this allows the body to readjust and compensate, laying down only prolongs the problem. Hope this helps Rich Terry mailto:[email protected]
   — Richard T.

May 27, 1999
Dumping technically is when food "dumps" into your upper small intestine directly from the new stomach pouch. Some substances, in some people, are upsetting: sugars, fats, sometimes milk products.. everyone is different. The body's response can be anywhere on a range of symptoms. My worst (after two bites of chocolate ice cream.. duh) was a scary feeling that I was having a heart attack (flutter in my chest, sweats, nausea)... then I ran to the bathroom and was OOBE sick (like a little kid: out of both ends). I threw up and had the runs bad. I felt sick the rest of the evening and for the next three days felt very tentative about eating because I still had that "running" feeling. Another time I just got the flutter and the sweats and barfed a little. Sometimes, something I've eaten just makes me feel "loose." This doesn't happen very much.. once it does, I avoid whatever it was I ate. Some folks are very sensitive to sugar in any form after surgery. I put a tsp of sugar in my coffee but not more than that at any meal and it doesn't bother me. And it doesn't usually last forever. Your body adjusts and you adjust what you put into it. Small price to pay for a great new life. Good luck Susan [email protected]
   — Susan C.

June 20, 1999
Dumping is what happens when you eat sugar and/or dairy products in some cases. It only happens for people who have the R-N-Y procedure or gastric bypass. If you have VBG it does not happens. You get light-headed, dizzy, immediate weakness, usually have to go lay down for a couple of hours. Most times it is accompanied by diarhea.
   — Donna D.