Question:
Is this dumping?

Hi. I feel like I'm dying. Please someone advise. I went to take my Iron pill with a sip of Cranberry/Grape juice (no sugar added; just natural sugars from fruit), half juice and half water. Within a few minutes, I got SEVERE abdominal, diareah like cramps along with SEVERE nausea. When I ran to the toilet & sat down, nothing would come out at first. I could feel the agonizing cramp travelling through my intestines, probably taking about 40 minutes or so, until finally it came to the end and then I had the diarreah. At the same time, I was holding the waste bin to my mouth and having SEVERE vomiting, but without vomit. Well unless you consider a small amount of foamy spit & mucous to be vomit. I was surprised that the Iron pill DID NOT come up at all. I felt SO sick that I was going to call 911. But now I think it has finally passed and I'm feeling OK. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? Could this be my first dumping syndrome from the juice? I'm 3 1/2 weeks post-op (open distal RNY) and I had this sae juice this morning with no problems at all. Does dumpng syndrome show up from the very beginning after surgery? Or could it take a few weeks before it happens, like what I was describing. Or, was this not dumping at all? What was it then?    — lalasmommy (posted on June 13, 2001)

June 13, 2001
I don't know if it's called dumping exactly, but I've had the foamy stuff come up and the cramping. Just last night, after having mashed potatoes, I was cleaning my room when all of a sudden I broke out in a sweat, was dizzy, and nauseous. It lasted about a half hour. I had to lay down. I would say that none of us knows when we'll dump or what will cause it. It's a learning experience. I've dumped on graham crackers, juice, and now the potatoes.
   — Amy K.

June 13, 2001
I get the same kind of cramping where it literally feels like someone is wrapping their forearm around my intestine. It lasts for about 1 minutes and then it goes away for about a minute, then it comes back for a minute and goes away, and so on. When the pain is there, it is agonizing (never felt anything like it). During the minute in between - it is completely gone (I feel fine)...then it comes back. I have had it happen about 6 times (I am 8 mos. post-op.). The first time it happened I called my surgeon. He was out of town. The doctor on call told me to go to the emergency room. I knew that would be a miserable experience in itself, so I took a darvocet and the pain went away. When I finally did see my doctor and told him what had happened, he said that it was my internal organs still trying to figure out what was going on and sometimes these things happen. He was okay with me taking darvocet. I have only taken the darvocet when these pains have happened because I hate taking medicine. I tried to figure out what these episodes had in common and have not been able to. About the time I think I know what is causing it, it proves me wrong. The last time was when I took my Zinc pill and I thought maybe it was because I hadn't taken it with food. I am sorry you are having the pain, but I am relieved that someone else is having the same problem. The thought has crossed my mind that something didn't go right during the surgery or my staples have ruptured, etc. My imagination has gotten the best of me sometimes. Anyway, other than the darvocet, I don't have an answer for you. If you figure something out let me know. Oh.. and also... the dry heaves always accompany the pain, and the diarhea problem. Very strange...sorry I couldn't be of more help.
   — Kimberly C.

June 14, 2001
You bet! That is dumping! I had a few episodes early postop. Once from eating only 3 bites of regular yogurt (Too much sugar -- I picked up the wrong kind by mistake). Once from eating a big chunk of cheese by itself (too much fat for my new pouch). Both times, SEVERE abdominal cramps, had to sit on toilet with my head on top of one of those commercial trash cans in front of me in case I hurled. I was also experiencing extreme hotness! My daughter had to keep giving me cold towels to put on my neck and face and arms and they'd turn hot almost immediately. It is like severe food poisoning, only you are toooooooo sick to get to the hospital.
   — Cindy H.

November 29, 2001
Yes, that was dumping! Check the back of juice containers for the grams of sugar. I can'r go past 15 grams, but should stay under 10 grams. In the hospital, I was served pear nectar w/ my breakfast. I bought some Kerns, took three very small tight lipped sips. Within minutes I broke out into a sweat, felt hot, dizzy,a nd like I was going to pass out. I had to sit for 1/2 an hour, until it passed. I guess I'm one of the ones who really has to watch my sugar grams! Hope you're doing better!
   — camiam