Question:
How long can the dumping syndrome last for?

Does it last an hour, two hours, a day, two days, or what?    — [Anonymous] (posted on October 28, 2001)

October 28, 2001
I know that everyone is different, but mine usually lasts for about 20 minutes. If I overeat or eat something too sugary I feel like I have the flu for that period of time.
   — Jen S.

October 28, 2001
It lasts long enough to beat yourself severely for your transgression OR try to figure out what it was (no sugar, no fat, then too fast? too much?) and wish you would die, but realize you won't. Depends on how severe the reaction is, the worst for me was a full hour. I did the maximum stupidest thing, being a rookie. Since the dumping creates a fluid crisis within, DO NOT DRINK. Of course, I didn't know that yet, so was trying to get the horrible thirst to abate and drank. DUHHHHHHHH. Do not do this. It doesn't flush the offending item through faster, it only tells your body to increase the misery to balance out the crisis. It was miserable, let me tell you. BUT if this had not happened to me, I'd be 50# heavier by now. Honest. I need that "electric fence" to keep me away from trouble. I work hard to maintain my weight, but taking my supps & protein, but I am NOT good at keeping stuff out of my face, especially. But a good stiff jolt now & then just keeps me on the straight & narrow.
   — vitalady

October 28, 2001
I have dumped only once. Until that one time I had thought I dumped a few times before. I thought nausea and vomiting was what dumping was. Boy was I wrong. When I duped it lasted for about 2.5 hours. I was so scared I almost went to the ER. A person needs to remember that many medicines especially cough syrups and throat lozenges have sugar and or alcohol in them which may make people dump. Especially now that winter is almost here. That is why I dumped. Hope this helps you and others out there.
   — Carla C.

October 28, 2001
Everyone dumps different, When i dump i I have go number 2 in a big way.Then afterwards fee kinda like a have the flu for 20mins to a hour
   — [Anonymous]

October 29, 2001
I've had three bouts of extreme dumping and I incredibly sick for about two hours. I don't dump with reasonable amounts of sugar. But, when I do dump...it's the grand-daddy of dumps. Nausea, sweating, heart palpitations, dizziness. All I can do is lie down and wait for it to pass.
   — [Anonymous]

October 29, 2001
I've only dumped once. Like someone else mentioned, I thought maybe I had dumped before, til it really happened. I had been able to eat quite a lot of sugar with no bad consequences, so this one night I really let it rip & ate quite a few m&ms & little candy bars. It took a while, maybe an hour or more, til I began to see what a bad thing I had done. I was extremely sick for several hours, I'd estimate four or five hours (maybe more)with extreme diarrhea, stomach cramps, dizziness & leg cramps. I would try to lay down, get a leg cramp, stand up & try to walk around to get the cramp out, but then get so dizzy I thought I would fall down, so I would sit down, then the leg cramps would come back. I spent much time sitting in the bathroom, rocking & crying. I didn't have the nausea, sweating or heart palpitations. I was finally able to sleep & when I woke up a few hours later, it had all passed & I was OK. For some reason, this hasn't happened again since that time. ;) I will NEVER eat another m&m!! I don't think this episode changed my tolerance to sugar. I can still eat quite a bit without bad side effects, but I will never again push it so far.
   — [Anonymous]

October 31, 2001
I'm almost a month out from my surgery. Last night I think I had the dumping syndrome. I had just finished drinking a Boost that is high in protein (because I'm afraid of not getting enough protein) but it is also high in sugar. It was the same as what you guys described, but it only lasted 30 to 45 minutes. That was my first Boost and am not sure if I should try drinking one again. Maybe only half the amount at a time or something.
   — Jennifer H.