Dumping syndrome

Dumping syndrome happens in response to the presence of a high carbohydrate load entering into the intestine. After gastric bypass surgery, if you eat sweets it may sometimes be “dumped” into the intestine instead of being released gradually, in small amounts.

Symptoms: Abdominal fullness, nausea, crampy abdominal pain followed by diarrhea within 15 minutes after eating. As a result, you may feel warm, dizzy, weak, faint, have an increased pulse rate, and break into a cold sweat.

Follow these four rules to help avoid dumping syndrome:

  1. Eat slowly
  2. Chew thoroughly
  3. Do not consume liquids with solids
  4. Avoid sugar

Tips:

  • Your diet should below in simple carbohydrates, low in fat, and high in protein.
  • All food and drink should be moderate in temperature. Cold drinks can cause gastric distress.
  • If “dumping” is a problem, it may be helpful to lie down 20 to 30 minutes after meals, or even up to an hour.
  • Pectin, a dietary fiber found in fruits and vegetables, may be helpful. It delays gastric emptying, slows carbohydrate absorption, and reduces the glycemic response. (Consume fruits and vegetables according to Stages)
  • Read food labels and avoid foods high in added sugar. To identify sugar, look for ingredients ending in ose (example: dextrose, sucrose, and fructose). Other forms of sugar are corn syrup, honey, and molasses.
  • Sugar, or a form of sugar, listed in the first three ingredients on the ingredient list should be avoided.

Look for foods labeled sugar-free or no addedsugar. Foods labeled dietetic, may not be sugar free.