Hi Everyone.
I'm feeling really down. I was going to say fed up, but I don't want to even think about food.
I'm 6 years post op., and quite well, and my dumping was happening less and less often. But in the last few days I've dumped almost every time I ate. 3 times yesterday, and I'm just dumping now for the second time today, and it's only lunch time. I could cry. What's happening to me? Has this happened to anyone else?
hi, I am also 6 year post op and on the whole doing pretty well, but like you I am aware what triggers my dumping and so stay clear of those foods. But then out of the blue something I had previously enjoyed would affect me causing dumping. I seem to be able to control them better now too, but it is still distressing when it happens. If you are having several episodes though I would say call your clinician and see l they have to say.
I hope you feel better soon
best wishes
Edwina x
Thanks Edwina. I have my annual check-up soon, 9th May so I'll tell them about it.
I think that I would either call them in advance or make it plain that you want to sort this issue out at your appointment, as you may need to see, say, a dietician / gastroenterologist. Try and get your insulin:sugar levels checked beforehand, and think about a food diary. As you are at the hospital you may be able to get referred much more quickly than if you otherwise have to go through your GP.
Inevitably with an annual check-up coming up you start to wonder if you are still OK cancer-wise, but it really does not sound like a recurrence.
With persistent diarrhoea, do try and make sure you remain hydrated. If it clears up in a few days, it might feasibly be something that you ate, or a virus - some of these are persistent; if it does not, it might be something like small intestine bacterial overgrowth that might need some serious consideration about antibiotics. For the sweats, clamminess, insulin spikes etc, this should respond dramatically, short term, with dextrosol, sweets etc and would tend to indicate that it is an insulin:sugar balance issue. But this is all non qualified speculation on my part!
I hope you recover soon; it is a miserable experience.
Alan, I have read somewhere that post-op oesophageal cancer sufferers are at risk of developing diabetes. Is this true and why is this? I am only 10 weeks post op but I find I have really developed a sweet tooth. I I find I can eat biscuits and chocolates later without waking up with the dreaded bile. I went to an info day about OC at my hospital and the dietary advice was all about gaining and maintaining weight so it was all about adding calories, adding cream to things and sugar and biscuits are good. This may add weight but surely all health problems are likely with this approach? There were people there who ranged up to 15 years post op so it wasn't advice solely for immediate post op patients.
Eileenq
Sorry for the delay in replying. I have moved house and the computer had troubles in settling in!
Some people develop diabetes, sometimes because they might have done anyway as it is, to some extent, age-related. For others, I believe that persistent insulin spikes caused by the dumping syndrome can lead to insulin resistance (but this is a complete non medically-qualified opinion). So to that extent, the dumping syndrome suffered after an oesophagectomy can be associated with real diabetes.
Then there is the general problem of the balance between sugar:insulin caused by dumping / generation of insulin spikes. The very short term solution to dealing with the sweats etc is to take sugar to redress the balance, but the diet aspect to try and prevent it happening is to avoid food with added sugar, anything ending in ' -ose' and probably a good many things that the dietician recommended in order to gain weight. So I do not think, with all due respect to the dietician, that eating some of those things (that may cause insulin spikes) to try and regain some kind of 'fantasy healthy weight' is a good thing. I personally believe that many people would benefit from a low-GI diet where the sugar is dealt with much more slowly without causing so much insulin. It just so happens that this type of food is recommended for diabetics, and indeed for people who want to lose weight. But in the peculiar situation in which some post-oesophagectomy patients find themselves, this kind of diet enables them to eat with relatively fewer problems, and when being able to eat at all is an achievement.
Having said all that, people do differ quite markedly in what they can cope with, and sometimes, frustratingly, what works one day may not work for the next.
So my general advice would be not to try to eat to put on weight because it can be so counter-productive; if your weight is stable and you are maintaining good nutrition, try and appreciate your new body shape; deal with things on a trial and error basis - do not beat yourself up when you get it wrong because that happens to everyone and you have enough problems to deal with anyway; keep a food diary if you cannot work out what is causing you problems; and try to avoid the dumping syndrome if you possible can because too much insulin does not do you any good.
I can go months without having any problems with dumping, then for no known reason it's back to square one. Sometimes it's just for the odd day and sometimes it can be a recurrent problem lasting 'on and off' for two or three weeks. I'd more or less taken it for it granted that this was just something that happens after the op, but I've very recently discovered that I have mild diverticular disease. I don't know if this is part of the problem or not though as it seems odd that I can be problem free, for months. I'm four years post op btw.
Thanks Magpuss.
Normally I consider myself very lucky to have survived OC for 6 years, but at the moment I want to cry like a spoilt child and say "It's not fair"
Sorry, I'm just having a down day.
Hang in there Patchworker!
We all have down days but know that there is always someone out there thinking of you and sending you support and best wishes (even if it is just on a forum)
I really hope your doctor/surgeon gives you a positive prognosis on the 9th and you can start to get some quality of life back.
Thinking of you and sending positive vibes
Mark
X
Hi
I am 6 years post op and have the same problem if I change my routine IE go on holiday or do different activities for a few days. Also as Edwina says sometimes it is just my body changiing its mind again about which food it likes. lately breakfast has given me dumping almost every day, (poached egg on toast and tea no sugar) it will calm down I am sure especially if I stop raciing around and give my body time to rest after eating.
Good luck take care
cheers Lizzy
I'm nine years post-op but I never got rid of my dumping. I dump more or less after every meal, no matter what I eat. It drains a lot of energy. 
Thanks Cortex, I'm sorry your dumping happens so often.. It doesn't leave much time for anything else, does it?
Hi Patchworker,
Hang in there, you'll be fine. Dumping can be such a pain and random! Try eating a little less to take the pressure off. You'll catch up on calories next week 
Jay
Patchworker
As others have said. Hang in there. This will pass (no pun intended) and you will get back to normal again.
If this helps (and I do hope it does). I am an engineer by trade. We are taught, and teach, that everything changes as a result of another change made somewhere else in the process. Or to quote Newtons third law: "Every Action Has an Equal and Opposite Reaction".
Something is "likely" to have changed that is making you start dumping. That change may not be as obvious as you might expect i.e. food or drink related. Have you made any changes to your life style or surroundings including shower gel, shampoo, soap powder etc? What could be causing you to react by dumping?
I honestly do not have the answer for you. But I urge you to try and think if you have had any changes made prior to your dumping returning. Builders in the house? New clothes, hayfever medication. Now is the start of the Pollen Season !! Maybe you need hayfever medication?
I wish you well my friend. Try and keep your spirits up and do let us know how you get on.
Bruce
Hi Bruce,
I think you're right. Something has changed. I'm not sure what. But as you know, when you're a cancer survivor, you always fear the worst.
But I'll know soon, I have a hospital appt. next Monday. and it might be good news. and if it's not, at least I'll know what I'm facing.
Thank you Bruce, I hope things are going well for you.
When you dump are you hypoglycemic? Because if you eat the wrong thing if you are hypoglycemic, that can send you into a repetitive up and down cycle, dumping over and over again... For me, dumping is my being hyperreactive hypoglycemic, or eating something that will send my sugar going up high and then bouncing down low... Stress can cause my body to do it more often, so can my plain just being sick...
A good point. It can be worth getting a blood glucose meter and checking your yourself out before (when normal) and at the on-set of dumping.
Thanks, everyone, It does help to have someone to moan to! I'm very grateful anyone bothered to reply to such a small thing, when we all know there are people with life and death problems on this site. Thank you, my friends.
Hi from Australia, I too have dumping episodes so when I visited my GP a couple of days ago I asked for her advice. First a little crushed banana and also Psyllium Husk - 1 tsp daily (can be mixed in food) - are non medication things to try (apparently both have ingredients that help stop it). When it gets bad Gastro-stop will definitely work. Hope this can help you. Have yet to try but worth a try.
Im so sorry to hear of your particularly difficult Dumping time. Like others have said it could be many factors contributing to this and its trial and error to work out what has caused this but I know with Dumping it is only a meal or snack away from happening for most of us, so is a constant threat. I'm 18 months post op and have had dreadful dumping for most of it curbing going out and still having difficulty with weight as very low weight. I have been put on Creon capsules which are pancreatic enzymes to help absorb food as I have malnutrition and has made a huge difference to diarrhoea but I have to avoid any refined carbs or else Dumping and watch for triggers. If it continues like others have said speak with your Specialist Nurse or team and get an early appointment as life is miserable with this, but hopefully this will be a phase that improves quickly for you, but it needs checking out. Good luck.
Are you sure it's dumping syndrome and not just diarrhoea, i.e. is it accompanied by palpitations, cold sweats or dizziness? Are you taking omeprazole? Approximately 15% of patients who take omeprazole for a long period suffer side effects, including diarrhoea. Or, it could be a bacterial overgrowth or a stomach virus, which takes much longer to get over if you've had gastric surgery. It might be worth getting some tests done.
Bloating and Dumping
Dumping
Dumping syndrome
Severe Dumping
Dumping
