Help with "Dumping"?

[Creoncol]

I will be 2 years post -op next month,positives are feeling reasonably fit,put on about 7lbs recently,but still get dumping from time to time,is there any medication that can help?

[DavidP]

Sound like you're doing well ! I think most of us live with dumping from time to time but if it's a problem prokinetics may be of help if you discuss with your GP - I found metoclopramide and domperidone were both useful during the first 6 months post-op (and they are also anti-emetics so were also helpful during chemo). These days I find chewing a dextrose tablet takes the edge off an attack.

David

[margie1]

Hi I am 5 years post op and still get dumping but it has got better since I’ve learned not to overeat and to not eat sugary foods etc I still get dumping even when I’ve been good lol but not as often

[jay2908]

I'm ten years post op and get the odd bought of dumping. The following will cause me dumping -

Latte - milk seems to upset my stomach

drinking within 30 minutes after or during a meal

Eating more than I can typically manage

In terms medication that can help with dumping, once I've had an episode of dumping, I find that my stomach takes a while to recover, during which I will be more likely to have further dumping episodes. To get your digestive system back in order...

- Stick to your 'safe foods', for me Chips/crisps/eggs/small non-sugary snacks

- Imodium will allow the food you are eating to be digested correctly. Generally I take a small dose until things settle down.

- Bananas - have about half a banana 15 mins before eat. It'll release sugar slowly, thus balancing out any sugar spikes. It will also ensure that food doesn't pass to quickly through your digestive system, preventing dumping.

Have a look at this OPA factsheet

opa.org.uk/edit/files/facts...

I hope that helps, do feel free to ask any questions.

Jay

[Johrene in reply to jay2908]

Thanks for you very informative post. I find every little piece of information helps me physically and emotionally

[kiddy]

Hi there yes i am 21 months post op and still get dumping. I carry dextrose tablets and a banana in case i get an unexpected attack. Also if you do exercise have a banana after. Yes we have to give up eating and drinking together which can be unsociable and our favourite choc treats. Also i cant have yoguart, ice cream and full fat things.

Good Luck

Debbie

[haward]

I am four and a half years post op and still get unexpected dumping. I can have, for example, muesli one morning and be fine. The following day it makes an urgent reappearance and I have no idea why. I find that eating out of date food is a problem but I love aging stinking cheese. Milky coffee, like a cappuccino seems to be dangerous. Overeating doesn't help but there are days when I seem to be able to eat several courses, with liquid and no problem. If I am at a party grazing and drinking sort of sensibly works best for me.

Regards

Haward

[Hidden]

If it comes an hour or two after eating, the 'dumping' is normally an imbalance of insulin:sugar in your system caused by food rushing through to the lower parts of your digestive tract and tricking the body into generating more insulin. The answer will tend to be reducing the sugary things, or food with a high glycemic index in your diet, as if you were diabetic.

Having insulin spikes are resolved fairly easily in the short term by taking something sweet to counterbalance things; but in the long term it is good to try and reduce the insulin surges as a health issue even without the sweaty, clammy and light-headed feelings that ensue.

There are some factsheets on the OPA website.

opa.org.uk/pages/factsheets...

[tallbear]

I am two years post Ivor Lewis and I do get quite a lot of dumping.

My diet is very very restricted, I am a vegetarian I can eat no bread no dairy, no pastry of any kind and no cereal. Chocolate and peanut butter are the only sweet things I can eat. Bananas are a godsend, as is quinoa and chia seeds

I had got back to having porridge for breakfast, but the dumping made it too uncomfortable.

This has all proved very difficult and it seems impossible to put on weight because of the dumping, but my wife decided to try making me a tea of root ginger bruised and cut up into little pieces a teaspoon full, a squirt of lemon juice to one mug of boiling water, and if I have this soon after a meal it really reduces the dumping.

Possibly worth a try, I have also discovered you can buy ginger and lemon tea bags, but they are not so effective.

Good luck with it anyway

[gutlesswonder]

healthunlocked.com/oesophag...