Dumping Syndrome

If you're at all like me, you will never have heard of dumping syndrome.  I hadn't heard of it until just before my surgery.  It is related to gastric bypass, and it is described as this:

"Dumping syndrome occurs when the contents of the stomach empty too quickly into the small intestine. The partially digested food draws excess fluid into the small intestine causing nausea, cramping, diarrhea, sweating, faintness, and palpitations. Dumping usually occurs after the consumption of too much simple or refined sugar in people who have had surgery to modify or remove all or part of the stomach."

Sounds terrifying, doesn't it?  I have not experienced this dreaded phenomenon, but it's just a matter of time.  Everyone's body reacts differently to the foods they eat, so what might cause Sally to have dumping syndrome may not cause me to, and vice versa.  So far, I've had two friends describe their experiences of horror to me...one had a simple bite of ice cream; the other, just two bites of an apple crumb pie.  This "dumping" can last for hours and while in it's clutches, makes you wish you would just die and get it over with.

Every time I try something new, I'm on edge for about an hour afterwards, waiting to see if it's going to grab ahold of me.  The dumping can be immediate, or it can be an hour or more later.

I've enclosed this picture for your viewing pleasure.