If you check out message boards populated by bariatric surgery patients, you will inevitably come across a thread of patients complaining about dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome describes when a person eats unhealthy foods that pass from the stomach to the bowels super quickly, creating nausea and discomfort shortly after eating. While this condition mainly occurs for people who have had bariatric surgery, patients who have had gastric sleeve surgery — the type of surgery I perform — are much less likely to experience these symptoms.

What People Who Have Dumping Syndrome Experience
Dumping syndrome usually affects people who have just eaten food with a high sugar content (fructose and sucrose). People can suffer from early dumping syndrome, late dumping syndrome, or both.

Symptoms of early dumping syndrome strike within half an hour of eating, sometimes as soon as 10 minutes. Side effects include diarrhea, bloating, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and dizziness.
Late dumping syndrome symptoms manifest a couple hours after eating. At this point, people notice sweating, redness, lightheadedness, and an accelerated heart rate.

The best way to manage and avoid dumping syndrome symptoms is to eat a clean diet with minimal sugars. Although patients are especially susceptible to this condition in the months following their surgery, it can persist for many years if bad eating habits continue.

Why Are Gastric Bypass Patients at Greater Risk for Dumping Syndrome?
Dumping syndrome is very common amongst gastric bypass patients. Approximately 85% of people who have had gastric bypass report having dumping syndrome at some point.

Gastric bypass involves removing part of the stomach, which can allow un- or under-digested food to pass through the stomach to the small intestines. This is especially true of sugary foods, which can absorb water from the body and trigger these unpleasant symptoms.

Although gastric sleeve patients are not immune from dumping syndrome, they are much less likely to suffer from the symptoms. This is true because I use a technique that preserves the lower esophageal sphincter and the pylorus (the exit point of the stomach) to better regulate the passage of food. Stick to your diet and dumping syndrome should not pose a problem.

Speak to a Renowned Bariatric Surgeon About Gastric Sleeve
Dealing with frequent gastrointestinal problems is not a fun or comfortable way to live. Dumping syndrome is just one of many reasons that I recommend gastric sleeve over other forms of bariatric surgery to my patients. To determine if you are a good candidate for gastric sleeve, please call 1-800-381-8115 or request a consultation online.

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“Changing lives…one sleeve at a time”.