This is a common side effect of gastric bypass surgery (it is estimated that 85% of patients will experience the symptoms at some point) it is also seen when people have a gastric sleeve, or other forms of stomach surgery.
In relation to weight loss, the symptoms can be positive. They tend to be caused by foods high in sugar, fat or from taking too much alcohol. If you feel really ill eating something it does make you think twice about trying it again. However, it is not something that you should live with if it is affecting your daily life and is happening regularly. If you have had weight loss surgery and are feeling the symptoms below and it is affecting your quality of life, do get in touch with The Bariatric Group as the dietitian will be happy to have a chat about changes that can help.
The symptoms can differ and cover a range they are caused by the rapid movement of food through the stomach into the intestine- filling it with undigested food. This then means it hits the small intestine very fast. It can occur during or just after you have eaten (early dumping) or one to three hours after eating (late dumping). You may feel the following:
Early dumping
nausea
vomiting
palpitations
sweating
bloating
abdominal pain and cramping
diarrhoea
dizziness
fatigue
audible bowel sounds
Late Dumping
hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
sweating
weakness
dizziness
confusion
hunger
fainting
As the food is more concentrated than the fluid in the gut water is drawn in by osmosis to help digest the meal. This causes a drop in blood pressure and volume as the fluid leaves the blood making you feel faint and dizzy and sometimes having palpitations. The increase of fluid in the bowel can mean a sudden urge to run to the toilet, with a very watery diarrhoea. this tends to be quite explosive but not necessarily offensive and smelly as it isn’t due to malabsorption.
*Disclaimer: Please note that weight loss surgery results and benefits are unique to each individual and in such The Bariatric Group cannot guarantee specific weight loss goals as results for each surgery can vary. If you have any questions or would like to know more about weight loss surgery please contact our expert team.
