It has been almost 6 months since my laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. To my great pleasure I had never experienced dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome is an extremely unpleasant experience that most gastric bypass surgery patients will experience. Last night it finally happened! About 10 pm I was watching television and this bag of Fritos from New Years eve that that had been left on the table by my son kept saying “I bet you can’t eat just one.” Okay, that was from a Lays Potato Chip commercial but I am sure the Fritos were mimicking it. I kept eyeing that bag of Fritos and finally said what the heck a few of them wont hurt me. Suddenly it hit me that these aren’t just Fritos they are Frito scoops and I started thinking about that cheese dip in the refrigerator. The next thing I knew I was heading for the kitchen to grab the cheese dip. While reaching for the dip I noticed a bottle of Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps liqueur. Back to the family room I headed with a double shot of Rumple Minze and the container of Cheese dip.
Sitting comfortably in my recliner I started to enjoy the holiday snacks. After eating several chips with scoops of cheese sauce and sipping on the Rumple Minze the punishment for my transgressions started to take place. My head started to spin as if I were very drunk, my stomach felt as if it was being twisting in knots and I was very nauseated. Suddenly I felt like spitting up. I have not thrown up since my gastric bypass surgery but a few times have had to cough up food that had not been chewed properly, was too stringy or perhaps ate more than could go into the pouch.
Within moments I was heading for the bathroom where I coughed up an ounce or two or liquid containing Rumple Minze, chips and cheese sauce and what else I have no idea. I then headed for my room where I flopped myself down on the bed. My grandson came in and asked, “Are you dieing grandpa?” I explained that I felt like it but was just experiencing “dumping syndrome” from eating and drinking things I shouldn’t have. After about a half hour I fell asleep waking a few hours later with a bout of diarrhea though the other symptoms had passed.
For those of you that have never experienced “dumping syndrome” it is exactly as had been explained to me. A painful physical reaction that results in cramps, nausea, diarrhea, weakness and light-headedness and one of the most unpleasant feelings you can experience. Let me tell you, I have experienced a lot of pain during different parts of my life and have a fairly high tolerance to pain. This pain was about 7–8 on a scale of 1–10 with 1 being the least pain and 10 being the greatest.
Usually dumping syndrome occurs shortly after eating sugary items. Amazingly with these products the sugar level was not that high, The Fritos contained 0 grams, the cheese sauce 3 and the Rumple Minze 10.9 grams of sugar per serving. The combination though with the other ingredients did their job and twisted me into knots. While dumpling is a very unpleasant experience it can provide a powerful negative message to remind us to avoid certain foods.
Dumping syndrome occurs when sugar is passed rapidly from the small stomach pouch into the small intestine. The body quickly draws fluid into the intestine to dilute the sugar load. Some especially sensitive people even report problems with dumping syndrome after eating starch foods.
The treatment is to lie down and rest until the symptoms resolve. The prevention is to avoid sugary foods and liquids.
Dumping syndrome does not occur following lap band sugary, but since sugary foods are usually of low nutritional value other than the calories they provide, all patients should avoid excess sugar.
You asked for it so these fast few days I have started making some changes to the Terminal Obesity blog. It seems that the magazine style theme previously being used was a little too busy and confusing to some people. We are using a great new theme by Brian Gardner and Jason Schuller of Revolution Two Themes. This new theme will still be too busy for some of you and not busy enough for others. I personally like the style. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the theme.
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Terry
The holidays times are some of the hardest to lose weight. Most people bring tasty foods and desserts to many parties and get-togethers. For someone that wants to lose weight, the temptations can be overwhelming. However, it is still possible for loosing weight during the holidays to occur.
The two most important parts of weight loss are diet and exercise. On the other hand, it’s not always practical during the holidays. Either someone is staying at a hotel, where exercise options are limited, or they might be staying with friends or family where it is hard to get away. It almost seems rude to turn down any food that is provided at these special events and parties. It is however possible for you to reduce your weight even during the holiday season. Of the choices available, one of them is lap band surgery.
Lap band surgery may not be the best choice for everyone. It is primarily intended for those who have experienced difficulty reducing their weight with any other means. A doctor can implant a lap band at any time, and it may be especially helpful to have it done, right before the holiday season.
If you are unfamiliar with the lap band, it is a band that is put around the stomach to manually shrink the size of the stomach so that you are unable to eat to much. People with diabetes or those that have thyroid issues would benefit from this process a great deal. Imagine how much easier it would be to loose weight without having to deny anything that your body wants. This has made losing weight during the holidays the easiest thing you have ever tried to do.
Lap bands produce the best results when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and proper, moderate exercise. Slow the results that the lap band is designed to give,this is mostly because too much unhealthy foods can. This procedure, along with a sensible diet and exercise, will produce dramatic results. If that is not a great Holiday gift then nothing will be! Loosing weight during the holidays is the best gift someone can give themselves.
If you have been thinking about getting the lap band procedure or want to be lose weight this holiday season, it isn’t too late. The lap band procedure might be the very thing to get your life back under control and moving in the right direction. The fear of holiday parties, rich foods, and rich drinks is now a thing of the past. You can eat things in tiny portions and loose weight. This is sure to be the absolute best holiday season ever.
If you are wondering how lap band surgery works, then you are probably not alone. It is a procedure that has gained in popularity over recent years and the lap band success ratio is quite high. If you are significantly overweight, then this may be just the procedure that you are looking for. But, as with all surgical procedures, knowledge is the only way to be informed of any complications or how the procedure itself will go. Read more
Weight loss surgery options are available to those who are significantly overweight. If you find that you are obese and simply cannot lose the weight with a standard diet and exercise program, then it may be time to consider your options. There are many surgeries that are now available, such as the Duodenal Switch surgery or the Lap Band procedure. However, before you consider the DS, you absolutely need to know what the disadvantages are. Read more
We live in a world where being overweight is criticized by the entertainment industry, media and even by our friends. While the majority of Americans are overweight we still seem to treat those that are fatter than us as second-class citizens or do we? Most of us have experienced hitting bottom as our issues with obesity have crashed down around us. So often we feel all alone as we fight that very vicious Obesity Monster. It is natural that we question if weight loss can really help us to develop a positive self image. Read more
As some of you may know Medicare, Medicaid, many state programs and private insurance plans will cover weight loss surgery. As a matter of fact my own laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery was covered by Medicare and my supplement plan Secure Horizons. What about that loose and saggy skin that does not go away? Will Medicare pay for a tummy tuck?
The answer to that question is NO and Yes. In most circumstances they will not cover a tummy tuck for they consider it cosmetic surgery. In situations where the surgeon determines that a tummy tuck is medically necessary because of infections they may cover it. Your surgeon will diagnose the situation to determine if a tummy tuck is necessary and then present an honest evaluation to Medicare. A person that has lost a huge amount of weight and has heavy masses of hanging skin causing serious infections has the best chance of getting a tummy tuck approved. If the request is turned down the surgeon can appeal but there is still no guarantee that it will be covered.
Terry
More and more today people are opting for weight loss surgery. It was not long ago that almost all insurance companies recognized this surgery as cosmetic. In order to have this surgery you needed either a hefty bank account or had to go deeply into debt. In recent years the opposite has become true. Most insurance companies recognize that weight loss surgery is now a very successful cost cutting measure. Medicare and Medicaid along with many State programs have also seen the light and both gastric bypass and lap band surgery is now a reasonable option for the morbidly obese and those with certain health risks. Read more
