Good News and Bad news

November 22, 2000

Hi Everyone,

I have to report to you how things are going. It has been a little

over 2 months now since surgery. Overall, things are really good.

That's part of the good news. The best part is that I hit 50 lbs gone

yesterday!! It makes me feel so powerful and hopeful and so grateful

for this tool.

Now on to the bad news. Two nights ago I had my first real dumping

episode. I know why it happened. It was an extrmemly busy and

stressful day and since I wasn't feeling hungry, my eating schedule

became the bottom of the list. By 3:30 pm I realized that I had only

had juice so far. I was hungery!! My stomach was actully churning.

You know that real hunger signal that most of us never really felt

before surgery. So I ate... 1/3 of a small breast of chicken, mashed

potatoes and 3 oz of tuna. I was also very thirsty and dry so without

thinking I finished a glass of juice ( maybe 4 oz) fairly quickly

after eating that large, heavy meal. I knew within a few minutes that

I had done something wrong. I did not get the stop now feelings while

eating that I sometimes get. It started with a stomach ache and then

some intestinal cramping. I can not stress enough that I have been

reading this list since June and seen lots of people say they dumped.

I had read the dumping syndrome description numerous times. I did not

have a clue what I was in for!!!!!

My impression was that I would have some cramping and feel it move

through me and have an urgent BM or diarrhea. It started that way for

about an hour. Then the 2nd hour it got worse and worse. Not only

were my intestines popping, gurgling and cramping, but my abdominal

musles started cramping and contorting. I have dealt with irritable

bowel syndrome since I was 13 and had bad intestinal cramping as a

teen that ruined many a night out, but I have never expereinced

anyting like this. I think my pain tolerance is strong and I am

usually silent. Physical pain does not make me cry. I was crying,

screaming, moaning. I was home alone with my 20 mo old daughter. She

was freaked out. I got stuck in a doorway with the muscle cramping and

when the subsided I had to pry my hand from the top of the door. My

fingers had cramped and wouldn't undue.

My husband thought I should go to the ER, but I didn't know how to get

there and didn't want to call and ambulance. I did call Dr. R to see

if dumping should be that severe. I was so impressed with how quickly

the office got through to him. In less than I minute he was

pleasantly answering the phone. He was so sweet and friendly, but I

was not in the mood for pleasantries! He assured me that what I was

experiencing was dumping or at least a variation on it. That he got

these kind of calls more than he wished and everyone always thought

they were dying. HE said, " You will never do this again " . HE wished

he had something to comfort me, but said he knoew of nothing to speed

it up or stop it and that I was going to have to ride it out and that

it could last FROM6-12 HOURS!!!!! I was panicked at that thought as I

hung up.

Thankfully by 3 and half hours the muscle spams subsided. I did take

an Imodium pill hoping it would help with the cramping. I am not sure

if it did anything, but I did not have any more loose stools. I did

however have more gas than I have ever had in my entire life. My

husband was very impressed LOL My husband had to come home from work

and my parents had to leave a meeting early to come over quickly and

watch the baby while I writhed in pain and did Lamaze breathing.

After about 5 hours I was back to normal and just exhausted. By 6

hours I was very hungry again and this time had 1/2 cup of tomato soup

without any problem.

I cannot emphasize enough the difference between what I thought

dumping was or would be and what I exeperienced. My advice is that

you and your eating schedule come first whether you are hungry or not.

4-6 small meals with most of your liquid between meals. I certainly

hope that I have learned my lesson.

Anyway, I hope this scares you, because it ought to.

I am thrilled about my 50 lb loss and doing fine overall.

Laurie

9/20/00

319/269/150

November 22, 2000

Wow, Laurie, great story! I mean sorry you went through it, but boy did you

paint a good picture!

The part that got me was when you called " 1/3 of a small breast of chicken,

mashed potatoes and 3 oz of tuna " a " large, heavy meal. " How things change, eh?

I'm glad Dr.R was there for you. I don't know how he spreads himself so thin,

but I'm starting to think he should apply for sainthood!

Glad you're feeling better and Congrats on the 50 pounds!!

Love,

Sperb

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