Hi, I'm back, and dumping, I think... - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

HapBird · 02-22-2006, 07:12 PM

Hey, all - I'm back after a LONG dry spell here on the forum.

Since December, I've had approximately once-a-month symptoms that are weird and a bit frightening - I THINK this is dumping, but it's not quite like anything I've had before, or heard about. Wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences.

If I eat too much and/or too fast, the new "dumping" syndrome I'm getting is to start off feeling uncomfortable, then sick to my stomach (with or without needing to try to vomit), then just get into a sort of stupor where I'm "out of it" and can only describe my feeling as being pretty close to being tipsy from alcohol (it's not that, for sure, since I quit drinking 18 years ago).

Most recent episode was the scariest - I went to the movies (alone) and bought a "small" bag of popcorn, which at the Horton Plaza theater, is gigantic. I ate half of it, falling prey to my old eating habits for the first time in the 18 months or so since my surgery. I started feeling queasy, then nauseous. I stumbled out of the theater before the movie was over ("Good Night and Good Luck" - really good, by the way, at least the 3/4ths of it I saw!), went to the men's room, couldn't/didn't need to either throw up or have a bout of diarrhea, which is what I expected.

I felt a little better after a few minutes, and left the building, making my way through the food court area of Horton Plaza where every smell made me feel worse and worse. I could not WAIT to get away from that nasty smell of food!

Got to my car, felt better, started driving home. After about six blocks, I felt really nauseous, pulled car over to try throwing up on the sidewalk (very elegant, I'm sure). I banged my car's front wheel on the curb when pulling over. Not my usual driving style.

After a few dry heaves, I THOUGHT I felt better, proceeded to drive onto the freeway and on towards home.

Three quarters of the way home on the freeway, I started feeling bad again. Got off the freeway to take surface roads the rest of the way home. From there on, I was driving in a fog, much like being drunk. I'm lucky to have got home without having an accident.

When I got home, I took a nap for a couple of hours and was fine after that.

Soooooo........

Lessons learned:

1. I'm STILL a binge eater.
2. I have an eating disorder that could actually kill me, and not only in the long run!
3. I guess I AM A DUMPER after all - but is this really dumping? or something else?
4. I still need the support of OA, Dr. Callery's support groups, and this board.
5. Humility is good for us.
6. I can live the rest of my life without popcorn and I won't die from the lack of it.
7. If I ever feel like I'm dumping again, I WILL NOT DRIVE A CAR!

Blueyz · 02-22-2006, 07:45 PM

Sounds like dumping to me.

Great to see you back. I missed seeing you here.

sUzYzPLaCe · 02-22-2006, 07:50 PM

Sounds like dumping to me too. Suzy

Midntsgirl · 02-22-2006, 08:16 PM

Sounds to me like you and I dump the same. Except for me instead of being in a drunken stupor type fog, I get into this can't stay awake state. I litterally fall asleep where I sit. I remember being at my neice and nephew's birthday and after eating dinner, I put my head on the table and just went to sleep right there in the middle of the festivities. Couldn't stay awake. (Everyone just let me sleep, but how rude was I?!?!) I guess we all revert back to our old habits when we're away from the structure of our home and our daily routine. I just have to pay closer attention to the amount of food I eat when I'm away from my comfort zone. One last thing...if, God forbid, this happens again while away from home maybe you should take a nap in your car before attempting to drive home. (Just to be on the safe side, ya know?) I know that a few times I've eaten lunch, got that can't stay awake feeling and just gone to sleep in my car. When I woke up I felt just fine. Good luck to you!

bridgetgirl · 02-22-2006, 09:36 PM

Phil-mo! I need your number!! I dont have it, and I thought I did n stuff. Please call me, I will PM you my number.

You know I get that way if I dont eat my breakfast or morning snack. I have been out of my usual routine for a couple of weeks now and its effecting me big time. When I get the nausea and my mouth starts watering like crazy, I RUN to the bathroom and I CANT vomit..... I wish I could but I cant.
Do you have these symptoms even if you eat in the morning? I have been skipping meals like crazy and I find when I do its hard as hell to eat the longer I wait. I went back to apples, promising myself that even if Im not wanting to eat thatI will at least have an apple first thing in the morning to get things moving in my digestive system.
I have found with the stress I have been experiencing recently that I DONT want to eat.. at all. That I rarely ever feel hunger and the only reason I eat is so that my blood sugar doesnt go so slow to make me feel horrible... if that wasnt a factor I could go without eating at all it feels like.... so I too still have an eating disorder.
Well pal the East County support groups are my place now in El Cajon. The second Wednesday of the month at 6:30... call me pal! Love, hugs and kisses. I miss you immensly!

HapBird · 02-23-2006, 04:49 AM

Hey there to all who responded to my posting - Dale - Suzy - Brenda - Bridget - it's good to be back in community.

I've been isolating too long!

The weirdest thing about this kind of dumping symptom is how sneaky a thing it is - I didn't even REALIZE I wasn't fit to drive!!! Yikes!!!

From now on, if I feel like I'm dumping, might dump, am about to dump, whatever, I'll find a designated driver, or pull over and take a nap.

Hell, maybe I'll even learn to avoid the eating behaviors that lead to dumping! (OK, that's a bit extreme, I make no promises...)

Anyhoo, I guess I've learned a new lesson in the long-term management of my eating disorder... and a good thing, too. Similar my former drinking days - I learned not to drive after drinking many years before I quit alcohol once and for all, after a similar experience.

More later. It's three-forty-five a.m. and I'm suffering the effects of a cup of supposedly decaf coffee I had at 7 p.m. last evening. Argh.

Gladitsme · 02-23-2006, 11:16 AM

Phil,

Definitely a dumping episode! I get dizzy, lightheaded, break out in a sweat, my heart races. I don't have the gastric effects you described. Almost wish I did.

SD_Johnsons · 02-23-2006, 05:45 PM

I have done this twice. I feel like I want to throw up, but can't and all smells of food make me sick to my stomach. I get sweaty and dizzy. I have to lay on the bed and just wait it out, which is usually about 30 minutes. Both times have taught me not to touch what I ate again.

LisaBoston · 02-24-2006, 07:23 PM

popcorn...how many people can eat it. Some say it goes down really well. I would think it swells and would be like eating alot of pasta....those that can eat it, how is this....I would love to be able to have popcorn at the movies...I don't need alot, just some.

JJ Girl · 03-14-2006, 10:27 AM

I have absolutely no problem eating popcorn - can't figure it out either but I can eat a medium movie theatre popcorn or a whole regular size bad of microwave popcorn.