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Rapid Digestion (rapid dumping syndrome)

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Ref

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Hi

Since my TP I've been working on the assumption that I have very slow digestion. However, after having tests I've been told it is the opposite - rapid digestion aka 'dumping syndrome'. I've seen a specialist and a few things have been mentioned - seeing a dietician o_O, acarbose (diabetic consultant not keen), GLP1, Octeotride. I've seen the dietician and I wouldn't say it was a waste of time but I don't think it is going to change much for me. I will discuss the acarbose and GLP1 with my diabetic consultant when I see her in August and i'm having a number of tests to see if the Octeotride is worth trying.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else has rapid digestion and what they do to reduce the discomfort, nausea and dizziness, not to mention the weird impact on BGs (my worst time for hypos is just after i've eaten 🙄).

Andy
 
Hi Andy, if you change your thread title to ‘dumping syndrome’ you’ll attract the attention of Eggy, who has to cope with the same. She may spot this anyway.

It’s hard enough work being 3c without this on top. You’re doing well on the HbA1c counts, mind, gradually chipping away.
 
Hi Ref, just spotted this. I too have rapid dumping syndrome after my distal pancreatectomy. Was only diagonosed about 4/5 years ago after I casually mentioned I sometimes passed out after eating! The only thing that’s works for me is small meals. I thought it was when I drank alcohol but that’s not the case, it was the rich, large meals I was eating along side the alcohol! I have passed out in in all the best places! I have had scans, MRIs etc but my gastroenterologist told me there’s was nothing he could do for me and I’d never be “ normal”. Charming! It is very much trial and error and I sometimes get it totally wrong. When that happens the best thing is to lie down for up to 30 minutes and the nausea will ease, not always easy when you’re in a restaurant but I’ve been known to go out to the car and put the seat down as far as I can. It is an awful feeling and I can totally sympathise with you. I sometimes forget to take my BGs when I am having one of my funny turns, as my family calls them, but when I remember they aren’t especially high or low and my hBa1C is 49. Some sort of drug was mentioned by my DSN but my gastroenterologist wasn’t keen so I don’t take anything. Touch wood I haven’t passed out for a while and my bloating seems a bit more under control these days. But it’s taken me a while. Let me know if I can help anymore. Good luck. Elaine.
 
I wouldn’t touch Octreotide with a bargepole. It’s similar (and derived from) somastatin, which has multiple effects in the body, not the least of which is inhibiting insulin and glucagon, as well as growth hormone. That’s it’s main use - in Acromegaly. It can cause gastrointestinal slowing, but that’s an off label side effect. It’s far too risky just to achieve that.

With regard to Acarbose, I can’t see how that would help to any significance.

There isn’t any specific medication that can help this. As Elaine says, it’s more a question of managing than treating. It might be worth asking the same question on the pancreatitis or even the pancreatic cancer forums for ideas on managing it.
 
Hi Elaine,
Wow! Even when it was really bad and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, I've never passed out. I become dizzy but that's as far as it goes. Thankfully I don't get bloating but I do gurgle a lot. The bigger issue for me is nausea and the feeling i've eaten a medicine ball which stays with me for a couple of hours then I feel starving hungry within a couple of minutes. And the tiredness! It takes all my strength to stay awake after eating. It's ok at home but not easy at work. I have no choice but to plough on. My consultant told me I have 'very clear perfect antral contractions' - I'm sure if I'd said that to her, she'd have slapped my face :D

The dietitian suggested taking more protein with my meals as apparently that slows down digestion so i'm going to give that a try but i'm not hopeful. He's going to look into protein powder. Trying to control my BGs is a nightmare. I can see from the libre that if I am at a good level before I eat then it can bounce up and down several times from 3 (sometimes lower) to 11 or 12 (or higher) before settling down. Do yours do that? I'm sure these rapid fluctuations in my BGs add to the tiredness. My HbA1c looks ok but it is hiding what is going on as my 'time in target' is never more than 30% - mainly just the time when it is passing through.

Hey ho, onwards and sideways.

Sorry you're suffering from this too but i'm glad i'm not alone.
 
mikeyB said:
I wouldn’t touch Octreotide with a bargepole. It’s similar (and derived from) somastatin, which has multiple effects in the body, not the least of which is inhibiting insulin and glucagon, as well as growth hormone. That’s it’s main use - in Acromegaly. It can cause gastrointestinal slowing, but that’s an off label side effect. It’s far too risky just to achieve that.

With regard to Acarbose, I can’t see how that would help to any significance.

There isn’t any specific medication that can help this. As Elaine says, it’s more a question of managing than treating. It might be worth asking the same question on the pancreatitis or even the pancreatic cancer forums for ideas on managing it.
Click to expand...

I don't particularly want to take anything but I'm going to go through with the tests just to gather more information on exactly what is going on when I eat. I have a feeling I had this, to a lesser degree before my surgery, but that is pure conjecture on my part - i'll never know.

The usual expectation for someone who has had pancreas surgery is slower digestion due to vagal dysfunction so Elaine and I are (and I quote) 'not normal'. Personally i've never wanted to be normal so i'm happy with that. I guess that is why my consultant is taking a blunderbuss approach to see if one of them works.

Andy
 
Ref said:
Hi Elaine,
Wow! Even when it was really bad and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, I've never passed out. I become dizzy but that's as far as it goes. Thankfully I don't get bloating but I do gurgle a lot. The bigger issue for me is nausea and the feeling i've eaten a medicine ball which stays with me for a couple of hours then I feel starving hungry within a couple of minutes. And the tiredness! It takes all my strength to stay awake after eating. It's ok at home but not easy at work. I have no choice but to plough on. My consultant told me I have 'very clear perfect antral contractions' - I'm sure if I'd said that to her, she'd have slapped my face :D

The dietitian suggested taking more protein with my meals as apparently that slows down digestion so i'm going to give that a try but i'm not hopeful. He's going to look into protein powder. Trying to control my BGs is a nightmare. I can see from the libre that if I am at a good level before I eat then it can bounce up and down several times from 3 (sometimes lower) to 11 or 12 (or higher) before settling down. Do yours do that? I'm sure these rapid fluctuations in my BGs add to the tiredness. My HbA1c looks ok but it is hiding what is going on as my 'time in target' is never more than 30% - mainly just the time when it is passing through.

Hey ho, onwards and sideways.

Sorry you're suffering from this too but i'm glad i'm not alone.
Click to expand...
I gurgle a lot too! My BGs do spike very quickly and I agree that’s what causes the tiredness, that’s why small meals are best for me. I have looked at Dr Google and it seems that it’s quite common with gastric band patients too. I agree about the protein, as long as it lean, oily food is a nightmare for me. Tapas is a dim and distance memory now, passed out twice in two different tapas restaurants, this was before I knew what was wrong with me. The first time I had had two glasses of wine so blamed the alcohol, the second time I was the designated driver and hadn’t had any alcohol so that’s when I started questioning it. When I actually passed out at home after a bacon sandwich for breakfast and “ had an accident” TMI? That’s when I mentioned it to my DSN who was horrified my hubby hadn’t called an ambulance. She suggested gastric dumping syndrome straight away, sent me to hospital, had a colonoscopy to make certain it wasn’t more serious and it turns out she was correct. Anyways, normal is so passé! I’m not glad you have it but also glad it’s not just me, it’s hard enough being a weird diabetic!
Edited to add. At my worst, I vow that I am never eating again as I feel so ill, it only lasts until the next morning! 🙂
 
I try to have small meals whenever I can. It's a bit tricky at work - sometimes feel like I spend more time eating than working. One other thing the dietitian mentioned was low GI foods but I think we all do that anyway 🙄
 
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