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The symptoms are very different in the morning and in the evening! Did you know that there are two fatal types of 'dumping syndrome'?
Dumping syndrome is a relatively rare condition that can affect quality of life. This condition usually occurs after stomach or esophageal surgery, but can also be caused by diabetes or certain medications. In fact, this condition is caused by an insufficient or missing pyloric sphincter between the stomach and small intestine, which causes food to move from the stomach to the small intestine too quickly. There are two main types of dumping syndrome, classified according to the time when symptoms appear, namely early and late dumping syndrome.
Symptoms of early dumping syndrome
Early dumping syndrome usually occurs within 10 to 30 minutes after a meal. It is caused by the rapid entry of a large amount of food into the small intestine, especially sugary food, causing rapid expansion of the small intestine and the following symptoms:
- Disgusting
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Diarrhea
- Feeling overly full or bloated after a meal
- Sweating
- Weakness or dizziness
- Facial flushing
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
Symptoms of late stage dumping syndrome
Late-stage dumping syndrome occurs 2 to 3 hours after a meal. It is mainly because after excessive sugar enters the small intestine, blood sugar rises rapidly, prompting the pancreas to release a large amount of insulin, eventually causing hypoglycemia. Symptoms include:
- Symptoms of hypoglycemia such as weakness and shaking
- Facial Hot Flashes
Diagnosing Dumping Syndrome
Medical professionals diagnose dumping syndrome primarily based on the patient's symptoms and may also use some tests to confirm the diagnosis. These tests may include:
- Modified oral glucose tolerance test to check how well insulin is working.
- Gastric emptying imaging test tests the emptying rate of the stomach after eating.
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is used to examine the structure of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
- Upper gastrointestinal tract angiography, which examines the condition of the small intestine by drinking barium solution.
Treatment of Dumping Syndrome
Treatment for dumping syndrome usually includes dietary and nutritional changes, medications, and in some cases surgery. Most patients' symptoms are mild and can usually be effectively improved through the following methods:
Lifestyle changes
Changing eating habits is the first step in relieving symptoms. Suggestions include:
- Eat five to six small meals a day instead of three large meals.
- Do not drink water for at least 30 minutes after a meal.
- Increase protein, fiber and complex carbohydrate intake.
- Avoid simple sugars such as candies, syrups and juices.
- To thicken food, you can use thickeners such as pectin or xylo-oligosaccharides.
Some people also find that lying down after eating can help reduce symptoms, although the evidence for this is more limited.
Drug treatment
A medical provider may prescribe an injection of octreotide, a drug that slows gastric emptying and inhibits the release of intestinal hormones such as insulin.
Surgical treatment
Surgery may be needed if dumping syndrome is caused by past stomach surgery or in patients who have not responded to other treatments. The type of surgery for dumping syndrome usually depends on the type of previous surgery, but the success rate of this type of surgery is often low.
Although dumping syndrome can cause a lot of trouble to patients, with appropriate diagnosis and treatment, many patients can still achieve a good quality of life. So, faced with such challenges, how can we balance diet and health so that we can live a better life?
