Dumping Syndrome (NLOSS)

Patient Information Factsheet

North London Obesity Surgery Service (NLOSS)

What is dumping syndrome?

• Dumping syndrome is a group of symptoms that can happen after weight-loss surgery.
• It is more common after a gastric bypass. It can also happen after a sleeve gastrectomy.
• It happens when food moves too fast into the small bowel.
• This can happen if you eat sugary or fatty foods, or drink while eating.
• Symptoms include stomach cramps, feeling sick, loose stools (poo), sweating, and feeling faint.

Early dumping

• Sugary or fatty foods are rich with nutrients. These nutrients "dump" or move into your small bowel faster than before surgery.
• It is this that causes the symptoms of heart palpitations (when your heart feels like it is beating too fast, fluttering, pounding or skipping a beat), feeling sick or sweating.

Late dumping

• This is caused by eating sugary foods or large portions of simple carbohydrates.
• Simple carbohydrates are a type of sugar (found in sweets, fizzy drinks, white bread etc).
• These are digested very quickly by your body. This causes your blood sugar levels to quickly increase.
• The body then creates large amounts of insulin. This causes blood sugar levels to quickly drop below normal levels in response.
• We call this hypoglycaemia.

Helpful dietary changes

• Eat less sugary foods and drinks. This includes sweets, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, sugary drinks, smoothies, and fruit juices.
• Be aware of other names for sugar. These include glucose, sucrose, fructose, dextrose, honey, and corn syrup.
• Avoid high fat foods, such as ice cream, milkshakes, fried food, cakes, fatty meats and cooking oils (vegetable or olive).
• Use low sugar drinks such as no added sugar squashes.
• Eat slowly.
• Do not drink anything for 30 minutes after a meal.
• Lie down if you have any of these symptoms.

Other important things

• After you feel better, think about what you ate or drank before your symptoms started. Try to avoid that food or drink next time.
• If you experience low blood sugar, contact your GP or your bariatric team immediately.

Contact our service

Should you need more information, please contact our Specialist Bariatric Dietitians on 0207 288 5989, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.