HoW FUN! Can't wait to see your pics!!! Love, Sue

Teresa, I just posted to Amybee about how I think it's fatty stuff that's made me dump a few times, not sugar. I do believe it's possible. It doesn't happen to me all the time, but maybe on an empty stomach or something? I don't know what the pattern is. Just wondering, did they take out your gall bladder? Anyway, I agree about not taking pepto bismol. There are better alternatives for dealing with constipation. Eat your veggies, drink your water, switch forms of iron if you take any, stool softeners, suppositories and even the occasional bit of sugar free candy can help you get unstuck! I'm fairly certain that a few sugar free sal****er taffys I had this weekend contributed to my 2.5lb loss this week! That maltitol really can make you go... Good luck! ~Sue

Congrats on your wonderful weight loss and your discipline I have eaten sugar. Not too much, but I've been completely ok. Of course, in general, I try to avoid it. But I have had excellent control with quantities and it hasn't caused me any fear of losing control. I have had some wedding cake and a hershey kiss every once in a while, even a little soft serve cone once. I have experienced dumping, but not from sugar, more from overly rich things a few times. The dumping feels like intestinal cramping and heart racing, then I need to use the bathroom pretty quickly. I feel bad for about a half hour and then I get better. I had it once after I ate some fried fish, once after an egg with a few bites of corned beef hash, and once after chinese stir fry. Plus a couple of other times. I think it was the oil. Maybe it's related to having my gall bladder out at the time of my surgery. Either way, it's been rare. As for the sugar, i keep it as a small treat that I allow myself once in a while. I usually take a few bites and then am satisfied and that's it. It's been very liberating being able to do that without guilt and fear of overdoing it. I do count calories and work out almost daily though, and my loss is slower than many, but I am ok with that. This is for life. I'm so proud of everyone here for their commitment to a new lifestyle! We are all success stories!!! ~Sue 237/228/149 /128

Ok, here's the deal. I have to ask on this board because you guys are the only ones I can tell this stuff to! Twice this week, I have eaten and then my abdomen started hurting. it was growling and carrying on and had a distinctive kind of sharp pain. And, then almost without warning, explosive diarrhea and then it grumbled awhile more and ws pretty much over. Both times, I realize about an hour-an hour and a half before I had a half a sandwich with bacon on it, along with meat. I'm wondering if this is a type of dumping syndrome caused by eating bacon or at least by the fat in the bacon. I think these are the only times I've had bacon. I'm seven months out so I'm trying a few new things. The only positive thing about this difficulty is that the rest of the time I am really constipated, to the point that it really hurts to go to the bathroom. So, the diarrhea cleans me out. It is like everything is waiting for this one great push to happen. Sorry to be so graphic. So because of the constipation, I've been taking colace. After the first episode of diarrhea, I stopped taking colace for a few days and then started again a couple of days ago. Prior to the first episode it had been a couple of days of taking the colace. So, I don't know if it's bacon or colace or a combination of both. Between these two diarrhea episodes, I had not had a bowel movement. One episode was on Sat and the other today, Thursday. After the Sat deal, I had to go to help a friend and so I took 2 peptobismol tablets. Any advice, ideas or suggestions for either the constipation or the diarrhea would be appreciated. I really don't want to stop taking the colace because it does help the constipation. Anyone else have anything similar or am just a weird duck. OK, I know I AM a weird duck but you know what I mean--a weird duck in regard to this problem. Teresa Parker 381/268/160  

I'm so sorry for what you're going through! You've had the strength to oversome so many challenges so far and my instincts tell me you're not going to cave now. On a lighter note, your new photo is gorgeous! Hang in there sweetie! Love, Sandy