Heart palpatations after eating sugar or a "big" meal- anyone?

Just wondering if anyone else noticed this- after I eat a dessert (before you jump on me I am in maintenance and had the calories to spare for the day) I notice that my heart goes a little nutty.  Nothing scary or anything,  kind of similar to what used to happen when I drank a LOT of caffeine.  Anyone else experience this?  Oh, occasionally this will happen if I eat until I am really full.  I don't do that often at all, but there does seem to be a pattern when I do.  

I have experienced this from time to time also. Not sure why.

Sounds almost like dumping (without the dump).  With dumping you get the palpitations - sweaty and shaky feeling too... plus the ride on the porcelain throne.  So it sounds almost like a "dumping syndrome" minus the dump...

 

I actually get that feeling if I drink a protein shake a little fast and my hands start to tingle.  It's very weird but I've had about 3 occasions of this in the 5 weeks post op that I am so far.

 

Yep.  This is fairly normal.  It isn't dumping syndrome as some people may claim.  Think about this.  You get energy from calories.  You are likely low on calories as most of us are.  You are having a little blood glucose spike (basically a sugar rush) and this is a quick boost of energy.  You have heard about giving kids sugar?  Well same idea ... it ramps them up so you don't do it before bed.  

Too much caffeine or sugar would have about the same affect of getting the heart pumping some.  This is what is happening to you.  

Now the same thing can happen if you eat too fast as far as getting that heart beat moving oddly or faster than normal.  But in this case it isn't necessarily because of the sugar boost.  I think that when you fill up and things have gone down as far as they can and there isn't room for more as it is going right on down ... things start to back up.  Most often this is your heartburn but if things go down really fast as a precursor to a heartburn for some reason your heart may start to beat fast trying to fix things that are about to go wrong.  I think in this case it is an adrenalin boost moving the old heart.

Anyway that's my two cents.

I have found that sweets give me an instant headache and nausea. I can eat dark chocolate in small amounts and sugar free deserts without problem. I reserve my chocolate eating to about 2-3 days once a month. Hershey special dark nugget with almonds. After the week has passed, no extra carb craving.

It is reactive hypoglycemia that can happen with high sugar and/or fat. The sugar causes an insulin spike which causes a chain of reactions. This has been documented in sleeve patients. Prior to WLS, I might have that reaction, if I ate too much sugar/fat. This reaction is one of the many reasons to have protein with refined carbs and or fats. The protein helps to moderate the insulin response and doesn't cause such a high spike, and the accompanying symptoms.

Great reply! Thanks! Leave it to someone in the medical field...... Anyhow, now I get it. This has happened to me on a few rare occasions. I had a sneaking suspicion it was the sugar and now I know!

Dr. O'Brien confirmed it to me, when I asked about at my 1 or 2 year visit . At the time, she had confirmed through medical testing, 3 of her own cases, and said that it was being discussed in the literature . I am always careful with sweets (my former downfall) because of this reaction. Always have protein with simple carbs.

Ok, this makes total sense.  I do have some hypoglycemia issues.  Maybe I need to lay off the sugar a little more.  I guess I was feeling like the dessert serving was a reasonable amount and since it was within the daily allotment of cals it wouldn't be as much of an issue.  I will be more careful, and maybe next time check the blood sugar levels if I notice it and have the thingy around to check it with.  

Thank you all for posting- I was wondering wtf was happening!  Not that I am glad that it is happening to others, but at least I know it is not some bizarre thing only I am going through :)