a "dumb" dumping question

3 1/2 months post-op.  I have always thought I'm one of those of the 70% that don't dump, but I've never tried anything that might make me dump as I have a healthy fear of pain and discomfort.  I normally eat 1/2 of a Quest Bar a few times a week for breakfast or snack.  Yesterday morning I ate the entire thing, my motivation being I felt fine and I wanted to get a whole 21 g's of protein in  So within about 20 minutes my abdomen hurt, it almost felt like chest pain and my heart was pounding.  My granddaughter had her head on my chest and she asked me, "Grandma are you having a really good time right now because your heart sounds really, really fast.". (cute, huh?) I didn't throw up or anything, just felt like I was having some kind of cardiac or stomach episode for about 1 1/2 hours and I felt AWFUL.  I laid down for that time, then  after that I felt fine.  I've searched the site but can't find out if this is dumping or not.  Any ideas?  And FYI, I will never, ever, ever eat an entire Quest Bar in one sitting - at least for the next 9 months! 

You need to speak to Hala about Quest bars ...    You are better off getting your protein from whole food sources - protein bars are really just a combination of protein, carbs and chemicals - they are much more likely to make you dump than say, a piece of cheese, or chicken, which I guarantee won't make you dump!    If a food has ingredients that I can't pronounce, I assume it's not good for me!

yes and yes... I do eat chicken and home made meals 95% of the time now.   (and turkey pepperoni.  Pepperoni are still processed but they are easy for me "grab and go food" )

Thanks Kim.  Do you do most of your meals kind of home cooked?  I was originally really excited about those Quest bars...no sugar alcohols, etc.  Still, its probably not a good idea to trust anything that a cookie dough flavor... 

I eat out probably once per week, but I do cook and prepare my meals at home the rest of the week so I know what I am getting.   Don't get me wrong,  in the last nine years I have eaten probably every takeaway meal and restaurant meal you can imagine but I don't do it all the time and I think that's the key.   Tonight I am eating pork casserole in the crockpot - pork, onions, carrots, parsnips, all cooked in chicken stock.   Preparing your own food doesn't have to be rocket science.   This process should help you get an appreciation for the taste of good quality well cooked food that is not chock full of chemicals and sodium etc.

We only malabsorb for about 18 months and after that we maybe malabsorb fat and of course vitamins.   When you are a ways out you will need to find ways to satiate your appetite because contrary to what you believe in your first year, you will be shocked at the amount of food you can eat and how much appetite you can get back.   Dense protein from food is the key for your life long RNY lifestyle both for its nutritional properties and its satiating properties!    

There is no miracle food that will help us lose or keep our weight off - it's about embracing the whole lifestyle that we need to live and I honestly don't see how people can do this long term successfully without appreciating good food!   Of course there are always the exceptions, but I really believe they are just that - people who have very great resolve - certainly not something I possess to a great extent!

Probably dumping, or just a bad reaction to the carbs or sugar alcohols ( I think Quest bars are pretty low in those things but everyone is different as far as how much they can tolerate).  I'd stick to half a bar for now, but in a few months if you want, you could try maybe 3/4 of the bar.  People often, though not always, can tolerate more as they get further out.

Thanks Kelly.  Darn...as I seriously love those cookie dough ones!  I don't know if I'll give them up for eternity, but I think Quest bars are on my "do not eat" list for awhile.  All I can say is thank god for pinto beans, which are my next favorite thing next to cookie dough Quest bars.  I wish I liked chicken as much as Quest Bars and pintos!  Thanks again!

You are probably like me- the lucky one that dumps on quest bars.   Some of us gets really bad reaction - our body can digest and process the so called fiber into pure sugar.  I was eating them for a while and I was dealing with a lot of issue.  Mainly RH (reactive  hypoglycemia). For long time I did know why I was getting the RH.  

In the past I was only using them in the late afternoon as a snack, but the one time I dumped on them was when I ate more than 1/2 first thing AM... while driving... not fun...   But one day I took my blood sugar meter and measured my blood sugar before and after eating one of these bars.  My BS got from 100 to 200 within 20-30 min.  I dumped and then, 1 hr later- my BS dropped (RH - reactive hypoglycemia) . 

I complained to the company and got some of my money back for the bars I did not eat.  

note: 

I found some posts on forum for diabetics that also reported rapid increase in blood sugar ... but not everyone had that reaction. 

I found a post on forum for people who do "low carbing" that reported the same reaction for "normal" people. Again - only some of them got that reaction. I guess with the QUEST bars - it i**** and miss. 

Thanks for all that good info!!! Hmm...so I probably will try to limit my use of Quest Bars now days, darn it.  I'm like a crack addict for those cookie dough flavored ones.  I had high blood sugar issues before surgery, so its probably best to be careful.   I think I will have to cancel that darn auto-deliver.....