Question:
Why can I eat sugar?
I am 6 weeks post op Lap RNY. Bread tastes disgusting so I don't eat it, but I found out (holidays!) that I can eat chocolate and cookies without any problem. I have yet to experience dumping. Why is this? I was kind of expecting to be forced not to eat sugar, and that was a good thing! Now I have to be strong! Anyone have this experience? — Debbie O. (posted on December 26, 2005)
December 26, 2005
Only 40% of RNY patients experience dumping syndrome. You really should
stay away from those types of foods for a real long time 6-12 months I
would say. You need to be concentrating on learning to eat properly and get
a handle on your new life style.
— ChristineB
December 26, 2005
Debbie, I am 5 months out and can eat sugar with no problem. I however
can NOT eat the sugar free stuff. For example, sugar free ice cream makes
me very ill. I do not restrict myself from having a bite or two. In my
experience, deprivation leads to binging. So I allow myself to eat what I
want - but limit the portions - which is where the surgery comes in for me.
The sweetness has become too much for me at times and just doesn't taste
as good. Seems nothing really tastes as good as I remember it tasting.
LOL ;-) Just hang in there and practice the control now, while you can.
Kimberly
— Southgrim
December 26, 2005
I have also found out during this Christmas Season that I can eat sugar and
not get sick. For seven months I didn't eat sugar things like candy, but
one day I ate a piece at work and found it did nothing, so now I can eat a
piece of candy or even a cookie without getting sick. I have to really
control myself now because that was my downfall before surgery. I have
lost almost 100 pounds and have about 30 or 40 more I want to lose. Hang
in there and control yourself and the portions you eat. You will make it
if you do. Good luck!
— Carol M.
December 26, 2005
As a Band patient, I have no firsthand experience to offer, just something
I learned from two of my RNY friends. One learned quickly that she dumps
on fried food but not sugar. When the other one had her surgery, she
decided she didn't want to know whether she dumped, so she steered clear of
sugar and fried food for over a year. This may come too late for you, but
maybe it will help someone else. Good luck to you!
— Jeanie
December 26, 2005
Yeah, I don't want to find out if I dump or not..even though at
Thanksgiving, I took a sliver of pumpkin pie and was fine with it. The
dumping is the effect of sugar getting into the body too fast due to the
fact it doesn't stay in the stomach like it used to. Just because you
didn't dump with those cookies doesn't mean it can't still happen. For me,
I want to just think I will because I don't want to have to refrain myself
from sweets. Even though, for me, I pretty much follow the rules period no
matter if I can tolerate something or not. I feel the surgery will be more
of a success if I follow my surgeon's rules. This surgery is a mind game,
and depending on how you play, will determine the outcome of the game, you
being a winner or loser :)
— Angelfirewithwings
December 27, 2005
Well, I am here same boat. I can tolerate sugar as well. I am working now
to break the habit. I am almost 4 months out. My surgery was on Sept. 9,
2005. I talked to my surgeon about wine / drinks and he said they were
okay but just do it in moderation. But, I want to stop my sugar / candy
habit. Does anyone have suggestions how I can get back on track to fast
weight lose and kicking the sugar habit? I need help BAD. I have lost
55lbs but I have 100 more to go. HELP
— shantrism
December 27, 2005
Well, I am here same boat. I can tolerate sugar as well. I am working now
to break the habit. I am almost 4 months out. My surgery was on Sept. 9,
2005. I talked to my surgeon about wine / drinks and he said they were
okay but just do it in moderation. But, I want to stop my sugar / candy
habit. Does anyone have suggestions how I can get back on track to fast
weight lose and kicking the sugar habit? I need help BAD. I have lost
55lbs but I have 100 more to go. HELP
— shantrism
December 27, 2005
Debbie,
Being only 6 weeks out, you should not even be tempting fate at this
point. Do not go there. Yes some do not get sick off of sugar. I don't. I
am 22 months out & did not touch it for 8 months, then it was a little
here & a little there & now I am fighting to get the last 40 lbs
off. yes, I have lost 145 llbs, but, I can not get below 200 lbs to save my
soul. that is because I did not follow the pouch guidelines & learn new
habits before the honeymoone period ended. take these first 8 to 10 months
learn what to eat healthy. Stay away from the foods that made you fat to
begin with. there is a reason you had to have this surgury, stop, look
& listen to you doc & everyone around you before you eat that next
piec of chocolate. this doesn't mean you can never eat a piece of chocolate
again. just do not get in the habit this early or you
will never get to your goal weight. please be careful. stick to mostly
protein & 3 meals aday no snacking in between & drink at least 64
oz. of water a day. & you will succeed.
Marilyn, the bearlady
— Marilyn C.
December 27, 2005
Just over one year post op here Debbie and I know exactly what you mean. I
was hoping this surgery would make me sick from sugar, and basically my
body can handle whatever I put in it. So I just have to stay away from all
that stuff as much as possible. I will allow a taste but only a taste. I
won't deny myself anything but I won't let myself devour stuff like I use
to. Never again do I want to be were I started. I enjoy the new me. Put a
old picture of yourself on your fridge or on the cabinet. I myself don't
buy the junk. Good luck and stay strong. Kristie
— kristiegarcia
December 27, 2005
I deal with this every single day of my life. I desperately wanted to be
one of the ones who always got deathly ill if I touched sugar because I am
diabetic. I can eat chocolate and cookies like they are nothing. In fact
cookies stay down better than dense protein because they turn into nothing
in the pouch!
I'm the 1st to confess that because I allowed those things to be in my
diet, I didnt reach my goals. I batter the sugar demons in my head every
minute.
Forget that you even let those things get past your lips. Treat them like
POISON!!!!
— SARose61
December 27, 2005
I was told not to eat sugary things, so I don't! LOL. I am afraid if I
have one piece of chocolate, I will just go back to craving it.
— Novashannon
December 27, 2005
Hi there. No offense or anything, but I don't understand why people even
try something that they know they aren't suppose to have. Then those are
the same people complaining about not having lost much weight or either
gaining weight back....I am 1 week post op, but I have no desire to try
anything. That way, I won't know if I will dump or not because I am not
suppose to have sugar period....
— PhD
December 27, 2005
Phd,
I am really not trying to be mean but you are only one week post-op and can
not understand all the issuses that goes into eating with your new tummy.
As you progress futher into post-op life you will find that food choices
will get harder, events will arise and even the best laid food plans do not
always work out. For example I was told that I could have an egg and a
piece of ham for breakfast by my nut. On the first try of this
"nutritionally Sound" meal I got very, very sick after just one
bite. So, it is not easy to know everything about food and what will work
for you or what will have "HIDDEN SUGAR". Good Luck
— shantrism
December 27, 2005
Everyone is different. My Dr. told me that I will most likely be able to
handle up to 18 grams of sugar without a problem. I usually eat sugar free
items and no sugar added with Splenda and no problems. I did eat one
chocolate chip cookie (very slowly) and had no problem. The most amazing
thing is that ONE cookie satisfied me and I have not wanted any more. I
ate the cookie on Christmas Eve! On Christmas, I had a 1/2 inch sliver of
pumpkin pie and 1/2 inch sliver of chocolate cream pie. I didn't eat the
crust, just the filling and before anyone blasts me, my Dr. told me a bite
or two of pie would not hurt me and if that satisfied me, go for it!
I think I have a realistic attitude about eating. I am still drinking
two protein shakes a day because I am having a hard time with meat. The
easiest protein for me to handle has been smooth peanut butter on a
saltine.
I am learning to feel full and stop eating. This is something I never
learned in all my life and it is absolutely necessary now or I pay dearly.
Sweets tastes very sweet and it takes very little to satisfy me,
unlike the past.
— LauraA
December 28, 2005
No experience with dumping as I had the DS and can eat what I want...my
thing is...I don't want the sugar...YUK!! Amazing to me really!
Bread fills me up too fast, so I have to eat it very sparingly.
Best wishes,
— T S.
December 28, 2005
2 cents from an oldtimer (2-1/2+ years out). Do what works for you. If
having a bite of sugar, cookie, ice cream, chocolate, makes you happy and
enjoy your weight loss, then do it. What works for one, does not work for
another. Find a happy balance. I eat what I want, when I want it, in
MODERATION. If it's a candy, it's just that A CANDY (not the bag or the
box). It works for me because I love candy. My downfall was ice cream.
God was kind to me and made me not want it after WLS. I am thankful for
that. Now I just take a 1/4 teaspoon from my husband's portion and I am
done. I love that about my WLS outcome. Find your happy spot and stick
with it. If losing only 80 pounds makes you happy, nobody should make you
feel that you need to lose 150. Do what works for you, it's your life,
live it to the fullest. Hugs to the newbies, Missy! Down 148+ pounds, now
overing at 119 - kept it all off now for 2-1/2+ years).
— Missy H.
January 3, 2006
A better question is why DO you eat sugar? there are many emotional issues
related to eating and for some one who is a new post op to critisize is
fairly arrogant. the first 9 months out I was not hungry. I was not
tempted to cheat much. I had to make myself eat. than all of a sudden real
hunger, starving wolf hunger hit me. I must eat regualrly to prevent that
happening, along with the associated low blood sugar and feeling
sodesparate that I will eat anything. I am over 3 years out and do dump
sometimes. It is fairly unpredictable. something may be fine 10 times in a
row then !!!bam!!! I feel like I'm dying.
My solution is to plan my 6 meals a day, keep a protein bar with me
"just in case" and occasionally plan a small treat. I have to be
careful because even small amounts of sugar give me rebound hypoglycemia if
I don't have protein with it. Once again, even when planning a treat
Protein first.
good luck and best wishes.
In the meantime the book "How Much Does Your Soul Weigh?" is
priceless.
— **willow**
January 4, 2006
Even at more than 2 years post op what I can eat one day doesn't mean I can
eat it the next without feeling sick. That cookie/candy you were able to
tolerate today but that bite of cake may make you sick tomorrow. Sometimes
it just depends on how much you eat as well. A little piece of candy is
not the same as a large piece of pie.
— SJP
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