Post-gastric bypass patients avoid sugar because sugar enters the bowel too quickly after the procedure, otherwise known as "dumping syndrome".

The gastric bypass procedure promotes weight loss by making your stomach smaller and limiting how much your stomach can take in, in terms of food and liquid intake. After being reduced in size, the stomach is reconnected or bypassed to a lower point in the small intestine.

Regardless of the kind of gastric bypass surgery you undergo, you will be forced to change your eating habits because food can no longer be completely absorbed because of the bypass of the small intestine.

Dumping Syndrome

Because of the changes that occur in the anatomy of the stomach after a bypass surgery operation, about 70-80% of such patients are now unable to tolerate sugar and simple carbohydrates within the first year of their surgeries. But the dumping syndrome is said to resolve itself within two years after the gastric bypass surgery procedure.

Symptoms of the gastric syndrome include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, dizziness, lightheadedness, bloating, belching, fatigue, heart palpitations, rapid heart rate, sweating, weakness, shakiness, feelings of anxiety, nervousness, mental confusion and low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. These symptoms start to appear within two to three hours of eating meals that contain sugar and simple carbohydrates. But for others, the symptoms of the dumping syndrome occur instantaneously after eating sugary food.

These symptoms are characterized as "dumping syndrome" because the undigested contents of the stomach are "dumped" into the small intestine at a fast rate because of the bypass operation.

How To Avoid the Dumping Syndrome

The dumping syndrome can be avoided by eating smaller meals at a more frequent rate. It is also advised that post-gastric bypass patients avoid drinking liquids together with meals, and most importantly, avoid sugary and sweet food.