Dumping Syndrome after Bariatric Surgery
Dumping syndrome is a common occurrence after gastric bypass and, less frequently, after gastric sleeve surgery. It can impair the quality of life severely, bringing with it symptoms such as anxiety and restlessness, fatigue, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, trembling of the limbs, diarrhea, tachycardia, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, and weight gain.
The main cause of dumping syndrome is the rapid passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine. Early dumping develops 30-60 minutes after eating, while late dumping develops after 1-3 hours. As a result, many patients experience anxiety before eating.
If uncomfortable symptoms persist despite following the diet plan, medical attention is necessary.
Treatment Options
A poor or wrong diet is not the cause of dumping syndrome. However, basic treatment for any form of dumping syndrome is nutritional counseling, because it teaches patients to eat small meals with low sugar content.
In case dietary counseling fails to control symptoms, we offer effective medical, surgical, and endoscopic therapies:
- Medical Therapy
In many cases, the basis of treatment is acarbose, a drug that slows the absorption of glucose in the intestine. There are various other effective medications; a prescription of those however requires a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and consultation with an endocrinologist.
- Surgical Treatment
The goal of surgical treatment is to slow down the passage of food into the small intestine. To accomplish this, our experienced surgeons reduce the size of the stomach and place a silicone ring around it. We also offer patients the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial with a comprehensive follow-up program.
- Endoscopic Therapy
If the size of the stomach has not yet increased significantly, our endoscopy specialists can reduce the size of the stomach's border with the small intestine in order to slow down the passage of food into the small intestine.