Dumping Syndrome

Diagnosis

Dumping syndrome is usually diagnosed based on symptoms and medical history, especially after stomach surgery. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may perform:

• Gastric emptying test to measure how quickly food moves from the stomach to the small intestine

• Oral glucose tolerance test to check for late dumping caused by a surge in insulin

• Upper endoscopy or X-rays with contrast to evaluate the structure of your stomach

Treatment

Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and slowing down digestion. Most people improve with dietary changes such as:

• Eating smaller, more frequent meals

• Avoiding sugary foods and drinks

• Increasing intake of fiber and protein

• Drinking fluids between meals, not during

If dietary changes aren’t enough, medicines like octreotide may help slow gastric emptying. In severe cases, surgery to reconstruct the stomach may be considered.