Daily Menu ? and Dumping

Cora11

Wondering if people might be willing to post a detail example of a typical days meal plan including portion sizes. My husband is still having his share of dumping episodes even though we are being very careful. If we might see what some people eat over a day or two days time, that might give us some ideas. If you have time to post your food diary, sure would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Cora

Here's a typical day for my husband:

Breakfast

3/4 cup oatmeal with about 2 T plain yogurt mixed in

1-2 slices lean turkey bacon

late morning

1/2 sandwich - whole grain/high fiber bread
2 slices roast turkey
1slice cheese

snack- 10 almonds or pistachio nuts

mid-afternoon meal

1/2 sandwich again

dinner

1/2 to 3/4 cup whole grain pasta
3 oz chicken
olive oil
sauteed spinach or swiss chard
parmesan cheese

plus 1/4 cup veggies like brussel sprouts or asparagus

bedtime snack

toast or crackers with peanut butter

then he drinks water separately from meals

this is just a typical example and I'm really having trouble figuring out what is causing his dumping as we keep the diet pretty stable and then he'll go along great and then have one to two days in a row of dumping and low blood sugars.

Any insights appreciated. We are going to add pectin to the diet. He's been reluctant to eat fruit due to sugar content but he does tolerate pears and I think apples or apple sauce would be good cuz it has pectin ( delays emptying) but we are going to give it as a supplement too in powder or capsule form

Thanks,
Cora

ChaadMN

My food schedule
Hi Cora,

Here is my food schedule.

7AM: Pills and a bananna

9AM: Blueberry or english muffin

11AM: Small salad (very small) and cottage cheese

1PM: Mixed nuts

3PM: String cheese

5-6PM: 1/2 sandwich or bratwurst, and jello.

Snack before bed is applesauce and more pills.

I try to eat a little every 2 hours and shoot to get 60 to 80 ounces of water in between snacks/meals. I hope this helps you!

paul61

Here is my "typical" menu
Cora,

I should mention before listing my menu that I also take a probiotic that was recommended for helping with diarrhea - it is called Culturelle (Lactobacillus GG) I take it every morning when I get up.

My "typical" menu;

Breakfast - Two eggs scrambled and 1/2 bagel with cream cheese

Mid-Morning snack - Package of crackers with peanut butter

Lunch - 1/2 Roast Turkey sandwich with cheese and handful of baked potato chips

Mid afternoon snack - Nature Valley "Sweet & Salty" Peanut Butter Bar

Late afternoon snack - Smoothie made from banana, frozen srawberries, and "Barley Life"
**Barley Life is made from green barley juice concentrate and lowers blood acidity and reduces inflammation.

Dinner - 1/2 chicken breast, brown rice, and vegetable (Typical size of main entree element is the size of the palm if my hand. Side elements like rice and vegetable about 1/2 cup)

8 PM - One apple with the skin removed and cut into sections

10 PM - 1 cup of frozen yougurt (I like EDY's frozen yogurt very close to ice cream in taste and consistency)

Things that cause dumping for me:
1. Sugar
2. Salads with creamy dressing
3. Raw tomatoes
4. Spicy foods and foods that are very acidic
5. Fatty foods and foods in sauces
6. Coffee
7. Pancakes with syrup
8. Eating too fast and not chewing thoroughly


I find I am more susceptible to dumping in the morning than in the evening. I find if I make breakfast primarily protein I do better. I also try if possible sit down for at least 30 minutes after eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If I am too active after eating a larger meal I sometimes have dumping issues.

I have a tendency to eat fast> I have found that if I put my fork down in between bites and make sure I chew at least 10 t0 15 times with each bite it slows me down.

My dumping issues got much better after about a year, I probably took longer to recover because I had five months of chemo after my surgery that caused it's own set of issues.

Now dumping happens very seldom unless I do something dumb like eat something from items 1 - 7 above. Of course when we eat in a restaurant we really have no idea what is in the ingredients so sometimes I get a surprise but not very often.

Best Regards,

Paul Adams
McCormick, South Carolina

DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
Two year survivor

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

Cora11

paul61 said:

Here is my "typical" menu
Cora,

I should mention before listing my menu that I also take a probiotic that was recommended for helping with diarrhea - it is called Culturelle (Lactobacillus GG) I take it every morning when I get up.

My "typical" menu;

Breakfast - Two eggs scrambled and 1/2 bagel with cream cheese

Mid-Morning snack - Package of crackers with peanut butter

Lunch - 1/2 Roast Turkey sandwich with cheese and handful of baked potato chips

Mid afternoon snack - Nature Valley "Sweet & Salty" Peanut Butter Bar

Late afternoon snack - Smoothie made from banana, frozen srawberries, and "Barley Life"
**Barley Life is made from green barley juice concentrate and lowers blood acidity and reduces inflammation.

Dinner - 1/2 chicken breast, brown rice, and vegetable (Typical size of main entree element is the size of the palm if my hand. Side elements like rice and vegetable about 1/2 cup)

8 PM - One apple with the skin removed and cut into sections

10 PM - 1 cup of frozen yougurt (I like EDY's frozen yogurt very close to ice cream in taste and consistency)

Things that cause dumping for me:
1. Sugar
2. Salads with creamy dressing
3. Raw tomatoes
4. Spicy foods and foods that are very acidic
5. Fatty foods and foods in sauces
6. Coffee
7. Pancakes with syrup
8. Eating too fast and not chewing thoroughly


I find I am more susceptible to dumping in the morning than in the evening. I find if I make breakfast primarily protein I do better. I also try if possible sit down for at least 30 minutes after eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If I am too active after eating a larger meal I sometimes have dumping issues.

I have a tendency to eat fast> I have found that if I put my fork down in between bites and make sure I chew at least 10 t0 15 times with each bite it slows me down.

My dumping issues got much better after about a year, I probably took longer to recover because I had five months of chemo after my surgery that caused it's own set of issues.

Now dumping happens very seldom unless I do something dumb like eat something from items 1 - 7 above. Of course when we eat in a restaurant we really have no idea what is in the ingredients so sometimes I get a surprise but not very often.

Best Regards,

Paul Adams
McCormick, South Carolina

DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
Two year survivor

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

thanks so much
Chad and Paul,
Thanks very much. This helps a lot. After reading this I still think Keith's portions are still a bit big and also he has discovered that maybe liquids are triggering dumping. He is on a pro-biotic. He doesn't get the diarrhea but what is scary is his blood sugar drops terribly low and he gets cramps in his muscles and just wiped out. I really appreciate your sharing details with me like this and I'll pass it on to him so he can see how others are succeeding. Otherwise, he's doing pretty well and he sees his surgeon next week.
All my best,
Cora

Kenem

Cora11 said:

thanks so much
Chad and Paul,
Thanks very much. This helps a lot. After reading this I still think Keith's portions are still a bit big and also he has discovered that maybe liquids are triggering dumping. He is on a pro-biotic. He doesn't get the diarrhea but what is scary is his blood sugar drops terribly low and he gets cramps in his muscles and just wiped out. I really appreciate your sharing details with me like this and I'll pass it on to him so he can see how others are succeeding. Otherwise, he's doing pretty well and he sees his surgeon next week.
All my best,
Cora

Muscle cramps
Low magnesium levels can cause muscle cramping. At your next blood lab tests, ask if they will check your magnesium level.

Magnesium is available over-the-counter or by RX.

BobHaze

It gets better
Hi Cora:

First of all, I assume you’re familiar with the UMPC’s recommended dumping syndrome diet at http://www.upmc.com/healthatoz/patienteducation/n/pages/dumpingsyndromediet.aspx? I found it very helpful, although I still had some dumping problems for several months. In fact, I’m 6+ months post-MIE and if I’m not careful it will still happen, and probably will for the rest of my life. But it does get better – honest! – both because you and he will get used to his “do’s and don’t’s, and because his system will adapt.

It’s a weird syndrome with many manifestations besides the best known diarrhea. About 6 weeks after my surgery I was sipping a glass of ice water one evening a couple of hours after dinner, when all of a sudden I got so dizzy I literally almost fell out of my chair. It passed after a couple of minutes, then I had to go to the bathroom…RIGHT NOW, if you know what I mean. And on the way into the bathroom the dizziness came on even worse, to where I couldn’t walk and my wife had to help me to the jon. That time it lasted about 5 minutes, and when it passed and I got myself back to the living room it happened for a third time along with a rapid heartbeat and I felt flushed, at which point I was scared I might be having a stroke or something. Long story short, I ended up in an ambulance and the ER, had a CT scan and an MRI of my head, spent the night there, and in the morning the neurologist said no TSI or stroke, it was dumping!

I had a discussion about dumping with my surgeon day before yesterday, and he said it’ll take up to a year for my “new” stomach and my intestines to get to know one another, but that they do adapt and become more tolerant. For example, I was lactose intolerant for the first time in my life for about 3 months after my surgery, then it just went away. I couldn’t eat pretty much anything with any sugar in it for about 5 months, then that wasn’t as much as a problem and now I can have a small serving of ice cream, or a brownie, or whatever, as long as I already have food in my stomach. No food in stomach + sugar = dumping! But the point is that my system IS adapting and allowing me to eat more volume and more variety of foods, but only up to a point, and it’s up to me (and my lovely bride) to be aware of where that point is, and stop before I get there.

As frustrating and occasionally depressing as this beast and its consequences are, your husband’s dumping problems in all probability really will get better, and you two will be able to enjoy normal meals together – he just won’t be eating as much at a sitting as he used to. I could tell you my daily diet now, but he’d probably feel even worse, because of the volume and variety of what I eat. That’s me now, and it will be him before you know it…really!

Good luck.

FEC,
Bob
T1aN0M0
Dx 8/3/11
MIE 9/23/11

sandy1943

It does get better, but
It does get better, but after four years since surgery ,I still have to know where the bathrooms are. I still have a lot of problems. I might eat an ice cream today with no problem and tomorrow it's bad.
I never eat breakfast out and it's one of my favorite meals to eat out, but we do learn how to get along with the new stomach.
Someone mentioned eating peanut butter at night. If I eat that, I am up all night with bad reflux. We all have to learn from trial and error.
Sandra

Cora11

sandy1943 said:

It does get better, but
It does get better, but after four years since surgery ,I still have to know where the bathrooms are. I still have a lot of problems. I might eat an ice cream today with no problem and tomorrow it's bad.
I never eat breakfast out and it's one of my favorite meals to eat out, but we do learn how to get along with the new stomach.
Someone mentioned eating peanut butter at night. If I eat that, I am up all night with bad reflux. We all have to learn from trial and error.
Sandra

Again, thanks for all the
Again, thanks for all the input. I hope this also helps others. He doesn't get the diarrhea, but Bob, he has had those terrible systemic problems that you describe. And I guess I'm really trying to help him get on top of this as he is supposed to go back to work in July as a doctor- and well.. he has to be completely reliable. The 2 changes we are making are adding apple pectin and making sure fluids are separated out even more. Thanks for the encouragement- it keeps us optimistic!

Wishing everyone the best days, each day.

Cora

mblaz32

dumping syndrome control
Hi.

I don't know if my situation would help your husband, but it dosn't hurt to mention my solutions/coping mechanisim. I am a 35 year old male that accidentally drank drano 15 years prior resulting in a surgical esophogastractomy. Removal of my esophagus. I fequently get dumping syndrome with certain foods and quantities and have recently experienced hypoglycemic events. I am an active young man and run 10 miles 2-3 x weekly. I searched for a food source that would fuel my running interest and not trigger digestive problems. I discoovered that chia seeds 2 TBS daily aid in my digestion. they are a naturally occurring substance high in fiber and protein. They absorb many times their weight in fluid and I think help maintian my hydration. Since I started supplimenting with them, I have had fewer episodes at night of reflux and less frequent loose stools. My energy level is increased througout the day. I am able to work a 8-9 hour day, run a 10 mile jaunt, come home and eat dinner followed by 2 hours of yardwork. The addition of chia seeds has reduced my bloating, cramping, and hypoglycemic events.

mardigras

Menu's
Hi Cora,
Rob, it would appear eats a bit more than most of the people who have replied to you.
Here's his schedule:
First thing a drink made with tunos indios and apple juice.
I get the tunos fresh (either pick them if in season or buy them). I add carton apple juice.
To prepare the tunos, use a knife and fork and cut them in half. Scoop out all the flesh with a teaspoon and put it in quarter pint freezer pots or a large mug size. This will last three days.
Be very careful with the spines on the fruit, they are murderous. It is a potch, but I prepare a carrier bag full at a time and once the pots are frozen, it's easy.
I take one pot from the freezer and put it in the normal fridge the evening before and use a third every morning,in a blender with the apple juice. Pour through a sieve. You will notice when you push the pips with a spoon that it is full of pectin.
I don't know how Rob is doing so well, as his op was 29th Feb this year. Perhaps it's the pectin or even the anti-oxidant properties, but he's doing great.

A half hour later - Pro-biotic yogurt

Breakfast - Large bowl of cornflakes and banana or porridge

Mid Morning - croisant or toast

Lunch -
Large salad with tuna, egg or cheese. Easy on the onion but lots of avocado.
Small fresh tomato, but I peel it.
Or
Rice or pasta salad
Or
Large bowl Home made watercress soup or lentil soup with bacon, (sometimes with a little bread. Both freeze very well.

The watercress soup is made with;
half an onion and one potato sauteed in butter til soft
add milk and chicken stock ( I prefer home made and freeze cups of it), simmer til all is cooked. The amount of liquid depends on how thick you like it.
add a huge bag of chopped watercress and simmer for four minutes
Blend it all until smooth and creamy. Mine is very dark green at this stage.
add a swirl of cream if you like it.

Lentil soup is:
4 ozs. Lean bacon in tiny pieces and one leek finely chopped - sauteed in a little butter or olive oil.
Add chicken stock, potato, parsnip, carrot, turnip, herbs provence or any other veg you like.
big mug of red lentils.
Simmer until cooked on low heat as lentils can stick.
Blend as smooth as you like it. Rob likes this one with a lot more texture.

Mid afternoon - sandwich with cheese or lean meat and a piece of fruit

Dinner - He's eating almost anything now, and has a small glass of wine or a beer sometimes. His dinner plate size is now a breakfst plate, but he is putting on weight little by little.
A few of the things are:
Fresh salmon with a baked sweet potato or ordinary potato and butter. A large cup at least of veg.
White fish sometimes with prawns. He even eats a little garlic. Sometimes I just grill the prawns plain. Mashed potato and veg with butter.
I make a lot of vegetable bakes with cheese and he eats pizza.
He also eats fruit afterwards. Water melon, strawberries, pears, papaya (anything really, but he doesn't like oranges so I juice them.
Pasta, rice and most combinations, but he doesn't do too well with red meat, especially minced. I don't know why.

PM - sometimes he has cereal or sometimes crackers and cheese.

He drinks copious amounts of tea, coffee, water or juice or yogurt drink between all the meal times.
Sorry for being so long winded, but I hope this helps Cora.
Hugs and prayers
Marci

mardigras

mblaz32 said:

dumping syndrome control
Hi.

I don't know if my situation would help your husband, but it dosn't hurt to mention my solutions/coping mechanisim. I am a 35 year old male that accidentally drank drano 15 years prior resulting in a surgical esophogastractomy. Removal of my esophagus. I fequently get dumping syndrome with certain foods and quantities and have recently experienced hypoglycemic events. I am an active young man and run 10 miles 2-3 x weekly. I searched for a food source that would fuel my running interest and not trigger digestive problems. I discoovered that chia seeds 2 TBS daily aid in my digestion. they are a naturally occurring substance high in fiber and protein. They absorb many times their weight in fluid and I think help maintian my hydration. Since I started supplimenting with them, I have had fewer episodes at night of reflux and less frequent loose stools. My energy level is increased througout the day. I am able to work a 8-9 hour day, run a 10 mile jaunt, come home and eat dinner followed by 2 hours of yardwork. The addition of chia seeds has reduced my bloating, cramping, and hypoglycemic events.

Hi mblaz
Thanks for the tip.
Could you please tell me how you eat the seeds.
Do you have them dry or add them to something?
Thanks so much.
Hugs and prayers
Marci