Is there a doctor in the house please?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

brucemillar

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
8,661
Location
Next Door to Alice - 25 'kin years now
Car
C55 AMG Wagon - W124 300te 4matic Wagon - BMW 4.8is X5 E53 - SWB Pajero 3.5 V6 24v
Folks

Is there a doctor on here?

Just recently I have noticed that if I eat chocolate (as in a bar of chocolate) within an hour I feel like I am going to pass out. I get shakes and sweating and my vision goes blurry. This lasts for about 5 minutes. I don't pass out but it is unpleasant and quiet frightening.

Now: Before you say. Don't eat chocolate. I have stopped doing so. What I want to understand is what is the likely cause of this?

I did speak to my GP, who said...... Don't eat chocolate but offered no explanation as to why this was happening.

Any clues?
 
I can't believe that after all that treatment you've been through its unrelated to changes in your body and for your GP to offer no explanation or willingness to investigate seems a bit third rate.
 
Could be any number of things.

Is this at any time of day? Or particularly first thing in the morning / last thing at night.

Other than chocolate have you been eating a normal diet recently or is chocolate you're sole sustainable?

Any other symptoms?

If you were my patient is be screening for diabetes - a simple test - ask your Dr for a fasting glucose test. Could also help to arrange a glucose tolerance test which measures how your body processes sugars.

Most likely your Dr is right and it's nothing to worry about - you'll maybe find its a phase and in a few months / weeks you can eat chocolate as normal without this response.

Good luck dude.
 
reaction to caffeine?


That would seem like a good clue. However I have no reaction to having a cup of coffee. So I figured maybe not. I have to admit I have no clue as to how much caffeine there is in chocolate as oppsoed to a cup of coffee.
 
When you say bar of chocolate, what size are we talking? No doctor but sounds awfully like a someone going hypoglycaemic………pure speculation but I wonder if your pancreas is over producing insulin in response to the sudden surge in sugar levels. Non-Diabetic Hypoglycemia Symptoms and Treatment | Hormone Health Network I am thinking Reactive hypoglycaemia.
 
Could be any number of things.

Is this at any time of day? Or particularly first thing in the morning / last thing at night.

Other than chocolate have you been eating a normal diet recently or is chocolate you're sole sustainable?

Any other symptoms?

If you were my patient is be screening for diabetes - a simple test - ask your Dr for a fasting glucose test. Could also help to arrange a glucose tolerance test which measures how your body processes sugars.

Most likely your Dr is right and it's nothing to worry about - you'll maybe find its a phase and in a few months / weeks you can eat chocolate as normal without this response.

Good luck dude.

Thank you.

It was in the early evening within an hour of my evening meal (19:00). To test my diagnosis. I didn't eat any chocolate for a couple of nights (all good) then tried again (not good).

Last September I had 75% of my stomach removed (Cancer) I am now recovering well and eating well, in small amounts. This is the first real scary change I have noticed. I read some stuff about enzimes changing after surgery? But that got into scary reading so I gave up.

I have booked an appointment with my surgeon for next week. But just was curious why chocolate should suddenly start to cause such a reaction. Oh and I really like chocolate.
 
When you say bar of chocolate, what size are we talking? No doctor but sounds awfully like a someone going hypoglycaemic………pure speculation but I wonder if your pancreas is over producing insulin in response to the sudden surge in sugar levels. Non-Diabetic Hypoglycemia Symptoms and Treatment | Hormone Health Network I am thinking Reactive hypoglycaemia.


Well it's not a family sized bar ;^) even just three or four Quality Street or a small bar of Dairy Milk seems to set me off.
 
"Reactive Hyoglycemia- Stomach surgery, which can make food pass too quickly into your small intestine."

Glad it's a straightforward answer and hope your road to a full recovery continues.
 
Mrs Ted is a nurse and says you should request (demand) a second opinion - especially given your history. You should not have additional stress and anxiety.
Just an opinion but she doesn't think you are going hypoglycaemic as this isn't happening with other sweet foods.
Good luck and best wishes.
 
I assume that if the issue was indeed the sugar content in chocolate, you would have known it by now - I.e. when eating other sugary foods such as jam etc?

Just Googled it and found interesting information re chocolate intolerance:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/dis...-allergy/other/chocolate-allergy-symptoms.htm

http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8584282_symptoms-intolerance-chocolate.html

Do you recognise any of these symptoms?

Incidentally, it is not only the removal of part of your stomach that could be causing the issue, also keep in mind that chemotherapy drugs attack the inner lining of the stomach, which can either improve over time or prove to be irreversible damage.
 
I am no expert in this field, but sounds like some sort of a dumping syndrome precipitated by something in the chocolate preparation. A quick look for post gastrectomy + dumping + chocolate yielded the links given. You may find lot more with searching.

For our education, could you please let us know what your surgeons thoughts are when you get to see him?


http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/cl...rt-team/nutrition-articles/radiganarticle.pdf

Gastrectomy Nutrition Guidelines | Cancer Diet | My PearlPoint
 
"Reactive Hyoglycemia- Stomach surgery, which can make food pass too quickly into your small intestine."


Considering your recent history Whot he said^^^^^^
Other thing I would check is your blood pressure during one of those episodes. [ one of these little wrist monitors would do] . There are compounds in chocolate which can lower your blood pressure. Anything that suddenly lowers your blood pressure will make you feel very unwell. :dk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005FTK7F4/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

or

Omron Bp652 7 Series Blood Pressure Wrist Unit: Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care
 
I'd suggest it is related to your stomach surgery and I'd further suggest that your normal 'tolerance' to the toxin in chocolate is currently not so high. The link is to a wikipedia article for Theobromine, the toxin that naturally occurs in cocoa, which is toxic to humans, but incredibly toxic to dogs (The reason you can't give chocolate to dogs). The only reason it's so much more toxic to dogs, is because of the speed at which they can process/digest/metabolise the stuff and I'd say after having the kind of surgery you've had, your ability to process/digest/metabolise it, will be considerably changed.

Theobromine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
I had the same effect after I had a chocolate muffin in Amsterdam recently.

Surely your case must be linked to what you have been through lately :dk:
 
Mrs Ted is a nurse and says you should request (demand) a second opinion - especially given your history. You should not have additional stress and anxiety.
Just an opinion but she doesn't think you are going hypoglycaemic as this isn't happening with other sweet foods.
Good luck and best wishes.

Ted, That is very kind. Thank you. Please pass on my thanks to Mrs Ted.

I am seeing my surgeon next week and I am sure he will have the answers.

Dumping (what a nice word) may well be at the base of this. I have no other symptoms which is why I was surprised that it seems to be limited to chocolate and has started out of the blue.

I know I have a long way to go with the after effects from the chemo. But I am blessed in that I can now walk long distances at a reasonable pace. So I get to walk my big Husky every day for a couple of hours. That is just the best feeling for both of us. I feel stronger and better every time I have that walk. It has become a "must do" part of my day.
 
To everybody who took the time to respond and look information up. Thank you. You are so kind it shows what a great bunch of people we have on here.

I will update you on what the outcome is after next week. Until then. I will avoid chocolate :^)
 
Hope it's sorted quickly - I think Marty has gone down to the 24hr garage for some nibbles...
 
I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on the telly, and like the next man am fully capable of self-diagnosis of ebola, liver failure and housemaids knee via t'internet, so would strongly suggest your specialist is the man for you.

A friend is a Doctor and specialist medical historian and author. He recommends the heroic route of self-diagnosis in the manner of early pioneers who used to poison themselves or contract smallpox deliberately by trying chocolate in ever-decreasing cocoa concentrations to see if you get different effects. He is keen to remain anonymous just in case you sue though...

(if anybody thinks this is a serious suggestion, google gullible, the definition's wrong).
 
I can't believe that after all that treatment you've been through its unrelated to changes in your body and for your GP to offer no explanation or willingness to investigate seems a bit third rate.

Unfortunately this is real life now away from my private insurance care. The GP here could only offer a phone back appointment unless I was prepared to wait a few days to be fitted in. So he called me. Hardly ideal but it does kind of work. The downside is he has little time and (I am guessing) no time to research my file before calling.

There is just not enough doctors to get even close to the demand.

I guess his advice was sound if not a tad humorous.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom