Frisco- Eating/Drinking Basics- RE: Pyloric Valve 101

I just read through some posts on a below thread about eating and drinking......

The posts as a collective reads conflicting and confusing.

Here are some basics to how the VSG works with a functioning pyloric valve. RNYers may not have a similar experience since they do not have a working pyloric valve in play.

Hope this helps, because it may just be the most important thing to know about VSG eating and drinking.

**** Disclaimer: Do what your doctor says.

frisco

 

frisco
on 3/5/12 3:44 am VSG on 09/30/09  
The Pyloric Valve.....the most not talked about function that will answer a lot of questions.

If you understand the Pyloric Valve function......things will be a lot easier and explain why we need to do certain things.......


Post Date: 10/5/11 5:58 pm 
 

First, I’m not a doctor nor have I ever played one on TV.

This is a level one explanation.....there is more to it....but if you understand this....it will make some sense.

 

This may be old news to some..... But I’ve noticed a lot of people who have had VSG do not have any idea how the Pyloric Valve works.

 

This is my understanding how the Pyloric Valve works.

 

The Pyloric Valve function and how it pertains to your VSG.

 

The function of your Pyloric valve is the single most not talked about important part of understanding how and when you should eat and drink.

 

The Pyloric Valve is just that....It is a valve that is located at the bottom of your stomach/sleeve. This valve is in between your sleeve and the small intestine. The basic definition of a valve is an apparatus that opens and closes.

 

When open this valve it is about the diameter of a dime. When closed it’s opening is closed down to the diameter of the head of a ballpoint pen.

 

Dense proteins and harder to digest foods will cause the Pyloric valve to close to hold the food in your stomach for pre-digestion...... stomach acids breaking down this “Rough” food. 

 

That’s why we are told to eat dense proteins first.....To close the Pyloric Valve so food stays in your stomach/sleeve longer so we have a sense of satisfaction.

 

It takes about 30-60 minutes for the food to clear the Pyloric Valve...... Than it’s OK to drink.

 

That is also where the term slider food  comes into play. A slider food does not close the Pyloric Valve and as the term is intended.....food slides right past an open Pyloric Valve.

 

 

 

So now the other half of the Pyloric Valve function..... You eat a dense protein like chicken that causes your Pyloric Valve to close. Say for example your sleeve has a 4oz. capacity.....and you eat 4oz. of chicken.....your sleeve is full and holding all 4 oz. of chicken for pre-digestion because your Pyloric Valve is closed. 

 

So now try and drink something....where is it gonna go? Up.....Up until it hits another valve of sorts..... the Esophageal Sphincter (valve) and above that is a flapper valve. The function of these two valves is to hold food, bile and stomach acids in your stomach and not backing up into your air way. This is a very high pressure system. Thats why when you eat to much or drink after eating a hard to digest food and your Pyloric is closed.....It hurts cause you pressurized your intake track. Vomiting would be a natural pressure release.

So you can see how learning and understanding how the Pyloric Valve works is important as it pertains to eating and drinking with a Gastric Sleeve.

 

So that was kinda like VSG and the Pyloric Valve 101

 

As you get further a long you will want to use the Pyloric Valve in other ways to keep food in your sleeve longer to stay satisfied longer. 

 

A sleeve empties faster than a stock un altered full size stomach so sometimes it’s beneficial for you to learn what foods stay in your sleeve longer to extend satisfaction.

 

Dense proteins are #1 in closing the Pyloric Valve. Chicken, steak, pork, fish.....in that order seems to be the way it goes for me.

 

Other foods that are hard to digest and help close the Pyloric Valve are foods like:

 

• Broccoli Stalk
• Asparagus
• Celery
• Cucumber with Skin
• Radish
• Cabbage (I’m testing this right now)
• Bell Pepper

 

So I hope you understand my 5 cent tour of the Pyloric Valve and how it effects the way we eat with a VSG and how important it is to work the Pyloric Valve to your benefit.

frisco

 

 

Always good to re-post this every now and again.......

Thanks for posting that again. I need to post this for myself for when I think it is ok to eat slider foods ( vegetables) with my meal. I must make myself eat the meat first, then a few bites of veg. I get stubborn and want to alternate bites and end up "too full." We went out to dinner last week and I decided a few bites of a loaded baked potatoe would be a good idea. Nope, had to send back 3/4 of my prime rib.

Thank you so much! This makes the no drinking during/after a meal make much more sense!

Thank you for posting this!  It's too bad that so many programs don't explain the function of the Pyloric Valve.  I had no idea.  It makes so much sense.  I was complying with doctor's orders about eating/drinking but I like knowing the "why" behind it.

When Mike & I sub for the support group leader, I reference this post, a lot. Most of the folks that attend are pre-op so I think sharing this is valuable. Kaiser tells them to not eat and drink at the same time, but they don't explain why. So, I share this post to explain why. It is like watching light bulbs go off over people's heads when they begin to understand this concept. Just thought you'd like to know that this post helps people who aren't even on OH.

So great !!!!

frisco

Thanks Frisco! I like reading this to remind me how it all works.

hope you're doing well!