Frisco-Pyloric Valve 101- The Basics re re re re re repost

  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

 

Thanks,  this has been soooo helpful.

Thank you so much for this information!  Never mentioned during my NUT appointments or any of the info sessions I attended. 

I've put that information to use many times. If I don't follow the EAT PROTEIN FIRST rule, I end up eating more than I should. Picture my lunch today -- smoked salmon, scrambled egg, and, too optimistically, a small wedge cantaloupe. If I had eaten the cantaloupe first, it would have slid right through the pyloric valve, and I'll would have had plenty of room for the protein.

If, however, I eat the salmon and egg first (as I should and did), I won't be able to eat the melon. The protein has given the stomach something to do, and the pyloric valve will let it through slowly. I ended up eating the melon as a snack about two hours later. The protein slows down the digestive process (thank you, pyloric valve) and thus less food is eaten over time.

Useful info, frisco.

 

psychoticparrot

Frisco I am still waiting for 102

That's awesome!  What a great response... thank you!!  Yes, I  knew about the valve but had no clue how it worked.  This is great information!

Thanks, Frisco, for posting this again. I am still unclear on one part of what you wrote: "It takes about 30-60 minutes for the food to clear the Pyloric Valve......Then it’s OK to drink." At 7 months out, I still do not drink with my meals. But I do drink after my meals, probably within 15 minutes after I have finished eating. Since the dense protein has already closed my Pyloric Valve, why is it a problem to drink water after my meal? This has not caused me to feel hungry sooner. I would appreciate it you could clarify this for me. Thanks! :-)

Technically on average a sleeved stomach has a much faster transit rate. On average a sleeved stomach clears in about 45 minutes vs. 90 minutes for an un-altered stock stomach.

Drinking fluids while the pyloric valve is still closed can do a couple of things.... depending on what you ate and how much.

Anything you swallow after the pyloric valve is closed is only going to stack "up". If you go over your capacity you can create internal pressure (discomfort). Repeated discomfort is how you stretch your sleeve. The larger the sleeve was made, the more stretchy tissue is retained and discomfort could be less.

Fluids "can" cause the pyloric valve to open sooner.

Keeping food in your sleeve longer will tend to give you a longer sense of satiety.

Hope this helps !

frisco