Pyloric Valve 101-Repost

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

Glad you posted again, I tried to explain it, but your summary is much better :) 

Thank you for this explanation--it certainly helps me to understand. 

I am assuming that raw veggies would be much harder to digest than cooked.  Than kyou Frisco this will be very helpful with my future sleeve.

Great information, thank you for posting !

Christine

I sort of knew this, but your explanation helped understand it a little bit better so thanks! I am wondering, would the whole not drinking while eating thing be as beneficial to someone that doesn't have the sleeve?

Ooh, I have been wondering that, too.

Yes.... along with eating dense protein first to close the pyloric valve. The pyloric valve works the same for normies also. When I've put a few of my non WLS freinds on weight reduction plans, it's protein first and not drinking with meals for increased duration of satiety with a smaller amount of food.

frisco

That's what I was thinking. See, I never heard of these concepts before looking into surgery. I had lost over 100 pounds on my own before re-gaining after a major car accident, but if I had known this back then, I could have made things so much easier on myself. My mom needs to lose weight so I was going to suggest these tips for her to try. Thanks!

As someone who has studied anatomy and physiology at the graduate level, I have to say your explanation is excellent.  Thank you for saying it so well.  It made me stop and rethink through the process for myself.