Rapid gastric emptying. Possible treatment.

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

So I had the sleeve three years ago and gained my weight back. I am pending revision and the dr did an endoscopy and found a hiatal hernia and some gerd. He then ordered a UGI and a gastric emptying study to get some more information to decide which surgery is most appropriate. I just finished the gastric emptying study and after only two hours the food was completely out of my stomach which may explain why I always feel hungry a couple hours after I eat. I am hoping maybe there is a treatment to slow down my stomach emptying and I won’t even need surgery or if I do it will be more successful this time. I see the dr in a week and I’m sure he will have an answer but I’m just curious if this is truly faster than normal and if anyone else has had this issue.

Edited June 6, 2024 by ShoppGirl

[NickelChip 1,326]

As far as I can tell from digging around a bit, 2 hours is the standard amount of time for the stomach to empty after a meal. One of the things GLP-1 meds do is slow down gastric emptying, so this may offer some help for you. Another thing to try is increasing your Fiber by eating more vegetables at each meal as this takes longer to digest.

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

36 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

As far as I can tell from digging around a bit, 2 hours is the standard amount of time for the stomach to empty after a meal. One of the things GLP-1 meds do is slow down gastric emptying, so this may offer some help for you. Another thing to try is increasing your Fiber by eating more vegetables at each meal as this takes longer to digest.

Thanks. The more I read I think it’s pretty normal too. The tech said it was the fastest he had ever seen. I Guess that’s why the techs aren’t really supposed to tell you anything.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,673]

I think he might have meant it was the fastest he'd seen a WLS patient's stomach empty, but he still shouldn't have said anything. That's why we're supposed to eat every 3 hours, that way we're able to get the Protein, Fiber, and nutrients we need without overeating or binging on junk. I think 2 hours is within normal ranges for us, although I would try, if you can, to eat every 3 hours and not every 2. And eat protein first, then fiber, then starches like veggies, then carbs and healthy fats.

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

2 hours ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

I think he might have meant it was the fastest he'd seen a WLS patient's stomach empty, but he still shouldn't have said anything. That's why we're supposed to eat every 3 hours, that way we're able to get the Protein, Fiber, and nutrients we need without overeating or binging on junk. I think 2 hours is within normal ranges for us, although I would try, if you can, to eat every 3 hours and not every 2. And eat Protein first, then Fiber, then starches like veggies, then carbs and healthy fats.

I actually think maybe it’s because that test is more commonly done to diagnose delayed gastric emptying the more I read about it. So im sure mine was fast compared to people with that issue. I just wanted to think the tech was on to something and it was a possible answer to my struggle with weight and it would hopefully be an easier fix.

[ms.sss 15,725]

i've never had a gastric emptying test, but 2 hrs sounds about right for me to be ok/comfortable to eat something again after last eating.

BUT: this is the way *i* normally eat, so i dunno. IF i don't get distracted, i've normally been generally eating SOMETHING or other every 1-2 hours during my regular eating window since surgery (for the most part).

regular eating window == sometime after NOON to maybe 8-9 pm

[Spinoza 1,453]

I am 2.5 years post sleeve and 2 hours between eating an meal and wanting to eat again is absolutely my norm!

I extend this time with my fruit and veg portions for the day (even fluids) - they typically buy me an hour or so. So I end up eating a 'meal' every 3 hours instead of 2.

I also don't eat Breakfast, so I start late morning and end a couple of hours before bed.

I hope the prep for your revision is going well @ShoppGirl

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

I think I’m going to try not having Breakfast like @ms.sss and @Spinoza. I didn’t eat breakfast pre surgery but the NP emphasized how important it was to eat earlier in the day and the dietician said that’s why I’m more hungry later on. I always felt like that just made me eat more in a day but I listened to my team. I know that alone isn’t what made me gain all my weight but it is still calories. I just have to get used to taking my multi Vitamin with another meal. Someday I will figure out what works for me. 🤞

[ms.sss 15,725]

2 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

I think I’m going to try not having Breakfast like @ms.sss and @Spinoza. I didn’t eat Breakfast pre surgery but the NP emphasized how important it was to eat earlier in the day and the dietician said that’s why I’m more hungry later on. I always felt like that just made me eat more in a day but I listened to my team. I know that alone isn’t what made me gain all my weight but it is still calories. I just have to get used to taking my multi Vitamin with another meal. Someday I will figure out what works for me. 🤞

yeah, the breakfast debate is always around. i've also been told by my NUT, my mother, the stranger down the street that breakfast is a must and THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY.

i didn't eat breakfast before surgery either. like you, i found that i ended up eating more by EOD if i did. further, i also tend to feel sluggish and tired by mid afternoon if i eat soon after get up in the morning.

do what works for you until it no longer works...then find something else that works.

good luck! ❤️

[Arabesque 7,442]

It’s all about finding what works for you. For years I didn’t have Breakfast & used to also say that eating breakfast made me hungry for the rest of the day & I would feel sort of blah after. Then I started having breakfast because I thought I should have something. Would deliberately work through that blah feeling & fight any urges to eat until dinner. Now I happily eat breakfast. I discovered that if I eat it after 8:30/9am I feel okay, not ready to eat again until about 1pm. However, if I eat at say 7:30am, I’m hungry much earlier, feel blah as before. Think that was always my problem because I used to eat breakfast at 5/5:30am. It was simply too early for me.

My window between eating gets shorter after the intital 4hr to 1pm lunch (3pm, 4:30ish, 6pm (dinner), 7pm) & is when I add my Snacks.

It may be when you eat, what you eat, how regularly you eat, whether you eat several small meals or three main meals, etc.

[SleeverSk 635]

13 hours ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

I think he might have meant it was the fastest he'd seen a WLS patient's stomach empty, but he still shouldn't have said anything. That's why we're supposed to eat every 3 hours, that way we're able to get the Protein, Fiber, and nutrients we need without overeating or binging on junk. I think 2 hours is within normal ranges for us, although I would try, if you can, to eat every 3 hours and not every 2. And eat Protein first, then Fiber, then starches like veggies, then carbs and healthy fats.

when you are 3 years out eating every 3 hours can be dangerous as the amount you can eat has increased quite dramatically compared to 12 months out

[SleeverSk 635]

I wonder what mine looks like, I can eat after 20 mins quite comfortably

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,673]

5 hours ago, Arabesque said:

It’s all about finding what works for you. For years I didn’t have Breakfast & used to also say that eating Breakfast made me hungry for the rest of the day & I would feel sort of blah after. Then I started having breakfast because I thought I should have something. Would deliberately work through that blah feeling & fight any urges to eat until dinner. Now I happily eat breakfast. I discovered that if I eat it after 8:30/9am I feel okay, not ready to eat again until about 1pm. However, if I eat at say 7:30am, I’m hungry much earlier, feel blah as before. Think that was always my problem because I used to eat breakfast at 5/5:30am. It was simply too early for me.

My window between eating gets shorter after the intital 4hr to 1pm lunch (3pm, 4:30ish, 6pm (dinner), 7pm) & is when I add my Snacks.

It may be when you eat, what you eat, how regularly you eat, whether you eat several small meals or three main meals, etc.

I noticed the issue for me is lunch. I can eat an early breakfast, or breakfast at any time, and be ok. But if I don't eat lunch, I'm perfectly fine. If I eat lunch, I'm literally STARVING all day. It's so weird to me.

[ms.sss 15,725]

ok...so a real-time anecdote/example to the Breakfast debate!

woke up this morning at my normal time of 5:30am i usually go to hot yoga around 10 or 11, but this morning i went to a 6:30 class (wanted to try out a new instructor). got home at 8, started to feel super hungry at 9, and i just finished a piece of toast with 1 over easy egg about 20 mins ago.

it is now 9:47 am and i am feeling lethargic and full and i wanna go to sleep. am on the couch right now waiting to digest so i can lay down already.

boo breakfast (or early day eating, whatever u wanna call it).

lets see how much i end up eating today...

Edited June 7, 2024 by ms.sss

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

23 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

ok...so a real-time anecdote/example to the Breakfast debate!

woke up this morning at my normal time of 5:30am i usually go to hot yoga around 10 or 11, but this morning i went to a 6:30 class (wanted to try out a new instructor). got home at 8, started to feel super hungry at 9, and i just finished a piece of toast with 1 over easy egg about 20 mins ago.

it is now 9:47 am and i am feeling lethargic and full and i wanna go to sleep. am on the couch right now waiting to digest so i can lay down already.

boo Breakfast (or early day eating, whatever u wanna call it).

lets see how much i end up eating today...

Keep us posted.