Science of the Stomach

[Gardner 0]

What do you know about the science of the stomach after the lapband? When I get hungry, I have a very strong burning sensation in my stomach. Is that above the band or below the band and what causes the burning? Will my stomach allways burn when I'm hungry? How long does the food stay above the band. My guess is that it digests and then drips through the band slowly. I'm also guessing that the full sensation of the stomach is at the very top near the esophogus. The burning is somewhat frustrating. I guess I'm just finally at the point that I want to understand why my stomach feels as it does, and what's actually happening down there!

Thanks for any ideas or real knowledge you have to share.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Actually, burning when you are empty sounds to me like an ulcer. Have you been checked for one? My stomach pretty much never burns, and burning isn't "normal", ever. You may have acid reflux but seems like that isn't what you describe. And yes once you have restriction the food stays longer in the top pouch and slowly falls through to your lower stomach, but only once you are restricted. Post op before you get fills, there's no real "pouch" yet. (think of wearing a loose flowy dress...then putting a belt around your waist and cinching it up. Until you have fills your belt isn't cinched yet)

[Gardner 0]

OK, so maybe burning is the wrong word. When I was 18 I fasted for 5 days. The empty stomach feeling is something I'll never forget. That's where I am now. I'l eat and about 3 hours later I'm hungry and it's real "gotta eat now" hunger. It's not painful, and I never had this extreme hunger before - of course, I was eating toooo much before the band!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Ok then if it's just hunger pangs I can say YES they should go away for the most part. That's the point of the band....to be satiated on less food and that satiety to last up to 5-6 hours. So hang in there. It may take up to 4-5 fills to get tweaked properly but it will get better every day.

[Gardner 0]

Thanks for your advice. I guess I'm feeling like I have to live with this hunger for the rest of my life. And then, I can see how I would start eating more, because I hate this extreme hunger so much.

I am still curious about the science of the whole thing, though. I may go out on a google search and see what I can find. Just haven't had time to do any of that.