Not sure when full

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Hi again, I’m after a bit of info from people who’s had total Gastrectomy, my husbands not putting any weight on but then again he’s not really losing it, it goes up and down. He has his meals but doesn’t know when he’s full so tends to stop eating. Also without sounding crude he says he has to empty his bowels twice a day or else there would be no where for the food to go, I find that hard to understand as can’t see food backing up the bowel but maybe it does. Does anyone know what happens to the food when you have no stomach. He’s lucky as he hasn’t had dumping syndrome. He had his op in Jan and doing fine apart from what I’ve asked. Or does anyone know where I can find this out, not the surgeon or CNS though. Thanks and hope you’re all doing well x

  • Hi Sue, hope you’re OK.

    So I know when I’m full as it starts getting quite uncomfortable !


    This can also happen if it eat too fast and don’t chew my food properly (no stomach or stomach acid to break it up downstream!) and so I’ll take a pause, chat a bit more over dinner and wait for it to pass and restart again.

    I haven’t heard the rationale about clearing the bowels before though and am also a little sceptical like you ! Essentially, once our food hits the small intestine for nutrient absorption, we are the same as everyone else so I don’t see that needing to be the case.

    However, I’m seeing my surgeon next week at the Royal Marsden so I will asl him this question for you and circle back with a definitive answer.

  • That’s very good of you and thanks. I hope everything goes ok with your surgeon and alls good xx

    Sue Xx