Digestion Question

After a person eats, and before the stomach is finished digesting and empties itself, what happens if you eat again (or drink lots of liquid)?  Does the stomach somehow separate the partially digested food, or does it now wait until the new food is also digested, or does it not digest the new food as completely?  I ask this partly because I'm trying to gain weight, but I'm worried that frequent snacking will mess with digestion if I don't give time for food to fully digest; likewise for drinking lots of liquid.  When I do either, it seems my stomach empties too quickly for the new stuff to have been digested.
Another thing: my stomach is kind of small as I get full easily, which is a problem for someone 185 cm and only 56 kg.  I know there is gastric bypass for obese people so their stomach is reduced and they are satiated more easily, so I'm wondering if there's some sort of inverse procedure for enlarging a stomach.
Thanks.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

When new food is digested it is not likely that the stomach seperates the partially digested food.  If there is questions about how fast the food is being digested a gastric emptying scan can be considered to evaluate how fast the food is staying in the stomach.  

Although it may be possible, I am not familiar with a stomach enlarging surgery.  

You may want to consider the option of a gastric emptying scan with your personal physician.

Here is some more information on the physiology of the stomach:
http://www.gerd.com/intro/frame/general.htm

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[shing]

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