What does it mean when your bottom stomach valve is open all the time? During a barium swallow the DR. said "OH!! the stuff is running right...

judviebwilson,

Bile is a greenish-yellow fluid that's essential for digesting and absorbing fats and for eliminating worn-out red blood cells and certain toxins from your body. It's produced in your liver and stored in your gallbladder in a highly concentrated form. Eating a meal that contains even a modest amount of fat signals your gallbladder to release bile, which flows through two small tubes (cystic duct and common bile duct) into the upper part of your small intestine (duodenum).

At the same time, food enters your small intestine through the pyloric valve (bottom stomach valve,) a heavy ring of muscle that sits at the outlet of your stomach. Ordinarily, the pyloric valve opens just slightly — enough to release about an eighth of an ounce (about 3.5 milliliters) of liquefied food at a time, but not enough to allow digestive juices to flow back (reflux) into the stomach. In many cases of bile reflux, the valve doesn't close properly, and bile backwashes into the stomach, where it causes irritation and inflammation (gastritis).

Most damage to the pyloric valve occurs as a complication of gastric surgery, including total removal of the stomach (gastrectomy) and gastric bypass operations for weight loss.

Bile and stomach acid reflux into the esophagus when another muscular valve, the lower esophageal sphincter(upper stomach valve), malfunctions. The lower esophageal sphincter separates the esophagus and stomach. Normally, it opens only to allow food to pass into the stomach and then closes tightly. But if the valve relaxes abnormally or weakens, stomach acid and bile can wash back into the esophagus, causing heartburn and ongoing inflammation that may lead to serious complications.

Though it sounds like bile reflux (not my medical opinion,) I would check with your doctor to prevent this from happening.