Any one with Gastroparesis?

Shelley6591

Just wondering if anyone else here has this? I suffered with it for around 2 years before it was finally discovered that I have it, now that I know I just can't eat greasy foods I don't seem to have any issues. I confess I did think my 60 pound weight loss would reverse it but after a greasy meal I discovered it's still there. Anyone else?

KnM0107

I have gastroparesis, which causes acid reflux and contributes to g.e.r.d. For me it isn't as easy as not eating fried foods. I can't eat red meat or pork because I can't digest them properly. I have to watch my fiber intake to make sure I don't get to much at on time. If I do I stand to be in horrible pain. I also can't eat to full since my stomach doesn't empty correctly from the gastroparesis, feeling over full can make me ill. I have a list of foods that avoid because they trigger my digestive issues. Citrus fruits I avoid completely and even some veggies. Weightloss didn't make it go away but I am able to control it now.

Shelley6591

Did you have complete emptying episodes? I did when it was really bad, like 2 days of vomiting, it was unreal. I'm told there are different degrees and it affects different people differently. I don't eat much red meat or pork but don't have issues when I do. Raw broccoli puts me in a huge amount of pain. I refuse to take medications and cutting out fatty foods has pretty well kept attacks at bay luckily. Bacon is a huge one and bad Chinese food. Most of my diet is in liquid form which doesn't really bother me, I can't handle the emptying episodes so it's worth it. I hope it's not something that can continually get worse over time :ohwell:

Congratulations on your weight loss by the way! amazing job!!!!:happy:

katrinalyn76

hi, i have gastroparesis as well, was diagnosed about two years ago. My issue is gaining weight. I think im around 130lbs right now, but im not comfortable in my body. My goal is to get up to 140-145lbs. I think my biggest problem is that my weight fluctuates so much, so i have that "sagging" behind, and my thighs are not toned. I do want to excercise, but i want to do that without losing any weight. For the past two days i've been eating a lot of peanut butter, breads because i hear that helps with wieght gain. eating during the day is almost impossible, because im scared whatever i try to eat wont stay down. Eating in the evening is best for me, because i can eat and sort of prop myself up and let my food digest. I do take meds, i was on Reglan, but stopped because of th epossibel side effect tardive dyskynsia. when i do eat in the evenings though, im starving so i eat a lot! I guess im just looking for advise from those who have this too on gaining weight and excercise?

katrinalyn76

I am in desperate need of advice. i am 37 yo female with gastroparesis, diagnosed two years maybe more ago. I am so unhappy with my weight. I am 5'4, and weigh around 130lbs. my goal weight is 140-145lbs. The docs have told me im at a healthy weight for my age and height, but i'm not happy with my body, i feel skinny. The trouble is being able to eat what i want whenever i want without being nauseaus or possibly vomiting the meal up. I dont know if its in my head, but eating during the day never works for me. Whatever i eat always comes back up. So right now, i only eat one time a day, and thats around 7 o'clock at night. but when i do eat, im starving so i eat a lot. I would like to tone my thighs and butt and excercise without losing weight. i hear that peanut butter helps with weight gain. What other foods can anyone recommend for adding on some pounds?

geekishgirl

I was diagnosed with gastroparesis about 7 years ago. For me the diagnosis was accompanied with 11 hosiptal admissions over a 5 month period while the doctors tried to get things under control. It was terrible. I lost 50 pounds in 2 months because I was terrified of eating. And of course depression set in BIG time!

Unfortunately I have serious allergic reactions to the medications used to treat gastroparesis in the US so my had me undergo the botox procedure. If you aren't familiar with that it's a procedure where botox is injected into the stomach muscle during an upper GI. The procedure was supposed to help with emptying episodes for up to 6 months. I have been very very lucky and have not needed to have the procedure done since.

Mine was ruled as auto immue related and so long term that means that there are a few trigger foods that I have to avoid at all times like dairy that contains any fat (with the exception of cheese). Everything else seems to be roving and issues with foods come and go with no warning. Some days I can eat beef medium rare with zero problems others I eat it and I'm doubled over in pain. Same goes for lettuce, fatty foods or greasy foods, etc.

Vune

I haven't received a proper diagnosis for my 14 years of recurrent stomach pain, but a barium swallow showed slow digestion. It feels like there is a mob of angry villagers rioting in my stomach with torches and pitchforks. My upper abdomen gets very distended and painful. Episodes usually last for 12 hours each on three consecutive days.

It doesn't seem to matter what I eat. I've gotten it after eating salad or crackers, as well as larger meals or ice cream. Stress seems to be a trigger, which could explain why it's become more frequent in the past few years.

I've been to the ER for the pain a million times. Antacid and novacaine cocktails don't do a thing for it. Reglan might help, but it's not worth the side effect of panic attacks. Morphine doesn't touch it (I went in with a migraine/stomach pain combo once), but demerol and percocet will help it subside. When I don't have pain meds, I'll drink alcohol with clear soda. Just soda doesn't help.

I've had xrays, ultrasounds, upper endoscopies, barium swallows, and I can't remember what else. What's next for getting a diagnosis and proper treatment?

Shelley6591

My problem has always been with gaining weight not putting it on so I have no idea what to tell someone trying to gain weight as I can do it in my sleep.

I had every test going, ultrasounds, upper GI scope, colonoscopy, even an MRI, you name it I had it. I was so bad my family doctor thought I had Cancer so I was fast tracked and had everything done. My iron was in the single digits and I was to the point where I was about to have blood transfusions and my inflammation levels were sky high. I was diagnosed really by a process of elimination by a Gastro specialist as nothing else showed up. We went over symptoms and I had 6 months of a food diary, my episodes were triggered by fat, bacon and Chinese food would KILL me, leave me crazy in pain and in bed for up to three days. Nothing helped the pain as nothing could stay down. I eliminated all fat and have pretty well been symptom free aside from two incidents this last winter that I can't really figure out expect I may have over ate and my stomach has shrunk so I over did it not really realizing. Because my episode produced so much vomiting and I could literally see (sorry gross) food I ate a week or so before, it was determined I have Gastroparesis because of the slow digestion/paralyzed stomach.

I don't take any medication, I was taking Tecta and Zantac but found they didn't work and the Tecta apparently can cause Osteoporosis and cardiac issues so I would rather not take it if it's not helping.

If I'm having an 'attack' it starts by sulfur burps, and excruciating stomach pain, as Vune put it 'distended and painful abdomen, feels like a mob of angry villagers rioting with torches and pitchforks'. The pain feels spastic at times and I can't even stand.

I was told there is no real treatment. I was given a bunch of scripts for acid and pain but nothing works so I don't take anything. It was recommended I consume a mainly liquid diet so I have two smoothies a day. I no longer have dairy aside from yogurt and I don't eat much bread but that's just what works for me. A process of elimination has made it so things are manageable but every now and again I'm thrown a curve ball, it's very frustrating! I completely agree with the depression too, if you could just get and answer and take a pill it would be so much easier!