Gastroparesis Diet – Questions, Suggestions, Tips

Posted by bellbelinda3 @bellbelinda3, Jan 30, 2012

I was recently diagnosed with Gastroparesis. Can anyone enlighten me about diet?

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Certainly.. I would be glad to talk or email, text or what ever.. I have met and very much liked your former Gov.. Bullock.. a very good guy.. I am not sure how all the chat or getting my contact info works...but I would allow the moderator to give you my contact information.. email or phone.. ...
The local docs could not figure out what to do.. I thought after 9 days in the hospital, I was going to waste away and die... but now still going strong.. but eating is always a challenge.. that Nissen was done in 2015..so I am 5 yrs ... Mayo prescribed Mirtazapine and a Nexium generic.. that I take every day..

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@kristine777

Thanks. I wil l start a food journal. You are right caffeine worsens condition. Any other helpful tips would be nice.

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Mayo MN diagnosed my gastroparesis some 5 years ago.. I saw the dietitian there as well. The gave me a way to cope with this condition that never goes away... My Post operative condition was caused be injury to the nerves that control stomach emptying.. As a coincidence my ethnicity is Norwegian... we drink coffee... neither the doctor nor the dietitian told me to cut out the coffee.. I only have 2 cups a day in the morning. Even though I ate yogurt before gastroparesis I cannot eat it or the yogurt based protein drinks like Ensure... as my eating log indicated a connection with diarrhea .. I eat fruits and non leafy vegetables.. I snack on a trail mix of nuts, dried fruit, and peanut M&Ms....

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@pdilly

@stubeckj70 Bless your heart! I agree with you that finding the right diet when you have multiple conditions is virtually impossible! Like @fourof5zs said, we’re all different and so you have to go thru a lot of trying this and that to see what works for you. I’m afraid to even try some of the foods that work for her — baked beans and chopped nuts — because of the high fiber content.

My doc initially had me taking Colace and miralax twice a day to prevent constipation. That was way too much. After a lot of experimenting, I figured out what works best for me: I take colace twice a day. And then if 2 days go by without “going”, the next day I take 1 dose of Miralax which ALWAYS results in me “going”.

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I discovered that Miralax worked really well for me for a short time but after multiple trials on and then off, I’ve discovered that it appears to create problems of its own. Use with care and take special notice of new symptoms.

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Been diagnosed for about a month now, knocked off soda, high-fiber foods, eating less, etc. Now worried about trying to regain weight back (lost 30#) BMI just around 18 which is borderline malnourished. Any tips on high calorie foods & exercising without stomach going haywire and being worse off?

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@argentism

I discovered that Miralax worked really well for me for a short time but after multiple trials on and then off, I’ve discovered that it appears to create problems of its own. Use with care and take special notice of new symptoms.

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Hello @argentism and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Thank you for sharing your experience as it relates to what you've tried so far in your healthcare journey.

If you are comfortable sharing, when did your symptoms start and how long after were you diagnosed with Gastroparesis?

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@gegrafton

Been diagnosed for about a month now, knocked off soda, high-fiber foods, eating less, etc. Now worried about trying to regain weight back (lost 30#) BMI just around 18 which is borderline malnourished. Any tips on high calorie foods & exercising without stomach going haywire and being worse off?

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Hello @gegrafton. It sounds like you have made several life changes already in your one month post-diagnosis. Congratulations as each of those changes can be challenging, no doubt.

You will see that I have moved your question into a discussion where members are currently discussing diet as it relates to Gastroparesis so you could more quickly connect and get support. You will notice members like @ken82 and @rossjt have experience with this topic and may be a good resource for you. I also encourage you to scroll back through the comments to find previously shared suggestions.

What types of high calorie foods and exercise have you tried so far?

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@amandajro

Hello @gegrafton. It sounds like you have made several life changes already in your one month post-diagnosis. Congratulations as each of those changes can be challenging, no doubt.

You will see that I have moved your question into a discussion where members are currently discussing diet as it relates to Gastroparesis so you could more quickly connect and get support. You will notice members like @ken82 and @rossjt have experience with this topic and may be a good resource for you. I also encourage you to scroll back through the comments to find previously shared suggestions.

What types of high calorie foods and exercise have you tried so far?

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Mostly high protein shakes and using resistance bands mostly for stretching. Gyms closed due to COVID so relying on basic Military PT exercises.

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I can't seem to find how the post new. I was diagnosed about a year ago. I'm diabetic and most likely that has caused the digestive nerve in my stomach to affect digestion. I mostly followed, or tried to, the very unhelpful diets put out there. I never had really bad symptoms, mostly feeling bloated, a little nauseous and uncomfortable.
I have never lost any weight, in fact have gained weight. Many of the foods that are recommended are high in carbs so balancing sugars is always a challenge. My glucose levels have been higher since changing diet. I'm wondering if I should just go back to the way I was eating before. It seems weather I eat soft more digestible foods or more protein including chicken, pork and hamburger my belly gets tight as a drum until I have my once a day bowel movement the next morning. My doctor suggests adding Miramax.

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@gegrafton

Been diagnosed for about a month now, knocked off soda, high-fiber foods, eating less, etc. Now worried about trying to regain weight back (lost 30#) BMI just around 18 which is borderline malnourished. Any tips on high calorie foods & exercising without stomach going haywire and being worse off?

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Has anyone taken metoclopram for your gastroparesis? I'm taking a low dose going on my 4th week, but contacting Dr regarding some symptoms and really not feeling any better; in fact a little worse

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@gegrafton

Been diagnosed for about a month now, knocked off soda, high-fiber foods, eating less, etc. Now worried about trying to regain weight back (lost 30#) BMI just around 18 which is borderline malnourished. Any tips on high calorie foods & exercising without stomach going haywire and being worse off?

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Finding foods that your stomach and intestines tolerate is the trick. And, just when I think I have it figured out, foods that hadn't bothered me start causing trouble. In my experience, you just have to experiment until you fund an eating routine and menu that your body tolerates. Sugar, fat and fiber are things I try to consume in moderation. Maintaining weight is a definite challenge. I have lost almost 100 pounds since my surgical injury and gastroparesis diagnosis in 2015. I'm at a point that I don't have much, if any, weight to lose (I am 6'2"). My Mayo doctor has prescribed Hyoscyamine and that helps my intestines cam down when I get intense cramping and diarrhea. It is not a cure all, but it helps. Sorry you have this diagnosis. Its a challenge!

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