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Anyone diagnosed with Gastroparesis?
I have had problems similar to so many GI people. The swallowing problems (food stuck in the throat, bloating, nausea, feeling like choking, "fullness" for hours). Finally after many upper and lower scopes ( have 18 cm colon left and function 80% well when cervical neck is well), a small hiatal hernia, numerous different PPI's for stomach changes, reflux, etc. and now on Nexium, the finding out the main problem 6 years ago was gastroparesis caused by a pain medication. Instead of a pacemaker, I tried a "newly" approved drug for the pyloric muscle of the lower stomach, botox, placed in 3 places to keep the muscle open a little so food could continually be released into the small intestine. The erythromycin in a low dose is a prokinetic, making the nerves contract the stomach muscles but, wasn't working. Still use 4x/day. This way no food collected in the stomach being able to "rot" causing sepsis, and decreased daily nausea and vomiting. I still can only eat small amounts and is more liquid or soft medicine/foods. My appetite isn't the best. I often have reflux, bloating, constipation and hoarseness. But it has been 3 yrs since botox to my stomach and it is working. I take my blessing where I can. I hope this helpe others.
Also, my diet had to change to rapidly digesting foods like white bread and not the "good" eating I was doing like whole wheat or 21 grain bread ( was laying on my stomach for hours), plus many vegetables and also many raw vegetables...a no no.
My daughter is going through so much of this and is an RN. Has Barrett's esophagitis, hiatal hernia, dysplasia, leaky gut syndrome i.e. and awaiting biopsies. Constant n/v, bloating,hoarseness, food in the throat like you in the chat.She is also an RN. On many "new" meds again.
It really can get to you especially when you work and have a very busy life like she does.
My best to all. Hope I could help someone.I understand your frustrations. It is wonderful having an understanding doctor that listens!
Joan
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I found a big glass of prune juice works better.
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1 ReactionI tried to provide a few links, but this site won’t allow it
I recommend you go to consumer lab , enter that and .com and looks at their article on melatonin , Also google NIH articles on gastroparesis and foods that can help and hormones like melatonin that can help, Also, ask google if any of your meds contribute to weakening the LES or cause Gastroparesis, PPI’s do both and I think are one of the worse drugs
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1 ReactionHi @janetv1957 , and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I will take your kind of crazy, if this what crazy is. It sounds like you found a perfect solution. Enjoy!
Do you notice consistency in how red wine affects you? Are you drinking it by itself?
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1 ReactionI get very bad pain in my stomach especially after eating. It is bad enough I feel like rolling up in a ball and crying. If I have a small glass of red wine the pain dissipates enough that I hardly notice it. I tend to drink it after I eat, if the pain gets bad. If tolerable, I try not to drink. However, after dinner I will have a glass because of it lowering my blood sugar. The only way I know it lowers my blood sugar is through a glucose monitor I only had for 10 days (insurance did not approve it). I was having some wine with friends and my blood sugar really dropped. I was stunned. I went to google and it said wine in moderation lowers blood sugar, it also said wine helps some people with gastroparesis. It was nice to learn it was not my imagination. I hope this helps you. The wine helps my stomach within a few minutes. I have no more than 2 glasses per day.
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3 ReactionsYes, I agree PPI's are not helpful. I have to be on one, but I was able to cut back from 2 per day to 1 per day. I can't tolerate the heartburn without any. Thanks for info on melatonin.
Thanks Joan. I was diagnosed with gastric paresis many years ago. I was able to control it with meds but in the last year (very stressful year) I have been experiencing tingling in my mouth tongue and lips. Have you ever had this symptom. I’ve had many tests and cleared all auto immune diseases. It also started when I was dieting eating lots of raw veggies and low cal foods high in fiber. I’m thinking that’s what triggers it. Upper gi didn’t show any major issues. I’m thinking about trying a food sensitivity test to see if there is another culprit. Any thoughts! Thanks
Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, @laurapem. Sorry to hear this year has been very stressful. It sounds as though you are going through a good process of trying to get to the bottom of the tingling in your mouth tongue and lips.
If you've not tried this Mayo Clinic tool, you may want to check it out:
-Symptom Checker https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptom-checker/select-symptom/itt-20009075
What other symptoms were you experiencing with gastroparesis before the meds?
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