Gastroparesis with severe symptoms!

I was only diagnosed officially 3 weeks ago, but gastroparesis has come up several times during the years that I've had what I call my "puke sessions" where I'd start puking and being really nauseous and nothing would help until I finally ended up in the ER. I take opiod pain meds and have an autoimmune disease called Sjogren's Syndrome, which I'm told it's not uncommon to find with gastroparesis because it makes your body attack your moisture glands so your digestive tract is very, very dry.
I've been following a combination of the gastroparesis diet that can be found on the internet and the FODMAP diet, originally designed for people with IBS, also on the internet that starts you out with gluten free, lactose free and other limitations, and these three weeks are the best I've had in a year. Of course, don't try these without talking to your own doctor, but this is what my doctor recommended for me. I'll be able to start slowly trying one thing at a time to see if I can tolerate more in a few weeks, but I know other than fat free greek yogurt, lactose is out. But I was happy to find there were some things out there that I could actually eat that didn't send me back to the hospital, YET! I take Reglan but only as needed because of the side effects, so only 2-3 times a week, my family doctor was afraid of any more.
I actually have a glimmer of hope for the first time in over a year. But after the year I've had, I'm afraid to feel too positive because it doesn't seem to take much for everything to go wrong. But I guess I'll enjoy it while it lasts.
Tracy

Only you guys understand how I'm feeling. I get so bloated it's unreal. When I'm severely bloated I can feel numbness in my head, arms, shoulders, fingers, legs, well basically anywhere on my body. I feel drozy, light headed, and can face the world. I can't belch, fart nor poo like before. Even by some miracle i do get to poo and for a minute i feel like im back to nornal and i feel more energy then i start get bloated rapidly again. And most times I poo it feel like I'm not empty. This as ruined my life completely. Doctor once said it's IBS but I really think this is something that they don't have a clue about. I've become my own doctor for this now and try to do all I can to live life as comfortable as I can but it's truly hard. I really thought I was the only one going through this. If anyone finds a cure or someway to keep it calming let me know please

Also I start having light handedness followed by a shiffering feeling with tingles run through my body. Been suffering from this from 2004 and I would give all i own to be normal again.

@lawl I am so sorry you have all those symptoms! I have Gastroparesis but I don’t have any of the same symptoms you have. I think you said you were diagnosed with IBS. Are the symptoms you’re having common with IBS?

Yes some are common with IBS but this is a lot more going on here than IBS.

Me too I do have stomach pain but also back pain this disease has many faces that doctors don't even know about

Yep. I had a nuclear egg sandwich one day and then nuclearized apple juice. I'm also waiting on a small intestine enjoying test. But, yeah, that means you have gastroparesis. The question is, how severe. That will dictate what kind of diet you need to follow.

Consult a dietician recommended by your gastroenterologist. More fiber may be very dangerous for you. If you have gastroparesis, you'll need less fiber, not more. Be careful.

Hi @tujaded and @ktracyf,

I moved @hgarm’s message to this very thread about gastroparesis (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gastroparesis/); so you are in the correct discussion/thread. Here are a few other discussions on Connect that might also interest you:
– Gastroparesis Diet Guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed/gastroparesis-diet-guidelines-1/
– following gastroparesis diet while managing constipation https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/following-gastroparesis-diet-while-managing-constipation/
– mild gastroparesis with severe symptoms! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/please-read-mild-gastroparesis-with-severe-symptoms/

Hi pdilly,
I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis about 3 months ago. The symptoms I had were slight vomiting, stomach pain and a lot of bloating. I had a gastric emptying study which showed very slow emptying of the contents. The diagnosis was based on the study and the results of an endoscopy. The endoscopy showed undigested food from 4 days prior. I went for a follow up endoscopy 4 weeks later (after following a low-fiber Gastroparesis diet). The doc found that the pyloric sphincter was narrowed quite a bit. This too would cause delayed emptying. He used a baloon to stretch it open. Since then, my only symptoms have been slight bloating and constipation. I am on ocycodone for severe cronic back pain (which of course would cause the constipation), but I’m also not getting much fiber either because of pmy diet.
My whole point of this is that I don’t know if I truly have Gastroparesis or if my issues were caused by a small pyloric sphincter. I have another follow up with the GI doc in a couple of weeks. Hopefully he will be able to determine the cause of my problem.
I’m not suggesting that your situation is the same as mine. I just wanted to share in hopes that it may be of some help to you.