Gastroparesis with severe symptoms!

Interesting how we all have different symptoms with Gastroparesis.
@bborth I wonder if that feeling you have that’s like cement is a bezoar. I hate that word! When I had one I just called it the monster in my belly! When they saw that in my stomach during an EGD, that’s when I was diagnosed with gastroparesis.
@dotdash how did they know that your vagus nerve was damaged during Nissen fundiplication?

That word has never come up in all my appointments or tests. Will bring this up though. Sounds like the EGD will diagnose this? CT scan maybe? As of now, I meet with a GI surgeon a week from tomorrow to talk about either botox or a pyloroplasty. This all starting after a whiplash concussion may be behind my GI stuff after all. Onward.

You probably don’t have a bezoar but when you mentioned cement it reminded me of when mIne was accidentally found during the EGD to check out low grade dysplasia in my Barretts esophagus disease. It’s just a big hard hunk of undigested food sitting in your stomach. Gross! It was part of the reason I felt so full after just a few bites. Although it’s gone now, I still feel full very quickly — I guess because the of the slow stomach emptying.

Did you have an emptying study done? My PCP insists that you can have a dx of gastroparesis and have a normal study. All depends on the day I guess, which seems true since some days are better than others. Confusing though.

bborth I have had no surgery and am relatively new with gastroparesis. Articles I have read, many at cleveland clinic motility clinic site and also journal articles at pubmed and other places, one article and I don't remember where really discouraged or said don't do botox. (That makes sense to me. It is very temporary for one thing. Also a good number of gastroparesis patients problems were caused by prior surgery or similar of one sort of another. Anything that damaged vagus nerve.) I don't remember what the article saying don't had as reason. Try Cleveland clinic motility clinic in search and read everything you can find on there.
I would want a work up by head of that cleveland motility clinic or head of Mayo motility clinic before considering surgery. Might change my mind someday if met someone I knew had much experience, training, and ethics. I don't know anyone like that. Both of those directors see patients and are highly rated in numerous places.

I did have the stomach emptying study after they discovered the bezoar. My gastroenterologist didn’t think I needed to do the study because he said I clearly had severe Gastroparesis because of the monster in my belly! But I wanted to do the study because I read that it was the way Gastroparesis is accurately diagnosed.

So it doesn’t make sense to me that your study could be normal and then be diagnosed with Gastroparesis. But I’m not a doc!

My emptying study confirmed Gastroparesis— but moderate instead of severe like my doc suspected.

My gastroenterologist suggested it was likely the cause since I began the excessive vomiting after surgery. Just something I would do differently since I only had mild symptoms prior to the surgery.

Thank you @dotdash I just wondered because I know damage to the vagus nerve can cause Gastroparesis. I’ve just wondered how it’s determined that there was damage. And I guess it’s determined by your symptoms following a surgery — like you had the excessive vomiting.

did they chop up the bezoar while in the stomach doing endoscopic exam or did they have to go back in with some kind of surgery? I am having endoscopy and colonoscopy in a few days and I hope I don't have one. It wouldn't totally surprise me if I do though. I am slow emptying liquids as well as solids and it has developed gradually over past 6 mo. to yr. Haven't had any tests yet. I have sloshing sounds for a few hours after rising from sleep, until get full enough of liquids and little food that it all goes silent much of the rest of the time. I also belch a whole lot, often loud and frequent. From what I read that is likely from food staying in transit so long it starts to ferment or something.

I haven't tried any meds yet and won't unless I get worse. You are already worse it sounds like. Reglan and domperidone are the only 2 I think. Both have the possiblity of severe side effects. The first, if I remember right, is tardive diskinesia, uncontrollable twitches or other movements. they may go away if stop meds. But not always. Same is true for many psychotrophic meds. The second med is possible to preceed a heart problem, can be very serious. In USA you have to get it from a dr. who will sign a bunch of paperwork as its experimental or somesuch designation here. Other countries its approved. Think insurance won't cover it and so it is pay out of pocket so naturally the drug companies charge a lot. Not sure price. Also read somewhere that must go in to dr. every 2 or 3 mo. the first yr. or something similar. Go to drugs.com and type them in and read prescribing information on each. Some of my spelling may be a little off.