I enjoyed reading all these posts. I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis in July 2019 and have been on a roller coaster since then. I saw a nutritionist and realized that figuring out a diet was virtually impossible. I have Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy with a cardiac component. Have had 5 pacemakers (beginning 1992) and after an episode of ventricular tachycardia and a heart rate of 480 bpm in Jan. 2018, I had a cardiac resynchronization computer with a pacemaker and debrillator inserted and have only had 2 episodes since. I am 69 and am a Type 2 diabetic, but A1C is under control. I am having trouble eating enough to keep weight on. At 5’8” I weighed 124 lbs. at my last checkup having lost about 6 lbs since July. I have been taking a stool softener daily, walking and doing pretty good until recently whenconstipation has overtaken my life. Finally I took Dulcolax and have spent all afternoon in the bathroom. I feel full all the time, have abdominal pain from top to bottom, feel like there is something stuck in my throat, feel nauseous at times, have heartburn and GERD for which I was given Dexilant, a PPI. My problem is that I have to take 16 pills a day and invariably some get stuck and that doesn’t include vitamins, probiotics, Tylenol, Famoditine before meals, stool softener and more. I am fearful of an obstruction because I do not want to have surgery because of my heart and I am wondering if my MD may be a cause of lower abdominal pain. I can no longer walk up stairs or an incline. I miss fatty foods, fruits, vegetables, meat and more. Today I have zero energy. I will keep reading for hints to help. Thank you for sharing your story with all. HURTING IN GA!
@stubeckj70
I had a feeding tube for a while... meds had to be crushed to go in the tube. When they said I could take my meds orally I had to crush the ones I could and add to applesauce and then swallow them. They told me to open the PPI capsules and take with applesauce too. Of course the time released do not work well this way, but work somewhat. Your pharmacist can give you the best advice on how to get them down. .. which can be crushed and which cannot be crushed. I prefer canned pears over applesauce.. so I put some canned pears in a mini chopper to get them applesauce consistency. I too have trouble maintaining weight. I have managed to get it up from 117lbs to 123lbs since January. I am 5’5” tall. You should be able to handle canned fruits... just nothing with skins or seeds. I avoid anything raw, leafy greens and any fibrous food like celery. I actually can handle a couple of tablespoons of Bush's Baked beans... only brand I can handle.. It gives me some fiber and seems to digest fine. Everyone is different.. so what one can handle another cannot. I cannot handle a bowl of cooked oatmeal, but can eat a little bit of homemade granola. Nuts chopped fine and dry fruit chopped fine. .. really weird. Do not be afraid to try different foods. Like I said.. we are all different and what one can handle another cannot. It is difficult to find a diet that works when one thing needs a high fiber diet and another needs low fiber... and that is me! I think a tachycardia condition will be flaring full force soon. It has been happening some over the past few years and happening more often now.
@I have been diagnosed with slow gastric emptyiing at a moderate level.The diet is extremely restrictive.I also have had constipation issues for years.This has been worse since having a small bowel obstruction 18 months ago.I have added fluids but am not supposed to eat more than 10 grams of fiber a day and no fresh fruits or vegetables, beans and onlyfew cooked vegetables are allowed.Also no fiber supplements.
Thank you for responding to my post.
I will try more things. I too love canned pears and peaches. I have a lot of pain all over my abdomen, especially under left rib cage. Am going to go back to gastroparesis specialist in Atlanta and see if he can offer me more than a PPI. Thanks again!
@I have been diagnosed with slow gastric emptyiing at a moderate level.The diet is extremely restrictive.I also have had constipation issues for years.This has been worse since having a small bowel obstruction 18 months ago.I have added fluids but am not supposed to eat more than 10 grams of fiber a day and no fresh fruits or vegetables, beans and onlyfew cooked vegetables are allowed.Also no fiber supplements.
@stubeckj70 It may be something to do with your esophagus or a hiatal hernia. So many things that it could be causing the pain. My last surgery was to repair all the damage that a hiatal giant paraesophageal .. sliding... hernia created. I had to have open surgery. I have pain all through my chest because of that surgery. I also have esophagus problems that contribute to it.. achalasia and Barrett's esophagus.
My prayers that you find the cause and a solution.
@I have been diagnosed with slow gastric emptyiing at a moderate level.The diet is extremely restrictive.I also have had constipation issues for years.This has been worse since having a small bowel obstruction 18 months ago.I have added fluids but am not supposed to eat more than 10 grams of fiber a day and no fresh fruits or vegetables, beans and onlyfew cooked vegetables are allowed.Also no fiber supplements.
@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”.
@pdilly Even though the human body is basically the same in everyone there are still differences. So therefore what works for one person may not work for another. Fibrous foods are those that are high in fiber. High fiber foods take longer to digest and if they sit in the stomach too long can cause a bezoar.. the food becomes hard like a rock and will go nowhere. I have only had a small one.
Some people can handle raw fruit without the skin and a baked potaoto without the skin. I cannot. I have a swallowing problem too, so I have to have more easy to swallow foods. Greens such as turnip, collard and mustard that I grew up with here in Georgia I cannot eat. I can eat broccolli florets if cooked tender, but not the stem. I can eat creamed spinach that my husband cooks. He usually uses the frozen spinach and it has no stems. I can eat quick oatmeal, but it tends to take me a while to eat it and it takes a while to digest... so I rarely eat it. My husband is our cook and he makes a granola bar that I can eat ( it has toasted oatmeal and it is a soft, chewy bar). He chops up almonds and assorted dried fruit small for it. It is filling an nutritious, but does not sit in my stomach forever like a lot of high fiber foods. High fiber food will take more time to digest than low fiber foods. Fruit such as apples and pears lose a lot of fiber once peeled and cooked... or canned. I can eat canned pineapple fine.. even with its texture. It actually make my stomach feel pretty good. Itt is my supper mixed with cottage cheese.
I also have diverticulosis and need a high fiber diet for that.. so diet is a big problem for me. Gastroparesis is better if you eat lower fiber diet and the diverticulosis requires high fiber. Hitting a medium is not easy. Early last year I had a severe bout of diverticulitis. I eat a lot of green peas and carrots cooked tender. Green beans I do not do well with nor do I do well with black-eyed or any variety that is what we call a field pea. I can eat a few canned baked beans.. even some canned kidney bean in chili (mine has to be bland though☹️) Ground beef is the most easily digested meat for me. I have a hard time with chicken and pork.
It would be hard for the Mayo Clinic to name all fibrous foods, but yes, it might be a good idea to give a few examples. In the search bar of your browser type in: list of fibrous foods; and you should get some results.
Since onset of type 2 diabetes 3 years ago, my body has undergone a number of changes. I too have diverticulosis, gerda, and just recently gastroparesis. I will be seeing a dietitian very soon and hope to get started on improving my symptoms. I too have been struggling to balance enough fiber, but not too much. I will probably settle somewhere between the recommended daily fiber intake (30 grams per day) and what I can tolerate without causing a bezoar(have already had one).
Glucose wise the new diet seems to be lowering my numbers very well.
All in all it is a daunting prospect going forward. My wife and I love to travel but lately am afraid to get too far from a bathroom as with slow digestion seems to come unpredictable emptying.
Since onset of type 2 diabetes 3 years ago, my body has undergone a number of changes. I too have diverticulosis, gerda, and just recently gastroparesis. I will be seeing a dietitian very soon and hope to get started on improving my symptoms. I too have been struggling to balance enough fiber, but not too much. I will probably settle somewhere between the recommended daily fiber intake (30 grams per day) and what I can tolerate without causing a bezoar(have already had one).
Glucose wise the new diet seems to be lowering my numbers very well.
All in all it is a daunting prospect going forward. My wife and I love to travel but lately am afraid to get too far from a bathroom as with slow digestion seems to come unpredictable emptying.
<p>Could someone tell me where to go to find a reliable and doctor-approved gastroparesis diet - what to eat and not eat. I have it and now my 51 year old son has it too. Or where is it on the Mayo clinic site?</p>
<p>Could someone tell me where to go to find a reliable and doctor-approved gastroparesis diet - what to eat and not eat. I have it and now my 51 year old son has it too. Or where is it on the Mayo clinic site?</p>
@waslatter Did you say your A1c numbers improved with your new Gastroparesis diet? Wow! Mine went up from 5.7 to 6.2. I need to be doing whatever you’re doing. What kind of fiber do you eat? I think my extremely low fiber Gastroparesis eating definitely raised my A1c.
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@stubeckj70
I had a feeding tube for a while... meds had to be crushed to go in the tube. When they said I could take my meds orally I had to crush the ones I could and add to applesauce and then swallow them. They told me to open the PPI capsules and take with applesauce too. Of course the time released do not work well this way, but work somewhat. Your pharmacist can give you the best advice on how to get them down. .. which can be crushed and which cannot be crushed. I prefer canned pears over applesauce.. so I put some canned pears in a mini chopper to get them applesauce consistency. I too have trouble maintaining weight. I have managed to get it up from 117lbs to 123lbs since January. I am 5’5” tall. You should be able to handle canned fruits... just nothing with skins or seeds. I avoid anything raw, leafy greens and any fibrous food like celery. I actually can handle a couple of tablespoons of Bush's Baked beans... only brand I can handle.. It gives me some fiber and seems to digest fine. Everyone is different.. so what one can handle another cannot. I cannot handle a bowl of cooked oatmeal, but can eat a little bit of homemade granola. Nuts chopped fine and dry fruit chopped fine. .. really weird. Do not be afraid to try different foods. Like I said.. we are all different and what one can handle another cannot. It is difficult to find a diet that works when one thing needs a high fiber diet and another needs low fiber... and that is me! I think a tachycardia condition will be flaring full force soon. It has been happening some over the past few years and happening more often now.
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1 ReactionThank you for responding to my post.
I will try more things. I too love canned pears and peaches. I have a lot of pain all over my abdomen, especially under left rib cage. Am going to go back to gastroparesis specialist in Atlanta and see if he can offer me more than a PPI. Thanks again!
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1 Reaction@stubeckj70 It may be something to do with your esophagus or a hiatal hernia. So many things that it could be causing the pain. My last surgery was to repair all the damage that a hiatal giant paraesophageal .. sliding... hernia created. I had to have open surgery. I have pain all through my chest because of that surgery. I also have esophagus problems that contribute to it.. achalasia and Barrett's esophagus.
My prayers that you find the cause and a solution.
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1 Reaction@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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1 ReactionSince onset of type 2 diabetes 3 years ago, my body has undergone a number of changes. I too have diverticulosis, gerda, and just recently gastroparesis. I will be seeing a dietitian very soon and hope to get started on improving my symptoms. I too have been struggling to balance enough fiber, but not too much. I will probably settle somewhere between the recommended daily fiber intake (30 grams per day) and what I can tolerate without causing a bezoar(have already had one).
Glucose wise the new diet seems to be lowering my numbers very well.
All in all it is a daunting prospect going forward. My wife and I love to travel but lately am afraid to get too far from a bathroom as with slow digestion seems to come unpredictable emptying.
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1 ReactionI do not know what to do for the unpredictable emptying. Do you take a nightly laxative to keep things moving?
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1 ReactionNot yet. Waiting to see effects from diet.
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1 ReactionThank you!
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1 Reaction@waslatter Did you say your A1c numbers improved with your new Gastroparesis diet? Wow! Mine went up from 5.7 to 6.2. I need to be doing whatever you’re doing. What kind of fiber do you eat? I think my extremely low fiber Gastroparesis eating definitely raised my A1c.
I take something about every other day. Got a diagnosis but no advice how to manage. Read Mayo info online.
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