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Does anyone know if gastroparesis is progressive over time?
Digestive Health | Last Active: Jan 8 3:59pm | Replies (65)Comment receiving replies
@denisef, hello. Although I would prefer to do otherwise, I drink Boost every day and eat only very soft or mashed foods and purees. Otherwise, food "sits there" with unhappy results.
I can totally relate to your frustration but have been coming to terms with my new reality, albeit slowly. Like you experienced where you are, the GI folks here were not helpful. Since I was diagnosed with renal disease a few years ago and couldn't find local dietary assistance with a renal diet, I researched and designed my own. BUT when I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, I had to start compromising because my renal diet conflicts with my diabetic diet with my gastro diet.
My hospital here finally is revamping its dietary department and is hiring knowledgeable experts to start one on one outpatient consultations the first of the year so am hoping to get more input which I will share.
Meanwhile, I have read that some people can reverse or somewhat reverse GP while others learn to manage it and keep it from progressing but I also understand that it can worsen over time for some people.
I hope you can find a good dietitian and can also google Crystal Saltorelli, who has written a good pdf about GP diets.
Wishing you well!
Replies to "@denisef, hello. Although I would prefer to do otherwise, I drink Boost every day and eat..."
Thanks. I could have written this paragraph. Fits me to a tee! Mike
thanks for the info, again . I did watch some stuff online by Crystal Saltorelli - that was a good referral - some very good stuff. most of it I have learned by trial and error - over the years - but I always wonder if there is some stuff out there that I don't know! I have changed GI docs three times now - I now have one I like - but still next to no information he can provide on gastroparesis. I think you need to go to a center that specializes in it - but I have HMO insurance and it would not be covered. I also found a site livingwithgastroparesis.com that is good and this doctor Mark Cooper MD who is a gastroenterologist in Texas is VERY GOOD! Much of the stuff, as I said, I am already doing - I mostly was interested to know how progressive this disease is - like if it gets worse and worse until eventually you are on liquids only or a feeding tube.
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Thank you for your response. is your GP as a result of diabetes? was it diagnosed with a gastric emptying study?
i pretty much have figured out what foods to eat and not to eat by trial and error - i asked my GI doc for a dietician referral when i was first diagnosed - he couldn't even give me that - just a "regular dietician" who knows very little about this 'not so common" illness. i subsequently have found lists of what to eat and what not to eat online and pretty much it is what i figured out by trial and error. i do seem to get "flares" though - which last several days where i literally can only take liquids and maybe thin pureed soup or shakes - but no solids. The biggest problem i have is sleeping at night - the food just "sits" and makes acid. for months now i stop eating at 2 p.m. and go to bed 9-10 p.m. so the food has 8 hours to "go down" but still some nights i have problems getting comfortable with a lot of "pressure/aching/gas/acid" etc. i haven't eaten "dinner" per se in over a year - just tea and maybe a very small amount of frozen yogurt or a popsicle... it sometimes feels thing are getting worse and more restrictive and i was just interested to see if other people had the same experience. No-one has mentioned having problems sleeping at night - which is actually my main issue (even if i manage what and when i eat during the day)