GASTROPARESIS AND LACTOBACILLUS PROBIOTIC

I have recently been diagnosed with gastroparesis. The bloating, fullness and feeling like a rock is in my stomach finally have a dx.
I am going to do the SIBO test next week in hopes that may show why I have this condition. I am not diabetic and eat pretty healthy; no red meat for over 40 years and mostly organic. Any suggestions on how to manage the daily discomfort and bloating ? I heard Kefir is helpful and reducing raw veggies in my diet. It has affected my life tremendously recently ….I appreciate any and all ideas or recommendations. Thanks

I know what you are going through. Gastroparesis really affects your quality of life. You may want to look at the meds you are taking to see if it may be a side effect. Mine was linked to long term use of metformin and went away when I stopped taking it leaving me only with nausea. That went away when I stopped Farxiga. I now use a continuous glucose monitor to help me make better food choices and to know when to exercise. Finding the root cause is essential for your quality of life because it is difficult to eat small low fiber meals to keep this in check. Mine used to flare and I would have trouble eating anything. Keep looking for answers.

Thank you! I am only taking two meds daily, an anti depressant and allergy med ….
Maybe I won’t need either one once this settles down. Have you tested for SIBO ?

Have had gastroparesis for years (no other lower colon issues). I've been vegan for years & in good health. But the awful symptoms create such bad stomach gas/bloating that it keeps me awake nearly thru the night (sometimes til dawn). Repeated doses of charcoal used to help (& simethicone gells don't touch it), but now not much. Kaiser has done a few endoscopies & found no irregularities there. Even 2 stomach emptying tests that their gastro doc came back normal (which is BS, because if they'd done the test in the PM they'd have concluded differently; also, their test is brief while the gold standard for stomach emptying is a few hours long). Seen all manner of western & alternative health providers. Finally an ND had me do a SIBO test (about time!) & they found abnormally high levels of methane, which is created by bacteria. The slow stomach motility means foos sits longer, ferments & can host the bacteria, this creating the gas. Presence of the bacteria can affect stomach/upper digestive motility. So I did a round of specific antibiotic, though it's not helped. I'm now working with a good nutritionist who utilized the FODMap process to eliminate certain foods for a limited amount of time to see if my symptoms reduce. It's NOT an easy diet (2 phases, totally lasting 6 weeks). Just make sure your primary doctor takes the SIBO test results seriously & has a plan of action for you If you have a sweet tooth, that'll have to mostly end). There ARE some supplements out there that can help motility issues. Iberogast (by Bayer) has been effective for some (although not me); but it's only available on-line via Canada; do NOT allow the order to come from anywhere in eastern Europe. And a good ND or nutritionist who knows the chemical balance of foods & alternative herbal methods has some great ideas for supplements that can stimulate the Vagas nerve, which is what drives stomach motility. If your nutritionist or western doc doesn't support or know about any of this stuff, find someone who does. Finally, reducing stress & distracting your daily challenges with this disease are critical.
By the way, did you develop any good trick to reduce the gas when it just keeps coming back all night? Besides the diet, I drink 3 cups of unsweetened ginger tea daily. Good luck.

I have a torturous colon so have had many of the same issues mentioned by others in this and other threads. I had an endoscopy for gastroparesis but showed only gastritis. After multiple negative stool tests, I did get a SIBO test that came back positive. One round of the antibiotics helped marginally, a second round helped noticeably, though didn't completely alleviate my symptoms. I'm curious to hear what others' gas issues are like. Mine feels like crunching or like two balloons rubbing together inside my stomach and can be very loud. It is very unsettling. When I bend over, my stomach sometimes makes an audible gushing sound. Besides the gas and bloating (wreaks havoc with waistbands in pants), I struggle with accompanying bowel irregularity ( nothing "normal") and periodic nausea and sometimes feeling full after a few bites. I have taken pre/probiotics for years, rarely eat red meat, tried low FODMAPS diet for many weeks and eliminated alcohol, and nothing has made any difference. (I have yet to eliminate sugar and dread the idea.) Very frustrating. I regularly do yoga and am pretty active physically, eat what would normally be considered "healthy," but I sleep poorly and have taken Aciphex for years for GERD. Maybe there just are no answers...but I'm still looking. Has anyone tried acupuncture?

Good to try the acupuncture (teas may be included). It really didn’t work for me (did it 3x), but that’s not to say it won’t for you. If you do it - stick with it & their diet recommendations.
Although my digestion is certainly slow, my stomach seems empty by evening. But getting up, moving around causes burping. Sometimes accompanied with slight headache tinges that come & go. I know I’m in trouble. Even if I think I’m
Ok, upon trying to sleep, I’ll feel & hear the familiar heart pulse in my ear, emanating into my head. Soon after, I’ll get these weird ‘ hills’ down along my left side (from side chest down to thigh). Then I know I’m sunk. Rounds of charcoal in water & deep Massaging of my stomach follows sitting in a chair. The gas will return & I’ll often not actually climb into bed til 4 AM or even later. As those symptoms buoy the night before, neither ginger or digestive tea or anything else I’ve found or been led to helps dissipate the building gas. Mind you, my symptoms never include nausea, acid reflex or such.

Hello, it’s Jeffrey, I just wanted to take a minute to send you a private message saying thank you for the hugs. It’s much appreciated. I’m glad I was able to find a platform outside of social media to speak with like-minded individuals. As I mentioned, I’m here to talk, and also to listen, which sometimes is more important than anything, I hope you have a great day.

Just got your message - thank you. Am winding down for the day (anemia, renal failure, diabetes, gastroparesis and numerous other chronics keep me tired) but wanted to send you my wishes for peace and blessings to you before I go to bed. 🙂

The bloating is very familiar to me. Have tests done and nothing was found. They lost 35 pounds in seven months. Constant diarrhea bloating and noisy stomach very noisy. I read about it a lot and finally came across natural, probiotic life, probiotic in the food. I start using Greek yogurt with no sugar, added,kefir, buttermilk, sauerkraut. So far but only three days I am much better. I cannot believe I didn’t have to take Imodium A.D. and my stomach quiet down. Trying doesn’t going to hurt, but I think he’s worth it.

It was suggested to me that Gastroperesis was what my problem is. I have an appt with my GI Dr. It was the Infectious Disease Dr that actually told me. My GI Dr was at a loss for what is wrong. Numerous trips to ER thinking I was having a heart attack. I’ve been to, it seems like, all of the Ologists out there. Small town Drs really don’t have a clue I guess. Anyway, I believe all this started when my health insurance would no longer cover Victoza and I ended up on Mounjaro. That’s when all this started. I was then switched to Ozempic, and then to Rybelsus and then to Jardiance. I am now on Jardiance. I cannot believe there is such limited information on this subject. I’m scared to death. I’ve lost a little over 20lbs. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing if I was on a diet. But I’ve never had to deal with something like this. Anxiety is crazy high and my PCP wants to send me to a psychiatrist. I have started from the beginning, eating mushy foods or only liquids. Low fat low fiber stuff. That has calmed the chest pains and pain in general. But I really feel completely unprepared for this. I can’t wrap my head around it yet I guess. Hopefully the GI dr will do the right thing and order the test for gastric emptying. That will glean more information, I hope. But right now I’m freeking out!