Weight loss with out an explanation

Hi @nbens. Welcome to Mayo Connect and thanks for telling us about your loss of weight from gastroparesis -- weak muscular contractions of the stomach. As a result, food and liquid remain in the stomach too long rather than passing into the small intestine. This can result in irregular absorption of nutrients, inadequate nutrition, and poor glycemic control. I found an interesting speculation that weakened stomach muscles may be caused by neuropathy -- a nerve problem in the great Vegas Nerve that controls functions of large organs in the abdomen. That's one of a half-dozen possibilities that my medical team is going to study to deal with my digestive problems of the past six weeks. Perhaps my experience will suggest some questions for you to raise with your medical team. Martin

I was diagnosed with MS in 2010. I've also suffered GI problems for years. Never knew a correlation was plausible.
I suffered acute pancreatitis in 2017 which became chronic pancreatitis. In less than 60 days from July to Sept 2022. I lost 52lbs. My GI was complacent. I finally found a Hepatologist @ University of Miami. I tested positive for "SIBO" (small intestine bacteria overgrowth):. It can only be detected by a 4 hour hydrogen breath test with glucose administered. I hadn't heard of it prior. No other doctor ever mentioned it. The treatment was "Xiflaxin" $2,800.00 for 42 tablets (a 14 day supply) i also take "Zenpep" digestive enzymes & "Trulance" which is dehydratingly effective. Next is a "endoscopic ultrasound" next month. I had never heard of them being combined.
Sorry if I shared too much but I can certainly relate. Sending positive vibes!
Michael

Thank you Martin for your response. Oddly my PA at my neurologist saw no neurological link to gastroparesis (I hate to question her knowledge but I do). I have a referral in to Mayo In Jacksonville but no response. None of my DRs are really helping as I just seem to fade away between 3 month visits.

I have exact same thing, SIBO which was first diagnosed as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and prescribed Zenpep. Had the colonoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound and pancreas is fine, but biopsy showed the SIBO. Lost 20 lbs due to it. Oh, and my Xifaxan 14 days I applied for the patient assistance fro the manufacturer and got it free. It’s a pain in the a** to do all,the paperwork but worth it.
Stool tests can be inaccurate unfortunately but suggest the author of this post at least start there?

I've started having unexplained weight loss since May 2023. I eat every 2 hours almost 18 hours a day since I have insomnia. But I don't gain weight. I don't each junk food because of all the bad stuff in them and nothing with high fructose in it. But the most that happens is I get constipation or diarrhea. I'm drinking unflavored organic coconut milk. And that is better for my GI tract than the lactose free milk I was drinking. But it's still hard to deal with how I look now. I don't feel attractive anymore, my husband is sweet and says I look fine. But when I look in the mirror I have to remind myself to say" I love how I look" why? Because I believe that God knows what is happening to me and he doesn't want me to be discouraged. That he will always be with me no matter what I'm facing. My body is just a temporary thing. Eternity is what I'm looking for. To be with God and have a new and better body. I hope no one is offended by my religious beliefs. They sustain me as I get encouragement from reading the Psalms and seeing what they struggled with and God saw them through all their problems. May be not the way they wanted because God deals with us individually in the manner we live our lives.

Glad you're hooking up with Mayo in Jacksonville, @nbens. You can get that appointment through determination and pleas for help, and I'm confident you'll be glad you did. I wonder whether you can follow up on the neurological link by asking for a referral to a neurologist with a reputation for Vegas Nerve diagnoses. That will surely come up at Mayo if you ask about it. Let us know if you need help getting your appointment.

I've started having unexplained weight loss since May 2023. I eat every 2 hours almost 18 hours a day since I have insomnia. But I don't gain weight. I don't each junk food because of all the bad stuff in them and nothing with high fructose in it. But the most that happens is I get constipation or diarrhea. I'm drinking unflavored organic coconut milk. And that is better for my GI tract than the lactose free milk I was drinking. But it's still hard to deal with how I look now. I don't feel attractive anymore, my husband is sweet and says I look fine. But when I look in the mirror I have to remind myself to say" I love how I look" why? Because I believe that God knows what is happening to me and he doesn't want me to be discouraged. That he will always be with me no matter what I'm facing. My body is just a temporary thing. Eternity is what I'm looking for. To be with God and have a new and better body. I hope no one is offended by my religious beliefs. They sustain me as I get encouragement from reading the Psalms and seeing what they struggled with and God saw them through all their problems. May be not the way they wanted because God deals with us individually in the manner we live our lives.

I eat raisin bread to help keep me regular and well as drinking non sweet organic coconut milk but I still can't gain weight. So my endocrinologist is going to be testing my adrenaline glands to see if that is the problem. The last time I saw her last week she spent an hour with me talking about all the issues I'm having and she recommended starting a pea powder protein shake but from researching it they taste awful. So I need to do more research to see if I can find one that is unsweetened and tasteless as well. I hope that it's even available. It seems as if God is the only one who can heal me. He created me so he knows how to heal me too.

My gadtroenterologist has done a EDG and a colonoscopy. But not the gas test. I don't even knows where it can be performed because he hasn't suggested it. Instead he is sending me a the Mayo clinic for testing to see if there are issues with my liver that are causing the problems. He thinks I only have a mild case of IBD. So there's not much I can do unless the Mayo clinic decides to do testing in this area as well. I'm scheduled for 1 day of testing. But things can change or we may need to go back at a later date. My insurance co-pay are high when it comes to testing. Blood work doesn't cost us anything. I'll talk to my GI doctor about the breathing test to see if he can get authorization for it and can find someone who does this. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've started having unexplained weight loss since May 2023. I eat every 2 hours almost 18 hours a day since I have insomnia. But I don't gain weight. I don't each junk food because of all the bad stuff in them and nothing with high fructose in it. But the most that happens is I get constipation or diarrhea. I'm drinking unflavored organic coconut milk. And that is better for my GI tract than the lactose free milk I was drinking. But it's still hard to deal with how I look now. I don't feel attractive anymore, my husband is sweet and says I look fine. But when I look in the mirror I have to remind myself to say" I love how I look" why? Because I believe that God knows what is happening to me and he doesn't want me to be discouraged. That he will always be with me no matter what I'm facing. My body is just a temporary thing. Eternity is what I'm looking for. To be with God and have a new and better body. I hope no one is offended by my religious beliefs. They sustain me as I get encouragement from reading the Psalms and seeing what they struggled with and God saw them through all their problems. May be not the way they wanted because God deals with us individually in the manner we live our lives.