Recently diagnosed with Gastroparesis

I have gastroparesis but mild form, Dr put me on donperidone,and that really helps I was scared to eat when I first got diagnosed, 3 months ago, but now I try different foods, and see how it goes, and most of the time I feel fine, I got something, that helps with nausea, but I have used maybe 3 pills, so diet is key if there's a food that caused trigger don't eat it anymore. Feeding tube is for very severe cases is what my Dr said.

Red meat is a killer for me. Mine is more advanced had it for over 10 years. I was told by my GI doctor and neurologist it is the first step in neuropathy. Red meat takes longer to digest it will sit on my stomach for 24 hours or longer if I don’t end up throwing it up first.

I was diagnosed four yrs ago, but had symptoms much longer than that from a surgery for my hiatal hernia…. portions really matter & for me I eat frequently & small…. I don’t mix meat with other foods…. No fresh veggies or fruits…. If I do they are really cooked or baked…. Chicken, fish, eggs, or ground meats…. I actually can eat small amounts of steak occasionally, but not regularly…..mostly I nibble some of my husband’s….. Biggest help has been walking after eating…..life saver…. Cannot take any meds per RX. except Zofran will settle my stomach & helps if bloating gets uncomfortable….
Something also that helps is I fast most days & only drink coffee or tea for breakfast until about noon or so…. Usually there is plenty of food left in my stomach from day before….. I try not to eat past 6:30 pm, but do have plenty of fluids….. another thing is I don’t drink fluids while eating a meal…. I fill up too fast….. I did a lot of research on line & my own listening to my body…. My gastroenterologist was no help just dismissed me with if you can’t tolerate the meds, then I can’t help you…. From Mayo Clinic I found out that I’m lactose intolerant & that helped, but their dietitian was no help!!!! I knew more than she did through all my research & what I could tolerate from my own eating practices….. write it down & any symptoms that you did or didn’t have…. I know it helped me that I’m a retired RN, but when you’re the patient it gets real…. Remember though you are in control & work what works for you. Walking has been the real help & small portions….. Big Big….Family Support is My Biggest Support…. Good Luck….

@hyrulewarrior - this thread may help you with your upcoming appointment at Mayo

Hi,
The not having fluids while trying to eat is an obvious yet amazing tip - or should be obvious! 😂 I'm always so thirsty and dehydrated that it will take serious willpower, but I know this will help!
Thank you!
Draginfli 🧚‍♀️

I actually drink 24/7 & always have a bottle of water with me even by the bed…. I drink bottled water because I had a stem cell transplant at Mayo Clinic for a rare blood disorder & lived at the time with well water & just got hooked on bottled water…. Mayo Clinic wanted to make sure of no contamination from the personal well water…. The only time I’m not drinking is with meals…. Hope This Helps!

I was diagnosed with Atonic Bowel after I had chronic constipation since I was a toddler. I had taken every laxative and softener OTC by my 30’s and finally went to a gastroenterologist. Sinc 2011 I have been in the hospital so many times I can’t keep track of. I am very glad for my doc. He knew something else was wrong and kept looking. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis in 2014. I need a special diet and I need to take Miralax ( one scoop 2-3 times a day to help me be somewhat regular.Thanks 4Shaylyn God Bless

Yes, in 2020 with severe Gastroparesis. I had many other digestive disorders prior, so medication was not an option as most of it already stopped working for me, and the disease was already severe so my options were all surgical. I have only gotten the gastric stimulator so far but I feel like I will bee needing a feeding tube in the next year or so. This disease really effected my life and is very hard to manage. I can't eat and function or go out in public, so I have to plan my meals around working, errands, etc. I don't have a social life anymore because I'm exhausted from the day to day basics so I rest on days off. And diet doesn't matter for flares in my case. The stimulator helped me stop throwing up, but I still get the debilitating nausea about 50% of the time. My main problem with the stimulator is only having one person in my area that can program it, so I can't see any other GI specialists.

Can I please ask how they finally decided you had it. Thats what we are thinking my issues are. I’m loosing with also and so exhausted going out is also extremely difficult for me also.

The gastric emptying test was done when I demanded a referal to another doctor, so it was a surgeon who finally ordered it. Which is funny because my GI actually gave me the emptying test 6 years prior and knew it was developing but didn't keep up with monitoring it. He didn't even think to order it when my symptoms were literally the exact words as GP symptoms listed that I used to tell my GI. Extreme nausea all the time, throwing up, very bad bloating, abdominal pain and pressure, constant GERD, you basically feel like you have the worst stomach flu you ever had and it never goes away, and major body changes from malnutrition, and of course the constant fatigue. I lost my weight after the diagnosis. When the symptoms were bad before I retained a ton of water. But when I lost it, it went really fast! 30 lbs in 4-5 weeks. And now, I can drop 15 lbs in a week and a half in a bad flare.
So my experience was just getting the right doctor to actually listen to my symptoms and ordering the test.
It's not evasive, so there's no harm in just getting it done. If you don't have GP, they can rule that out and go from there.