Gastric Emptying Study...did not go as planned

Hi all, I had my gastric emptying study today. I have colonic inertia and the GES and small bowel follow through are the last 2 tests I have before I meet with a surgeon to discuss options. However, I was of course planning on the fact that the last 2 tests would come back normal. My motility doctor did tell me not to worry too much about them because even if there was slowness in the stomach or small bowel that would not totally rule out any surgical options. But is this really true? I believed her until I had my emptying study today.

I ate an egg (ONE EGG!) and drank like a 1/2 cup of water. I had scans every 10 minutes, then every 15 minutes, and then every 30 minutes for 2 hours. Then they said after 2 hours if 90% was empty, I could go. Long story short...4 hours later I was still there and I guess they basically end the test at 4 hours. I don't know how much was still left in the stomach, they didn't tell me percentages, they just kept saying "nope, come back in ___ minutes for another scan..." I know the food was moving, because it did empty, just not all the way or fast enough I guess. But they did show where it went into the small intestine, so I know it was moving not just completely sitting there. This puzzles me because I have not had many of the gastroparesis symptoms, only in the past couple of weeks because I have been under a lot of stress, so I didn't think I had much of an issue with the stomach. I suppose some slowness is normal but was very thrown off by all of this.

Will these issues totally ruin my chances of having something done for me? I am just so sick of feeling awful ALL of the time and watching other people eat real food and enjoy their lives. I just want to be able to eat and go to the bathroom...I don't think that is too much to ask!!!!!!

Mary, I know how you feel. I was going to go by myself today for my test, it is about a 3 hr drive away and then as you know, took 4 hours there, and then I had to drive home. My grandmother offered to go with me today and I am very glad she did. I thought I would do better by myself but had she not been there I surely would have had a meltdown. Each time I had to get another picture taken I got more and more frustrated, I just wanted to punch myself in the stomach and say "why aren't you working today?!" I had to keep myself together for my grandma's sake and I think that helped keep me from freaking out and gave me time to absorb it. It was like I was waiting and didn't know what would happen...and then the worst thing happened...but then it was over and there is nothing I can do about it. I don't know what's worse: having a test done and waiting on the results, or having a test done and WATCHING the results become something you do not want. That is pretty torturous!
So I am resisting the urge to google everything I can about slow stomachs, and just wait until I actually hear from the doctor's own mouth what the deal is. I often wonder if the slow colon is just slowing everything else down as well.

I will be thinking of you this week! My small bowel test is next week, and then the following week on Wednesday I meet with the surgeon. I just have to keep thinking...that if we keep pushing and asking for something to be done, they will help us. They can't have us get this deep in all of these tests and then just say, "sorry just live with it!" So keep pushing and trust that you are doing all you can, and that is already a huge step. At least we have the bulk of the tests behind us! I know by the end of my appointment today I was just ready to LEAVE! It was so boring and stressful.

I know exactly how you feel about having everything riding on a test - I have felt like that with every single test and it is mentally exhausting, and difficult for people to understand when they have not been in the same position.

Hang in there, I'll send a prayer your way Thursday!

Alibee please don't google.lol You should try getting the report from the hospital, at least then you would know how much was left! I will be thinking of you too. We just keep having hurdle after hurdle but who knows,hopefully we will be surgery buddies!!!!

Janie-Did you also have a small bowel follow through?

Yes, I did have the small bowel follow through....it was normal, but started out slow. The tech told me to start thinking about my favorite food, and I guess when I did, it started things moving through! However, my surgeon said he feels my small intestine is slow based on my issues after surgery.

Janie

Alibee wanted to give you an update. Even with my non-functioning Colon and my delay in Gastric Emptying, my small bowel came back fine at just 30 minutes. I don't know if that will be bad for me or not but I do expect you will have to have this test so keep faith!

Hello. Well it can last as long as a GES I was told. I think the biggest difference is that it is liquid so it moves a lot quicker. I think my UGI took about 10 minutes and then the SBFT took 30 minutes. I had to drink a real thick barium liquid right after I swallowed these crystals. Then after the UGI, I drank another thinner but huge cup at the start of the SBFT. I was supposed to have x-rays every 15 minutes but they were late and I ended up getting a total of one x-ray at the 30 minute time period. Then I had the flouroscopy by the radiologists. I called the surgeon's office and he is out until Monday:( so I am going to try to get my report from the hospital if it is ready.