GASTROPARESIS??? AUUGH????

Under my THIS IS NOT GOOD TOPIC in which I told of two food blockages last week, I did have them and asked my current ileo surgeon for CT Enterography repeat to rule out narrowings. I busted them up with hot tea and grape juice. Then this week I had a smaller blockage. My ileo surgeon kept saying it is functional nothing to picture.

THEN my PCP ordered the CT scan here at my local hospital and they did not give me enough water to dilate the end of my small bowel so we could not get a picture of the ileum or the stoma to see if it was open.

SOme things are coming together for me since a doc answered a question of mine in the Phoenix Magazine. I was asking about this very heavy feeling over my stoma that gets worse as the day goes on and by night I am really bloated even if no blockage. She said could be gastroparesis. So I started to put things together. I am rarely hungry now, but then suddenly get really weak. Bowel sounds are almost nil. I have to lie on my right side to pass much of anything, and by night I am severely distended. I THINK I have gastroparesis. This has been gradual as remember I had to blast grape juice through myself to move anything. I think this was starting and I did not know it.

I looked up causes and it says prior gut surgery and possible vagus nerve injury in the process. BUT that would not account for me being basically well with the ileo since 2007. OR Gastroparesis can come from a virus. Remember Kyle who had to have a gastric pacemaker? He had that and was miserable. I hope he is doing well with the pacemaker. Anyway, I could not have another surgery.

A GI agreed to see me April 11 at the place I got the ileo but he logically said that the ileo doc needs to rule out narrowings by doing the CT scan there. I am wondering if the water I had to drink at the local hospital did not reach my ileum in time to distend it due to this gut slow down? If this is gastroparesis?

What a mess. Rosemary

Thanks. FInally got the CT scan ordered by my current ileo doc to rule out narrowings at the stomal level. And seeing a GI doc about the Gastroparesis. I did find an article and it said that gastoparesis can be caused by damage to the vagus nerve in a surgery (the ileostomy was needed to save my life due to all the gut scarring of the unneeded sigmoid resection at the other hospital but I just wonder if my slow stomach emtpying if it is that is due to scar tissue on my stomach. NOt a good thing. Don't think there is a cure here. Mini meals, low fat and low fiber. Looked up symptoms and unintended weight gain is one of them which I have. Due to food hanging about in the stomach but one is not able to eat that much, very complex. Rosemary

I don't think my surgeon plans on doing an ileoscopy he said just the CT. Should I ask for an ileoscopy? How do they do it? Rosemary

PS I do feel really awful, no gas passing, bloated, could be either stenosis or GP. WOUld be rather sudden onset of GP though.

This new ileo surgeon's favorite saying is "You know you had functional issues to begin with" Like I never had all this.

I did read that GP is caused by injury of the vagus nerve that occurs in abdominal surgery. BUT my ileo worked just fine for 3+ years. Only in last year has all this started up. The picture is, this doc is not really into me. So would asking HIM for the ileoscopy be a good idea?

I can certainly mention, then a little finger check of the stoma by the ET nurse with greased gloved little finger may be an idea. She did this when I was in the hospital and my ileo was new.

GP can also come from a virus or diabetes (luckily not that yet anyway). This whole thing has gotten to be such a battle with the very place who saved my life. SO wish my original ileo doc had not had to retire. We shall see. Will let you know.

Has anyone else had CT Enterographies to see if stomas are open or do they more have the ileoscopy type of exam? or digital dilation exam? I will post as a topic heading Windy City and see what we get.

Thanks, Rosemary