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Gastroparesis (slow emptying of the stomach) could some of us have it???

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 12/28/2010 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
 With so many stomach conditions with similar symptoms is really hard to figure out what we have.

Gastroparesis " is a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. Normally, the stomach contracts to move food down into the small intestine for digestion. The vagus nerve controls the movement of food from the stomach through the digestive tract."

Symptoms:

  • heartburn
  • pain in the upper abdomen
  • nausea
  • vomiting of undigested food—sometimes several hours after a meal
  • early feeling of fullness after only a few bites of food
  • weight loss due to poor absorption of nutrients or low calorie intake
  • abdominal bloating
  • high and low blood glucose levels
  • lack of appetite
  • gastroesophageal reflux
  • spasms in the stomach area

Might be the reason why it hard for doctors to diagnose some of us.

Posted 12/28/2010 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
You can have a stomach emptying test to confirm it. To make sure my reflux was not gastroparesis my doctor had me do this test. It was the easiest test I ever had. I ate some radioactive soup and stood in front of a special camera every 15 minutes for about an hour. I was told my stomach emptied fine.
Posted 12/28/2010 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
I have acid reflux and ibs-c

So that would be a great test for me to do!! Oh wow that is really easy. I had an upper endoscopy and was not pleasant at all =/

Thank you!
Posted 12/28/2010 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
I wondered whether I have it. Although I do not vomit, the nausea can be REALLY intense sometimes. :( I've just had a bad few days after Christmas after having too much sugar, it made my digestion go crazy again. Wow, this illness can be so frustrating!

I asked my gastro about having the gastric emptying scan, he just said that the test isn't that reliable anyway and they treat stomach problems with a lot of the same medications anyway, so my doctor didn't agree to do it.

Right now, I am trying to get my symptoms under control by diet. It can be REALLY hard and restrictive sometimes though. Right now, it's no wheat, not too much sugar, no caffiene, and if I'm having a bad spell of GERD/heartburn, it's limiting acidic stuff as well.

I was tried on domperidon which can be used for gastroparesis but it didn't really do anything for me. I have also heard of Reglan, but that the side effects are horrible! :S So I'm pretty reluctant to give that a try, not sure if it is worth it. Especially if domperidone didn't do anything.

Post Edited (judy02) : 12/28/2010 12:15:10 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/28/2010 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Reglan is terrible! My GI put me on it for four months and my hands and arms wouldn't stop shaking. After I stopped myself from taking it I'm left with rubbing my teeth and chewing my lips. Never again!
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