Curious, Does Anybody Eat Normally?

[imre]

I have a lot of difficulty eating large meals. I think tied for lightheadedness and tachycardia my worst symptom is my GI bloating. I have realized that it's my acid reflux and slow stomach motility that wakes me at night with terrible tachycardia and nausea. I sleep with an elevated pillow which tilts me up to reduce this a little bit but still doesn't fully help.

Anyway, with the holidays coming up and large meals on the horizon I am wondering has anybody had problems like Gastroparesis that they have been able to fix. Or has anybody else had a similar experience and have it resolve over time?

Also, helpful tips for people suffering the same problems are welcome!

[Guest ANCY]

I can certainly sympathize with you, I have not ate "normally" in the last 4 years. My motility isues are variable, so currently have a J tube but have also had a point where motility improved enough for me to eat again at which point they pulled the previous tube... lasted about 11 months.

I have tried the usual motility drugs with no effect so my Dr moved on to Domperidone which I have to order from Canada. Domperidone has been a game changer for me, helps with the motility and the nausea. I have slowly begun eating again but i can only tolerate about 200 calories. Still have to deal with the autonomic effects of eating though, which at times is pretty severe with heart rate and blood pooling in the abdomen. Abdominal compression garment have helped with that in the past. One of my Drs also had me give Mestinon a try but it's usefulness fizzled out after a couple months and I had some bad side effects. Hoping to have a second round of IVIG soon which did improve all my symptoms including the Gastroperisis.

Having the head of the bed elevated I find to be very important, for me it has to be over 35° to recognize any benefit. My GI Dr has me keep it that way for the j tube but I have found it effective in helping with both nausea and GERD. I have a hospital bed so don't know if that kin of elevation is possible for you. For the GERD I also find that not laying down for at least an hour after eating is usually helpful. When I get bloated I will try drinking peppermint tea, helps some of the time... my dad also finds it helpful for his gastroperisis and GERD.

Hopen you are still able to enjoy your Thanksgiving!God Bless.

[imre]

Thanks Ancy. Yeah, the gastroparesis is a pain. I've herd of people getting botox injections to keep the little opening between the stomach and intestine open. Not quite sure how exactly works or if that is the function.

So, was wondering if you had heard anything about this. Also, does the domperideone relieve bloating. Basically, I eat like a few bites get bloated and then nauseous. Does domperidone help with that?

As for my bed, Yeah I find that elevating more helps. I usually stuff a bunch of pillows underneath myself or under my mattress, which is a foam ikea mattress so tilts up pretty easily. Thanks for your comment I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving as well.

[Guest ANCY]

I have heard of using botox however am not to familiar, I'll have to do some research. Sounds interesting though.

Its about the same for me with bloating after a couple bites followed by increased nausea and sometimes vommiting. I've always associated the severity with how slow everything is moving. For me the domperidone does help the bloating because things move a little faster and not as much gas is able to build up. I seem to have less belching when i take the domperidone. I also use simethicone as well as various forms of peppermint to help with the built up air, can help with the nausea too.

The other part of it with the blood pooling the only thing I've found helpful is a girdle or other compression garment that helps prevent as much pooling.

Hope that helps.

[Katybug]

I have found that it's not so much how much I eat but the position I'm in when I eat. At home, I eat on a tray sitting on my couch with my feet up. I can eat as much as I want. But, when I have dinner at my mom's, at the kitchen table with my feet down and very upright chairs, I probably can only eat 50-60% of the volume I do at home, and, even then I end up becoming dizzy and nauseated and have to excuse myself to go lay down. My Mom knows it's going to happen before I feel it because apparently the color noticeably drains from my face and I get quiet and glassy eyed. She always tells me to go lay down, I say I'm fine, and 2 minutes later I'm struggling to get to the couch without blacking out.

[navyblue]

I eat normally. Probiotic is really helpful, more good gut bacteria will do some of the work of digesting for you . I drink a lot of Kefir. Helps.

[bigtrouble]

Eating causes heart pounding in my case. Along with my PVCs (that started up in october), it feels terrible.

However, at least the pounding lasts 30 min only.

[Debbie Rose]

Same here Big Trouble..I eat just a bit too much and I tach with a pounding for about 30 min's...I usually eat 4 smallish meals and I am fine...Also eating too close to bed has me taching in bed. Not nice...I have not yet been tested for GI motility-difficult to find docs who know about dysautonomiaDebbie