Gastroparesis

[Sam4877]

I have been having constant feeling of fullness in my stomach since the past 8 years, whenever I eat a meal it feels like the food sits in the stomach the whole day and I don't ever feel hungry for Breakfast, lunch or dinner. I get constant burping after every meal even from just drinking water. Does anyone else have the same symptoms as me and know what can help? My Gastroenterologist has referred me for a Upper GI Endoscopy, however he believes this is not Gastroparesis but Gastritis. I don't have any symptoms compatible with Gastritis, I assume he is not very experienced with Gastroparesis.

[Guest KiminOrlando]

Gastroparesis is rare so they will rule out everything more common first. I don't know if insurance makes them because the gastroparesis test is more expensive or what. They did the same with me. I finally was tested for gastroparesis because I told my gastroenterologist that I was throwing up the spaghetti I had for dinner the next morning. Food was also coming up when I bent over. Hang in there. If it turns out that you have it, I hope your doctor will write you a script for Domperidone. It isn't FDA approved so it has to be compounded, but it changed my life. It is widely used overseas and in Canada. If that med ever fails me, my life will change drastically. 

I hope they find your problem quickly.

[TCP]

Cutting out stodgy carbs and eating smaller meals helped me so much. 

[sitcedar]

If you have gastroparesis, it’s important to focus on getting the nutrition that you need while eating small, frequent meals that are low in fat and easy to digest.

[Jason_X]

My GI doctor first did an endoscopy where he was able to rule out other problems (cancer, direct h-pylori culture, etc...) before having me do the gastroparesis test where you eat radioactive eggs. I was hoping for an easily curable ailment, but was diagnosed with stage 1 gastroparesis with the radioactive egg test.

The intensity varies. Some weeks are better than others. Eating multiple small meals helps. Gabapentin definitely makes it worse.

I also have inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) and mild POTS symptoms. My heart doctor said that about a third of his IST patients have gastroparesis.

Acid reflux while sleeping can be a problem, but be careful with PPIs, since chronic use can cause kidney damage. I have reduced kidney function from PPIs, so I don't use them at all anymore.

[Robert J]

I have been struggling with digestive issues for a year and a half. Finally getting some control. One of the best things I have adopted is a grazing diet. This diet simply avoids large meals but instead substitutes eating small amounts throughout the day. Veggies and fruits high in water content are especially helpful because they also provide some hydration. 
 

Also, I discovered I have a food temperature  sensitivity - if I drink or eat foods too hot or too cold It will trigger digestive problems. 
 

The key for me seems to be to avoid ANY over-stimulation of the digestive track. That keeps things running more smoothly generally.

 

One last point is digestion requires lots and lots of blood and fluid. If you’re dried out you don’t have enough to carry out full digestion. I get IV hydration 3-4 times per week. This regular treatment has helped not only with GI issues but with many other symptoms as well.

It took several years to work this out but it can be managed.

Robert

[Delta]

Hi, @Sam4877,

I am sorry you are dealing with gastroparesis and GI symptoms - it is pretty awful. I had the burping almost from Day One when it became very obvious that something was wrong (palpitations, lightheadedness, etc.) Because I had heard that some people experience indigestion as a heart attack symptom, and burping is part of indigestion, and I was having palpitations and tachycardia . . . you can see where I was going. Then came the full-on gastroparesis. As others on here have said, it's important to get your nutrition. I ate the small jars of baby food cus that way I could get stuff like meat and veggies, even if the portions were teeny tiny and mooshy.  I ate canned (Pro gresso Home Style) chicken soup when I could - for some reason, I was craving chicken soup in the four months of craziness leading up to my diagnosis.  I drank broth and stuff like Ensure and Carnation Breakfast drink. As much strawberry shake as I could handle. I had two separate episodes where I lost ten pounds in two weeks. By the time I got to the gastro, the neuro I had been referred to by another specialist had scheduled me for the tilt table test, as he strongly suspected I had POTS. The gastro diagnosed me with gastroparesis based on symptoms and told me to see what the TTT said - he said if it was POTS, the treatment would likely be helpful and if it wasn't, to come back and see him.  So I was ultimately diagnosed with POTS and prescribed a small dose of a beta blocker which, knock wood, has been helpful. I got my ten pounds back, yay, and then ten more for good measure, thank you, strawberry shakes, ha!! Are you diagnosed with POTS or dysautonomia in general, and taking any meds? I hope this gets resolved for you soon.

 

[Pistol]

@Sam4877 - GI problems are a big part of my POTS symptoms. I go back and forth between GERD, diarrhea, food leaving the stomach too fast ( gastric dumping ) and gastroparesis, bloating, constantly feeling full. What has helped me for both scenarios are small, frequent nutritious snacks and avoidance of full meals. I also avoid drinking with eating - it seems to help a lot with not triggering symptoms. I used to have esophagitis and duodenitis from POTS and went through a year of multiple meds to control those. Today I am on a PPI - have been for 10 years and it is helping a lot.