Gastroparesis - Does anyone here have this?

I'm 19 months off Ativan, and in the past two months have developed severe nausea and trouble eating.  I've lost twenty pounds in this time, and am a slim person to begin with.  I've had an endoscopy checking for gastritis which was clean, and blood and stool samples show no h pylori.  I'm having an abdominal ultrasound on Monday to be sure my gall bladder and pancreas are okay, and if they are, the next step is the gastric emptying test for gastroparesis.  This is what my doctor suspects I have, and I definitely fit in terms of the symptoms.

If anyone has this, can you share how you've coped?  Is it possible to get to a place of improvement?  The benzo withdrawal is hell in itself; this is making it tons harder, as I'm mostly bed bound by the discomfort.  Would appreciate any encouragement you can offer.

Hi there, how are you feeling?  Did you get any answers?  I have the same symptoms as you; endoscopy last week came back normal too.. Would love to hear what you are doing that's helping!  Thanks!

Hi hopeful, I had all those test and more. They couldn’t find anything wrong. I lost over 70 pounds and couldn’t eat any solid foods. I have just recently started eating eggs but most solid foods I can’t eat, however I am getting better. I believe mine is all Benzo related. I hope you can get this figured out and I am sorry you are going through this.

 

Love, Jackie  :smitten:

Does anyone have an update on this?  I think I have the same symptoms.

 

I had all the tests you mentioned and after the diagnosis was confirmed the only thing the GI doctor could offer me was a drug called Reglan.  My GP told me not to take it as the side effects were not worth it. One side effect is Tardive Diskenesia which is a tic or involuntary movement that does not reverse if you stop the medicine. He told me that the original treatment for it was discontinued.  I asked what was the resolution? And he told me to change my diet.  Whatever aggrivated it, stop eating.  It was trial and error, as my symptoms were varied.  I had nausea, intermittent constipation and diahrrea, bloating and belly pain, and extreme weight loss.  I lived on bananas and potatoes for about a year and a half.  I then got so sick I was hospitalized for malnutrition.  Finally, they did surgery and took out a foot and a half of my colon that had developed a lot of scar tissue and inflammation due to all the trauma to it.  My first real meal came about a month later and I thought I was in heaven eating a meal I could actually chew.  It took awhile, but I have gained back all the weight I lost.  I do not get nausea, but I still have trouble with the other occasionally.  There are foods that I just cannot eat.  And there are foods that I can eat one time and the next time I have trouble.  I hope my story has helped.  And don't forget some medications slow down your gut, so keep that in mind. 

Thank you so much for the information.  I am living on Gas-X and peppermint tea and occasional Senekot.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not.  I have found that I can eat cottage cheese and pears.  Scrambled eggs, but I have to eat fast or I gag.

 

I do have neuropathy according to a Neurologist and testing.  Will post if any changes.

It's no surprise that testing usually comes up negative.

 

A lot of it has to do with the unobtrusive nature of BWS, as it escapes even the most finely tuned and meticulous of diagnostic medical equipment. For the most part, we lack the highly calibrated and discerning neuro-imaging tools to detect the problems and disorders caused by this iatrogenic illness.

 

I've talked to a countless amount of people here and elsewhere that have done EEGs, fMRIs, PET scans, etc. with no results or findings to speak of. It may be frustrating, but consider it a blessing.

 

It's funny how we almost want there to be something wrong, in terms of a positive test, just for peace of mind and reassurance we're not crazy.

 

As for the GI distress, the delayed gastric emptying and reduced motility you're experiencing will be restored as GI neurology is healed and restored.

 

-Ginger tea is a natural carminative

-avoid eating late in the day

-increase fiber intake

-exercise or move as tolerated

 

Drugs like Reglan and Phenergan work within the serotonin and acetylcholine systems (among others), specifically those within the GI tract to stimulate movement. I'd stay away from these since they share med profiles similar to anti-psychotics and have many potentially disastrous side effects.

I had gastroparesis severely 4 weeks after ct and developed reflux from it.  I ate soups yoghurt jelly steamed fish sweet potato courgettes.  The stomach expels liquid easier.  I was put on losec (omeprazole) daily (get off this quickly or it will be another taper) for the reflux and Domperidone which was an absolute Godsend when my BP rocketed and my intestine was painful from motility.  I used the Domperidone sparingly but one week after using it for days in a row I got vertigo;  I haven’t used it since and after a year, when my bowels started behaving I very slowly tapered off the omeprazole.  My intestine acted up again and while I done take medication now, I do use psyllium husk sometimes and Senna tea once a week or fortnight.  I have classic IBS, and I think I have SIBO from being on omeprazole too long... still working on that.  I eat smaller meals and drink lots of fluids as I did for the gastroparesis.  Hope something there helps!  I’m 19 months out and still having gut problems but I do get a few good days a week at least!!

I had gastroparesis severely 4 weeks after ct and developed reflux from it.  I ate soups yoghurt jelly steamed fish sweet potato courgettes.  The stomach expels liquid easier.  I was put on losec (omeprazole) daily (get off this quickly or it will be another taper) for the reflux and Domperidone which was an absolute Godsend when my BP rocketed and my intestine was painful from motility.  I used the Domperidone sparingly but one week after using it for days in a row I got vertigo;  I havent used it since and after a year, when my bowels started behaving I very slowly tapered off the omeprazole.  My intestine acted up again and while I done take medication now, I do use psyllium husk sometimes and Senna tea once a week or fortnight.  I have classic IBS, and I think I have SIBO from being on omeprazole too long... still working on that.  I eat smaller meals and drink lots of fluids as I did for the gastroparesis.  Hope something there helps!  Im 19 months out and still having gut problems but I do get a few good days a week at least!!

 

Thanks so much for the info - worth a try.

Have you had your thyroid levels tested? Our hormones are all over the place and I’m in low dose thyroid medication from years ago but when you say you gag, it could possibly be a hypothyroid issue that could be sorted short term until you figure whether it’s a passing sx or not.  If you’re hypothyroid, not only do you have slow motility and constipation but your thyroid and thyroid tissue swells a little too which causes gag symptoms.

I had a thyroid test about a year ago.  Things were fine.  Thank you for mentioning it, I may test again next time I go in.