Topic: gastroparesis? Even after normal gastric emptying study?
Nal
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posted
I know that gastroparesis can be common with Lyme. I had an emptying study done which was normal. However, my GI dr mentioned it again the other day as a possibility.
That would kinda make sense if the GB is slow too wouldn't it? Can you have gastroparesis and still have a normal gastric emptying study?
Is burning pain one of the symptoms?
Nancy
-------------------- Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you respond to it!
-Chuck Swindoll Posts: 1594 | From Colorado | Registered: Jan 2005
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Truthfinder
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Nancy, I'm really sorry about what you are going through with your GI issues.
Was that ``emptying study'' you had done the one they call the ``Sitzmark'' test where you drink the little capsule of metal ``o-rings'', and then they take x-rays every day? Just curious about what you had done.
I'm sorry but I can't answer the question you posted.
I've tried to do some searching on your main symptom of burning pain combined with gall bladder issues, and here's what I've come up with. Has your doc every mentioned ``biliary dyskinesia'' or ``Sphincter of Oddi (bile duct spasms)''?
Here's an article about it. It just happens to be the first one I found, so I'm sure there are better ones. Do these sound like your symptoms? (And please ignore the stuff about this happening to people who have had their gall bladders removed because it happens when you still have your gall bladder, too.) http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/oddi.html
I have probably missed some of your posts so hope this isn't something you've already talked about.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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arg82
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Hi Nancy,
Sorry you're dealing with GI problems. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis about two months ago after more than 4 months of not being able to eat more than babyfood, popsicles, saltines, and broth. I had been having GP symptoms for a few years but it would come and go in intensity and before January I was pretty much able to keep my weight stable.
My first GES (gastric emptying scan) was reported as normal. It was a 90 minute scan and they only had me eat a few bites of an egg salad sandwich with the tracer in it. By the end of the 90 minute scan I had emptied just under 50% of the tracer and they reported that as normal but this was done at a hospital that didn't know a whole lot about GP.
Then I found a very good GI doctor in Boston (yes, not a great place for Lyme doctors but good for a lot of other things) and he had me repeat the GES but do a 3 hour test. That one showed up with similar results but instead of reporting as just 50% emptied in 90 minutes, it reported that I still had food left in my stomach after 3 hours (something like 10% still left) and the report said "severely delayed gastric emptying taking more than three hours to empty".
It is definitely possible to have a normal scan but still have GP because your stomach is changeable from day to day - if you have the scan done on a "good" day it would show up as much more normal than if you had it on a "bad" day. Also, it can make a difference whether the scan was done with you there until you had emptied 50% or if you were there for longer because sometimes the first half will empty okay but then the rest just sits there.
What are your symptoms? How long has it been going on? A lot of people with GP have had gallbladder problems but I don't know what the connection there is. I belong to a good Yahoo group for people with GP. You can find it here.
I hope that helps you and you can figure this out!
Nal
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posted
Thanks you two. I havent had a chance to read the article yet but I will once the two year old is down for a nap.
My symptoms include: really bad burning pain in stomach and intestinal area, severe bloating and cramping and I do feel like I get full really easily, lots of gas, pain on right side, nauesea.
Its horrible!! Sometimes if I just push on my tummy, I hear the air and such in there and it will move around and stuff.
Nancy
-------------------- Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you respond to it!
-Chuck Swindoll Posts: 1594 | From Colorado | Registered: Jan 2005
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Truthfinder
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These are the symptoms mentioned in that article:
"Burning pain in the epigastric (upper stomach) area radiates around to the back or under right shoulder blade. It often begins about a half hour after eating and can last for several hours. There can also be cramping under the shoulder blade or back and the stool (bowel movement) can be light tan if the normal amount of bile is not going into the intestine."
It didn't mention bloating and cramping, but I suspect there are other articles out there that might mention this.
Nancy, I have it in my head that you had a bunch of trouble with your right shoulder area? I thought there might be a connection.
Frankly, I think I need one of those "emptying" studies myself. I just feel like stuff isn't moving along out of my stomach. Thanks for the tips about those studies, Annie.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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breathwork
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Have you considered Celiac Disease, or been tested for it by a GI doctor who is actually familiar with it?
I ask as I and both of my children have it and have had all the symptoms you mentioned and more. Going on the celiac diet changes almost all of it for the better.
Interestingly, I asked Dr. S in CA if many of his patients have celiac and he said yes. I am working with a new GI doc who was trained in the UK, where awareness of celiac is much more prevalent.
I plan to speak to him about the occurrence of both in so many chronic lyme patients. If he gets interested, that would be lovely!
I hope you fins some answers soon. If Celiac is one, then don't panic about the diet. It really isn't as bad as it seems and there are many substitutes for the gluten containing foods that we love that aren't a compromise..
Carol Ann
Posts: 1062 | From CA USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Is gastroparesis when your stomach doesn't empty normally?
I had an emptying scan that was normal, but when I went to the ER a few weeks ago with severe pain and vomiting, they said that my abdominal ultrasound showed a distended, fluid-filled stomach.
They asked me if the ER had given me stuff to eat or drink because there was stuff still in there. In fact, I hadn't eaten in over NINE HOURS!
Nancy, I have EXACTLY the same symptoms as you. Constant burning and pain in my right upper quadrant (it is there 24/7), pain in my right middle back, tons of bloating and gas, etc.
I have been told I have biliary colic and perhaps a sphincter of odi dysfunction. They did an MRCP on me which showed "abnormally layering bile" whatever that means.
Basically, I have some sort of functional problem that cannot easily be diagnosed. I do not know if I even have GERD as originally thought.
PM me if you have any questions. We are symptom twins for sure.
Posts: 331 | From virginia | Registered: Nov 2005
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Yes, gastroparesis is when the stomach empties too slowly. Common in long-term diabetics because of nerve damage.
Annie,
Thanks for the explanation regarding the stomach emptying tests. Hubby had one done back in 1999 with radioactive scrambled eggs. This was before Lyme disease when he had his mercury toxicity problem. His emptying time was 51% I think after 90 minutes and he was taking Doxepin at the time which would slow down the transit time. Had never really thought about the fact that the transit time could be slower after the first 90 minutes.
Since Lyme disease he has had infrequent episodes of vomiting during the middle of the night 4 or 5 hours after he has eaten -- would wake him from a sound sleep. The nervous system can really do some crazy things sometimes.
Hubby has had several chiropractors mention from time to time that his illeocecal valve was stuck either open or closed. That is the sphincter muscle between the stomach and intestines I think. I think in his case this is more likely part of his G.I. problems than actual gastroparesis.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Truthfinder
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Bea,
I have a friend who has trouble with her ileocecal valve sticking open.
I don't know if you are interested, but I found a book called "Gut Feeling: Creating a Healthy Balance in the Ileocecal Valve" by Gary Richer.
I can't remember where I saw it listed but I'm sure Amazon has it. Seems like it was a short book and very reasonable.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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Truthfinder
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Have any of you ever been given a prescription for metoclopromide (generic Reglan)?
Did it help?
This is a drug I still have to use occasionally. For me, it "hastens the stomach emptying of solid and liquid meals into the intestines".
This is an older drug that used to be prescribed for esophagitis and GERD. It is also used to relieve nausea and vomiting; heartburn, stomach pain, and bloating; and a persistent feeling of fullness after meals.
You can read some about it here. It may even be available over the counter now, I'm not sure. My little tablets are 5 mg.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
I used it briefly with no relief. I may try it again though. I am just afraid of taking too many drugs!! ugh.
Posts: 331 | From virginia | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I would DEFINITELY try the gluten free diet. YOu have to examine every single label before eating anything.
But the rewards are amazing!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Nal
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6801
posted
ive been on the gluten free diet for a week now. So far, nothing.
Nancy
-------------------- Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you respond to it!
-Chuck Swindoll Posts: 1594 | From Colorado | Registered: Jan 2005
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arg82
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 161
posted
I was on Reglan for a few weeks but the side effects (first just fatigue and then fatigue and jitteryness/restlessness - a horrible combination) got too severe and I had to stop.
Now I'm on Domperidone which is like Reglan but with less side effects. Unfortunately it's not FDA approved in the US so you can't get it like a normal medication and most people get it from Canada or overseas. I get it from a compounding pharmacy here in MA, though, and have to pay out of pocket for it, but it's not very expensive so it's not awful that it's not covered by insurance.
The domperidone seems to be helping me quite a bit and I'm able to eat somewhat normally, although I still have to be very careful about fat and fiber and some foods just don't sit well no matter what I do.
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