GASTROPARESIS – SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, RISKS, COMPLICATIONS, DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT

The condition of Gastroparesis is related to the most important organs in the digestive system of human body: The stomach, which is a muscular sac about the size of melon and expands when we eat or drink, to hold the food or liquid as much of a gallon. Once the stomach crushes out the food then the spontaneous strong muscular contractions pushes the food toward the pyloric valve leading to the upper portion of the small intestine, called duodenum. When these spontaneous movements of muscles (motility) do not function properly or their muscular contractions become weak then it leads to a condition called Gastroparesis. In this condition, your stomach’s motility starts working poorly or not at all which prevents the stomach to empty properly thus, interfering the normal process of digestion. There is no known cure for Gastroparesis but dietary changes and certain medications can help manage the symptoms and offer relief from them.

Here’s what you need to know about the symptoms, causes, risk factors, complications, diagnosis and treatment for Gastroparesis.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GASTROPARESIS?

By Paul Richard Posted April 12, 2017 In Gastroparesis

How I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis

There are few illnesses I suffer from but right now I'm going to talk about Gastroparesis (GP) and how I deal with it. You can pretty much google the word and BAM!!! a ray of stuff pops up. I will leave that part up to you to do...HINT: do some research and tell me what you find :-)

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, gastroparesis "also called delayed gastric emptying, is a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine. Normally, the muscles of the stomach, which are controlled by the vagus nerve, contract to break up food and move it through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroparesis can occur when the vagus nerve is damaged by illness or injury and the stomach muscles stop working normally. Food then moves slowly from the stomach to the small intestine or stops moving altogether. Most people diagnosed with gastroparesis have idiopathic gastroparesis, which means a health care provider cannot identify the cause, even with medical tests." In other words, my stomach is paralyzed and don't know why. Makes me wonder why they make wording so complicated and things so long sometimes.

About four years ago, I had collapsed from the abdominal pain I was having. I was having cramps but I was dealing with the pain as best as I can. I had told my doctors about it. I had upper and lower GI exam (if you know what I mean) done; but nothing was found. I started to drop weight but nothing as bad the last two years. But the cramps got worse and the doctors said nothing was wrong so I figured it had to be all in my head and began to brush it off. I would feel cramps and get an under fever and i'd just ignore it. Something is wrong with the thermometer. Over time it was getting worse when came that night I collapsed.


Posted by Smiley Bean Re-Blog By GI Endoscopy Practice

Forever A Liver

Lindsey Miller, the liver who shared her smile and thoughts with all of you, passed away on May 21, 2014.

She loved this blog and was touched by the kindness of her followers. She gave the world 124 posts and countless articles in other publications. The family appreciates the outpouring of love Lindsey got from this blog for the last 3 years and we will cherish that love forever.

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Liver Doctor

GERD Friendly Meals

One of the most GERD-friendly meals I eat is grits, greens and beans or some other protein side -- not so much a "recipe" as another "composition" of foods. Quaker Old Fashioned grits provide some protein (4g) and nutrients (20% of your folic acid!) and being corn-based, are a lovely change from pasta, rice, and other grains. (Polenta, another corn-based dish, is similar to grits, but different.) For my GERD-prone gut, the mushy texture is welcome; as I noted in another post, my GERD tends to be calmer when I am eating soft foods like polenta, soups, and such. Grits are especially easy for me to digest and I never have reflux issues after eating them.


However, once again, how your body processes and responds to grits may be different from mine. I was surprised to find this Livestrong article about acidic foods and GERD listing "hominy grits" as a trigger food along with tomatoes, green beans, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and other acidic food suspects. (I rarely have issues with tomatoes or any of these foods. Hmmm.)


Meanwhile, the Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa offers this "Bland Diet GERD" one-sheet guide, sourced from the American Dietetic Association and Simplified Diet Manuel. The "bland diet" includes grits as a recommended grain.

Recipe: Grits and Greens

Permanent Affects of Chemo Therapy

Pain in the XXXX

One of the permanent affects of the Chemo Therapy is neuropathy of the extremities. In the past I have described it as a "fuzzy" feeling in my finger tips. I have also been noticing it slightly in the bottom of my feet. The fuzzy feeling is affecting my fine motor skills that require manual dexterity. I notice my printing is now looking like my handwriting. For those of you unfamiliar with my writing, I have printed ever since they stopped giving me a grade in handwriting. I barely squeaked out Cs throughout grade school. My printing has become somewhat distinct as it has evolved into a certain style. It's current legibility is comparable to my 4 year old grandson's writing.

It has not detrimentally affected any other manual function. Typing on the keyboard is a little strange. The tactile feel is not quite there, and I have trouble using a track pad. This will be a permanent result of chemo and one Dr. has recommended vitamin B12 as a possible aide in lessening the affect. Time will also diminish the neuropathy, but to what extent is unknown.

Overall it is a small price to pay. It is also a constant reminder of the cancer and it's possible comeback. I'm currently reading a book by Phillip Yancy, Where is God When it Hurts. The first section is on the value of pain, and how it is a warning system. It also goes into how pain enhances pleasure. Interesting concepts.

Posted by Wada View

Fatigue or Tiredness - GI Endoscopy Practice

Do you feel like you are tired all the time? Are you having difficulty staying awake to watch your favorite TV shows or to do your favorite hobby? Most of us really know how it feels to be tired or sleepy, especially when we are having flu, cold or any other viral infection. Nearly, every one of us is overtired from time to time. But when you start experiencing constant lack of energy and on-going tiredness or fatigue, it may be the time to think about your condition and the best time to check with the doctor.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue is the condition of a lingering tiredness that is constant and limiting. When you’re having fatigue, you may have persistent, unexplained and relapsing exhaustion. The feeling of fatigue is similar to that which you feel when having flu or missed a lot of sleep. In case of a chronic fatigue, you may wake up in the morning feeling as you haven’t slept or you may be unable to perform properly at work or you may feel too exhausted to manage your routine activities. In most cases, there is a reason for fatigue.

What are the causes of Fatigue?

Most of the time, one or more of your habits is associated with fatigue especially lack of exercise. Usually, fatigue is a symptom of any other medical condition or problem or disease that requires medical treatment.

Here’s a brief overview of some important causes of fatigue:

Lifestyle factors:

Taking an honest record of those things in your daily life that are causing you fatigue is the first step to get relief from the problem. Some of these common factors include:

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Pediatric Gastroenterology Blog

About Jay Hochman -Pediatric Gastroenterology Blog

I am a pediatric gastroenterologist at GI Care for Kids (previously called CCDHC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The goal of my blog is to share some of my reading in my field more broadly. In addition, I wanted to provide my voice to a wide range of topics that often have inaccurate or incomplete information.

Why I blog | gutsandgrowth

Before starting this blog, I would tear out articles from journals and/or keep notes in a palm pilot. This blog helps provide an updated source of information that is easy to access and search, along with links to useful multimedia sources.

I was born and raised in Chattanooga. After graduating from the University of Virginia, I attended Baylor College of Medicine. I completed residency and fellowship training at the University of Cincinnati at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center. I received funding from the National Institutes of Health for molecular biology research of the gastrointestinal tract. I have authored numerous publications/presentations including original research, case reports, review articles, and textbook chapters on various pediatric gastrointestinal problems.

Currently, I am the section chief for pediatric gastroenterology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and head of the section of nutrition for the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition, I am an adjunct Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Other society memberships have included the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Food Allergy Network, the American Gastroenterology Association, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.