Gastroparesis-slow stomach emptying

[booklady]

Hello all-
I am wondering if anyone else experiences this sort of thing... I have been having this queasy, pseudo-nauseous feeling since April. It is at times a complete disinterest in food, and other times I feel so full after eating a few bites of something. I have had an endoscopy, a chest x-ray, changes meds,went back on meds and it has been one test after another. The endoscopy showed inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis). I had a CT scan after that to rule out any tumors. That produced nothing concrete other than ovarian cysts that now require me to follow up with the GYN. I have lost 15 pounds since the middle of April when all of this started. My gastroenterologist suggested that this could be MS related.

Gastroparesis effects the vagus nerve which tells the stomach to get to work when we eat. I had a gastric emptying test last week...waiting for the results. I have had so many imaging tests I should be glowing! Has anyone else experienced this without any other medical reason for it. (I am not diabetic, which causes this sort of thing as well) Looking for some input from you- the specialists in MS. (My neuro didn't rule it out as an MS thing...just wanted me to exhaust all other possible causes.) Thanks for your input.

[Jennyfoo]

I have gastroparesis. I was dx a few months ago when I think i was in a flare. It lasted about 3 weeks, plus I had headaches and was extremely exhausted during that time. I'm not diagnosed with MS and the gastroenterologist blamed it on opiate pain meds that I take for my RA-type disease. I didn't buy it, because I'd recently lowered my dose, and an increase had never caused stomach problems( except constipation) before. It slowly got better over a few weeks.

A month or so, after the gastroparesis dx, I started having very distinct, undeniable MS symptoms. I'm still waiting for an MRI, but my pcp, the ER dr that I saw back when I was so dizzy and disoriented I had to hold onto the walls to walk, and my rheumatologist all vote MS. Lol. Plus, the gastroparesis came back too. The ER dr gave me Reglan. It helps promote stomach emptying and has anti-nausea effect too. It was like a miracle when she gave it to me in the ER. When I left the ER, I had a big cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. It was the first meal I'd had in days. Lol!


I've noticed that it flares up when I'm having a flare-up of neuro symptoms. I caught a cold this past week at the family reunion(so did all my kids), and my arthritis is horribly glared up, my neuro symptoms have flared up(mostly really dizzy, cog fog, and twitches), and gastroparesis came back too. I'd been popping TUMS left and right, tried Pepto, then got the rx for Reglan out. It really helps! I try not to use it very often due to some really bad possible side effects that can happen with long term usage.

I just enjoyed a brunch of French toast, bacon, and country potatoes. I hate cooking and not being able to stand eating it. I took a pill before I ate and I was able to eat about as much as my 6 year old. That's pretty good for me. I just wish I'd actually lose weight with this problem. I eat next to nothing and still can't lose any weight. It's so frustrating for me.

I hope you don't have gastroparesis. It's not fun. But if you do, ask for an rx of Reglan. It's been a lifesaver for me and a few others here who have written about having gastroparesis too.

And yes, it is an MS symotom. There's interruption in the signal to the vagus nerve. I just hope it's temporary, due to inflammation and doesn't end up being peranent.

[booklady]

I opted not to go on the Reglan because of the side effects. I do have days that are better or worse than others but I have been "sick" since the middle of April! I take protonix for the inflammation of the stomach lining. The heat is not helping that is for sure! I hate to think this is going to be part of my MS experience. Thanks for your response...good luck to you with your diagnosis.

[Jennyfoo]

For me, the Reglan is a last resort. I only take it when my stomach is so bad that I can't sleep, can't do much because I'm so unbelievably sick. I get absolutely horrible indigestion when it is bad, so horrible that I'll burp up stomach acid into my mouth and that's no picnic. It's only ever been that bad 3 times. For me, the Reglan is like a miracle and works right away. I was given a 3 week rx for 3/day and I've only used 3 pills in a month. With that little usage, I'm not afraid of side effects. Besides, I already have involuntary twitches and jerks as MS symptoms. Lol! It was one of the first, weird symptoms I got.

When my stomach bothers me, I eat very small meals. For lunch, my 6&7 year olds ate 3X what I did. I also eat very bland, easy to digest food. Cheerios are a staple for that. Anything spicy or high in fat makes it worse. The info I was given from the gastroenterologist says soda makes it worse, but in my case, sipping clear soda like 7-up, or what I prefer; Hansen's natural sodas, seems to help settle my stomach if I'm not having bad acid indigestion.

I so hope you don't end up dealing with this as part of your MS experience either. I am diabetic, so it's caused some problems with low blood sugar for me. I have to monitor my blood glucose more carefully when it flares up. In my case, it can't be blamed on the diabetes, because it's type 2, was caught early(when regular labs that check for diabetes still didn't pick it up-had to do a glucose tolerance test to get dx), my glucose has always been very well managed, and I have no other complications from diabetes. I'd probably still be undiagnosed if I weren't so aware of the symptoms and family history that I sought diagnosis. I was brushed off by 2 doctors in my med group, telling me I was too young, and that my labs were normal. I knew something wasn't right, switched drs, and was diagnosed after the glucose tolerance test that I insisted on taking. I knew I was at high risk with my family history, being overweight, and PCOS with insulin resistance that I was diagnosed with at 21 yrs old. I was diagnosed at 28. Normally, gastroparesis affects diabetics after years of high blood sugar causing nerve damage. It's most prevalent in type 1 cases or type 2 in elderly patients who have not had sufficient glucose control.