best foods with gastroprasis?

[emj]

hi there,
Ive been type 1 for 20 years, since i was aged 7. I have had stomach problems for about 10 years, but until recently have never related then to my diabetes. in the last year i have started to try and get a hold on my blood sugars and take control, which i am doing to some degree. I think sorting this out is the next step!  
I have been refining my diet, and have dicovered that high fat foods and dairy dont agree with me. my doctor thought it might be i.B.S, and I have to go back in a month for tests, however i have reason to believe it could be gastroparasis.
please can you give me some advice on what i should be eating? i have sevear bloating after every (tiny) meal. Ive lost half a stone in 3 weeks, and am pretty worried.
any advice would be fantastic!
thanks

[emj]

sorry... me again! just wanted to say good luck to your son dm, sounds like he is getting some good help there,

emj

[emj]

sorry... me again! just wanted to say good luck to your son dm, sounds like he is getting some good help there,

emj

[emj]

Thanks ever-so for your replies. I went to my doc' and told him what i thought. he still thinks it is more likely to be I.B.S, however i am to make an appointment to have tests just to be sure. so thats ok.

I have been experimenting with food... dairy is a definate no-no, as is red meat, nuts, caffine and carbonated drinks, (I havent drunk alcohol for months) low fat cheese is ok, as is low fat sugar free yogurt. also soya milk is ok.  I have put myself on a very low carb diet, consisting only of 6grms of carbs for b/fast then 12grms for lunch and dinner, i have been doing this for 8 months and my sugars are slowley improving. b4 they used to be jumping from 2.5 to 25 (uk measures) daily, now they rarely hit 8 or drop to 3.5. so, in that sense i think im getting somewhere on that side of things-whew! I am finding the bloating and pain is less likely to happen when i eat soups, which is a bit of a find! i never thought that could happen.

anyway, thanks again for your advice.
emj

[JDRF-Team-cd]

Good job getting a hold on your blood sugars -- that is the first step.

I talked to a dietitian friend of mine to find out what foods a person with gastroparesis should eat.  Her response was:

soft food
no/low fiber
low fat
easily digested
eat like you have a stomach virus
fish grilled or broiled

Also, watch insulin
check bg frequently

Fats and fiber slow down digestion and if you have gastroparesis it may make it worse.

This is just a suggestion and in no way should be considered medical advice.  Be sure to follow the advice of your physician and diabetes educator.

Remember, if you get your blood sugar in the normal range, you can even reverse or slow down complications of diabetes.

Best of luck.
Carol

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

Hello EMJ,
You've come to a good place for sharing diabetes stories.  All of us here have had our share of failures and successes.  It's great that you've begun to learn lots & care for your diabetes with more vigilance.

I wish I knew more about gastro, but I do know that it *is* a form of neuropathy and it can be devastating if untreated.  I recommend you talk to your doctor specifically about your diabetes control in recent years, your current symptoms and weight loss.  In addition, if you have access to a certified diabetes educator (CDE) who has experience working with diabetics with gastro, you'll likely find some creative tips 'n' tricks to ease your way.

While many folks have an intolerance to dairy products, and many folks have difficulty digesting fats, it seems reasonable to think about all your digestive symptoms together in hopes of finding a single root cause for them all.  Finding that cause gives the best hope for an effective treatment.

I've read on other discussion boards about medication for gastro and also some liquid supplements intended to help the person get the nourishment their body needs.  Be vigilant about low blood sugars that can result if you take your insulin but then your digestion doesn't allow the carbos into the blood stream soon enough.  An experienced endocrinologist/ diabetologist can help you plan your insulin.

Good luck.  Check in again because I'm sure others'll share their experiences too.  While none of us is a physician here, collectively we probably represent over 100 years of learning thru the schools of hard knocks!  In time, I hope you'll share your learning, too.

[jdrf team dm]

Dear EMJ,

My son who is twenty-seven was diagnosed with gastroparesis aout 3 years ago. He was diagnoseed with type 1 at 8. I  am not a doctor, but can share with you what I have learned.

From talking to many other parents and people who themselves have this, it can effect everyone differently.

Normally, the walls of the stomach contract in a coordinated way to send the contents of the stomach into the small intestine. The autonomic nervous system controls this muscular action. Diabetes can damage the nerves. This is called autonomic neuropathy. In lay terms your stomach muscles are not moving at the speed that they need to to move things along.

As LRS said it is good that you are looking into this as soon as you are. Maintaining tight control is extremely important. I would highly recommend talking to your doctor about seeing a GI physician that has alot of experience with gastroparesis. This has worked best for my son. Also talking to a CDC can help you with diet. As I have said everyone reacts differently.

There are several drugs that you can speak to your doctor about if you do have it. One that seems to work is Domperidone from Canada. New research from the University of Washington Medical Center has found Zelnorm which is prescribed for IBS is working well with some people with gastroparesis. Of course we may be getting ahead of ourselves. If you can have your doctor move up the tests, I would give this a try. Weight loss can be a symptom. Have you had problems with vomiting, bowel problems, dry mouth or abnormal sweating?

Is he testing you for Celiac Sprue? This is an allergy to wheat that can also mimic some of the same symptoms.

Please let us know what you find out. Either way we may be able to give you additional information. If you are diagnosed and would like more one on one support you can go to JDRF's website at www.jdrf.org and click on Online Diabetes Support. I am wishing you the best of luck.

dm