Gastroparesis and antidepressants

[Mommyto2girls711]

I have been recently (February) diagnosed with gastroparesis and am taking Domperidone 5mg four times a day.  I am trying to wean myself off Prevacid as I think acid reflux isn't the source of my nausea.  I have noticed that I am becoming more and more depressed in dealing with the pain and nausea.  I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this.  Do you know of any antidepressants that won't make my gastroparesis worse?  If anyone has any words of encouragement, I will take those, too.  :)
Leslie

[ljgs]

Hi. I'm was newly diagnosed with gastroparesis. I am a diabetic type 'll. I also have stage 3 kidney disease. Up until recently I have had my diabetics in check. I can't get into Mayo until March but will make an appointment with a local GI Dr.  What I am wondering is if anyone out there has heard of exposure to mold over a long period can cause this disease or symptoms like this?

[paigangel]

i was just diagnosed with this and I know one of the reasons is that I am pre diabetic . But I also have gained a lot of weight on Paxil CR. I have been on this for about 12 years.  The doctor told me that I will keep gaining weight on it.  Also, I read where Paxil can cause this.  It slows your system and chills it out.  I saw a chart that had age groups for women, and at 40-49 years old  age group,  and it had a 52 percent of paxil causing the gastro paresis. I am 50-60lbs overweight. I also have PCOS, which doesn't help with the metabolic system. im getting ready to call my shrink and try to switch the paxil cr. Last time that I tried my OCD acted back up. Its not the habits , its the brain ocd, that I keep thinking and thinking about the same stuff.  so, that's my story, hope it helped someone. This board looks like it might not be updated as much as others. so, if anyone has any new help or news, email me at ***@****.  thanks.

[Bkorny89]

Im currently 23 years old, but have had this condition for over a year now.... I have always been constantly nauseated since I was diagnosed with severe pain as well... But I know when I was first diagnosed I struggled a lot with terrible heart burn... Since I've been diagnosed though, I've been hospitalized over 20 times, and once was sent to Indianapolis to have my pancreas and gallbladder removed, and had a feeding tube placed bc i was severely under weight.  I was there for about 2 weeks, and was absolutely miserable (I live in Louisiana by the way) and after I had this surgery it took me a long time to improve at all... But there is a surgery where they can place a gastric pacemaker to help trick the brain into thinking you are not nauseated... Even though it was a rather painful surgery to have (the pain took a while, about a week to leave), it has actually helped me... I'm still somewhat nauseated but not near as severely as I was... I've now gained almost 40 lbs back and was able to have the feeding tube removed... I still have pain every once in a while, but all together it honestly was worth it!! I've actually gained some quality of life back. Whereas for about a year before this, I literally was so sick and in so much pain all day I could never leave the house, and sometimes never leave the spot I was in... I am a type 1 diabetic, but they don't think thats what caused seeing as my HBA1C was always great... I just wanted to inform y'all of the pacemaker bc I know it's not widely practiced and they had to find me a hospital out of town to perform it, but it was worth it and may be worth mentioning to your doctors.. Also I've now been struggling with anxiety from all of this, I just feel on edge all the time and almost scared... It's gotten so bad now that my husband and I can't even stay in our home and we pretty always stay with my parents... I've been trying clonazepam for about a month now and it hasn't seemed to help me at all, but I will be going to the doctor today so hopefully he can write me something else to try.. I also can not sleep at night at all... I've tried every natural, over the counter, and prescription there is... Lunesta and ambien seem to be the only things that help... And as far as The gastroparesis goes i take 10 mg of domperidone 4 times a day and i also take bethanecol 4 times a day( and I think the latter drug has also helped my condition a lot as well, because it helps your intestines empty more easily so it may also be worth mentioning... I hope this helps anyone struggling with this terrible disease...
  God Bless, Brooke

[htownmomma]

I am a mom of two small children. Was diag with post viral gastroparesis. Going through the same hoops as everyone else. Mild nausea all of the time. Does ANYONE know the recovery statistics of this condition? Taking Domperidone 3x per day AND just had to start taking Prequil for anxiety and depression. I cant not find enough research on post viral gasto and my docs dont seem to have an answer. Feeling really tired and sad.

[julies123]

Wow, I just got diagnosed myself this week with gastroparesis. Unfortunately I've had a 4 day bought with the nausea.  I've had the nausea 4-5 times in the past 2  months in addition to chronic heartburn that I've had for 4 months.  I just ordered a herbal medicine called Ibergast that is suppose to help.  I'm on prevacid 2 x a day and also on Cymbalta since middle of May for depression/anxiety and occasionally have to take Xanax for bad anxiety attacks (all related to the health condition)  This is a painfully difficult disease to manage.  I hope they come up with a cure soon.

[ggreg]

Both of you,
Please take a moment to write down every drug, medicine, herbal remedy, even birth control pills, that you take.  Read about all the side effects.  If any of them have dry mouth or your digestive issues listed, it is possible that drug is doing this to you.  I say this because one time I was taking Ativan, and within a month I had IBS, diarrhea daily for six months.  No one knew what it was.  So, I studied up and found out it was the Ativan.  As soon as I got off it, my stomach returned to normal, except for some lingering sensitivity to some foods.  Ativan dries out the system, and apparently that effect is what goofed up my digestion.  My advice is a shot in the dark, tho, take it with a grain of salt.  But I had to say SOMEthing.
GG

[Mommyto2girls711]

My doctor didn't say anything about it being a progressive condition or feeding tubes.  He even hinted that it may be temporary.  Wouldn't that be a miracle!   You are so lucky that you get to go to Mayo.  It's too far from me and we probably couldn't afford to make the trip.  I hope they can find some answers for you.  

I just heard about a nausea medicine called "Nux Vomica" and you buy it over the counter at health food stores.  I'm thinking about trying to find some in my area, but you can also get it over the internet.  Maybe this will help.  Have you tried those wrist bands?   I lived with them on when I was pregnant and now they just take a small edge off, but I will take any help at all with nausea.  

I hope you have a nausea-free day today!

[Mitch5]

Thanks. I hope you're having a good day today.

Nope, I am not diabetic. No clue how I got this. I don't even remember having an illness that might have caused this. In looking back I think I have had these symptoms for at least a year and a half. I also have a mild esophageal dysmotility at the end of my esophagus that my GI doctor said was caused from chronic gerd but my guess is I also had the gastroparesis as well but they didn't directly check that. I can't handle the nausea either. It is so disturbing. I have felt sick to my stomach off and on all morning long. I can't stand it. I guess Mayo will figure out if there is a medical reason why I have this, if they don't and they label is unknown, then I guess I will know for sure that it is due to something that alternative medicine can help me treat.

Did your doctor say if this was a progressive condition? Like how often people end up on the feeding tubes or didn't he talk feeding tubes at all? I was reading on a diabetes forum and it seems many diabetics deal with this and it's like second nature to them. Most seem to still live active lives so that was nice to hear.

[Mommyto2girls711]

I talked with my GI doc yesterday and he said that SSRI's don't affect motility and they have a lot of success with Lexapro.  I started taking a half dose last night to taper up to 10mg.  I just really need myself back.  I know that when I start to get nauseated, the anxiety overwhelms me.  I have two small children and they need their Mommy.  

Right now, I mostly have stomach pain laced with nausea, if that makes sense.  I haven't vomited in a long time because I am quick to take a phenergan.  I can't handle nausea at all.  This is so frustrating, isn't it?  Is yours post-viral?  I think mine is.  I am not diabetic and haven't had surgery or anything.  I did have C. Diff this past February, though.  I don't know if that is what caused it or not.  

I hope you are feeling good today!  We all need a good day.  Hugs!  

[Mitch5]

I was diagnosed with this just days ago and I am certainly depressed. What I do is instead of going with the depression I dedicate myself to researching and finding ways to try and get better while I wait for my apt at Mayo. Yeah, I am told anti depressants can and do slow gut motility so I bet they aren't good for us. I don't know what to say as far as a anything else that could help unless you try an herb of some kind but I am not aware of one that would help for this.

Do you just have nausea right now? Any vomiting? I have not thrown up with this although I feel like I could quite a bit. The unpredictable nature of this condition is what is so tough. I feel your pain.