I would get a copy of those GES test results and see a motility specialist. Take an antacid, my eye. That is so infuriating. I had a GI doc who told me I was just being sensitive. I have Kaiser which is actually quite good. I ended up going to my primary doc about 1 1/2 years later because my symptoms had reached such a point that I was doubling over. She was going to send me back to that same doc and I told her I would not go back to him so I was referred to a very good GI doc. He has been of immense help. I have been a member of an on-line support group for over 3 years. They are so wonderful. We do help each other a ton.
I also had a barium swallow which revealed nothing. The endoscopy showed an LES that was basically staying open and I have a small hiatal hernia.
I've had it for about 8 months now, but just had it diagnosed in January. I've been on the antibiotic for about 3 months.
I had lost a lot of weight last school year due to what may have been stress. During the summer I started trying to eat a little more to gain the weight back and I began having stomach pains and regurgitating. I had an endoscope done that revealed nothing. My doctor then just said I should eat small meals and take an antacid. The pain and regurgitation continued. My doctor then ordered a barium swallow, which only revealed a hiatal hernia. I knew that I had more than this, because my dad has a hiatal hernia and doesn't have these problems. One morning after breakfast I was having trouble keeping the food down. I got online and found out about the gastric emptying test. I asked my doctor to order it. Not sure about my results (the gi guy has them), but it was diagnosed as gastroparesis.
How long have you had Gastroparesis? Did you have a GES and if so, what were the results? I do not have trouble with constipation. How long have you been taking the antibiotic?
Yes, I know about the lack of awareness. I was diagnosed with this problem about 3 1/2 years ago. I have pretty good results with my current medications: Domperidone, Nexium, Phenergan and Elavil for pain. I take other meds for other problems. I do have dyspepsia and GERD which I think are symptoms of Gastroparesis. There is no way I would go to a naturopath or Chinese doctor because their knowledge of the condition is very lacking. Even one Chinese doctor told me I needed to go off all my meds, take the herbs and have a positive attitude. I was pissed. There is no way I could even think of going off my meds for one single day. When I had gotten sick with this back in August '05 I had so much chest pain that it threw off my EKG so I had to go through testing and a night in the hospital to rule out heart attack. There's no way I want to go through that again.
Isn't there a more current paper than one written in 2003?
My Gastro doctor put me on Azithromycin. It prevents bacteria from forming and has been proven to help empty the stomach as well. Also, if you experience problems with constipation ask your doctor about Amitiza.
That's a very good question. The problem isn't only medications, it's an understanding of these disorders. In 2002, for example, only about $2 million was spent for motility research, and very few, if any, research dollars were spent by the NIH on research for effective treatment options. The simple fact is that not enough is even KNOWN about this condition, and because it's so often misdiagnosed (as either dyspepsia, GERD, or even as a psychological issue), the condition goes largely ignored. The only place I've seen an actual focus on this condition is in the naturopathic and holistic sectors, particularly the traditional Chinese medical community.
For some information on the status of things, see the paper "Gastroparesis and related digestive motility diseases, a medical crisis" (2003), prepared by the Gastroparesis and Dysmotilitie Associaion (GPDA), and presented to the NIH and Congress on August 19, 2003.