Slow stomach Empty (Gastropresis)

[Sonny09]

I've been diagnosed with slow process of stomach to digest food. Anytime I eat a meal it takes 23 hours to digest my food regardless of if I eat less or more. Medication doesn't help and makes me crappy. Need to know if there is anything out there to cure this.

[GhostOf1901]

Regarding domperidone: It's standard procedure in just about every country (other than the US) for gastroparesis. The drug has been proven safe, and has less side effects than just about any other drug available for the condition.

You can search for pharmacies which carry this and do price comparisons at PharmacyChecker.com (recommended by the AARP). I get mine from BlueSkyDrugs (blueskydrugs.com), although I've started using Iberogast in lieu of domperidone, since my gastroparesis is borderline and could just as easily be dyspepsia. (Maybe both can be used? Considering they both work with fundal distension, I'm not quite sure how well they would work together. )

Note that for overseas and Canadian pharmacies accessed through PharmacyChecker, you WILL need a prescription for the domperidone, which will need to be faxed (by you or your doctor) to the pharmacy. Usually you go to the pharmacy's site, order the drug, they send you an email form and you fax that form along with your prescription. This is when the purchase finally goes through.

[GhostOf1901]

If carbs make you sick, consider the possibility that you may have a gluten intolerance. This has been tied to delayed gastric emptying. Up to 1 in 7 people have some level of gluten intolerance, and up to 1 in 250 are celiac (higher probability if you're of European or American ancestry, lower if you're of Asian or African ancestry). Consider getting a gluten intolerance test from EnteroLab.

Cheese and meats are probably NOT all that good for you at this time due to their fat content. However, if you find this setup works for you then continue with it. Experiment with your diet some and--I cannot stress this enough--keep a food/symptom journal to see how you react to different combinations. Weekly reviews should help you spot patterns fairly quickly. Cooked fruits and vegetables may be your best bets for a healthy diet at this point.

Good luck.

[GhostOf1901]

First, regarding alternative medicine, make sure you're working with a practitioner. Also, shatavari should not be taken with domperidone. Unless told otherwise, between the two, I would recommend the domperidone.

Idiopathic gastroparesis (what I was diagnosed with) can be a pain in the rump at times, particularly because you DON'T know why it's happening. @donnaraeb makes some great points, since that type of diet can help a lot, but each person with GP is very different, so you'll have to experiment a lot on your own. Some do better with all veggies, others can't do a thing with fiber. Low-fat is certainly the way to go, though, as fat actually causes the body to release hormones which paralyze the stomach in order to allow the digestion of the fat. Good fats (non-saturated) have worked out well for me, but that's not an indication of how it would work with you. A "safe" diet is low fiber/low fat, but that can get very annoying very quickly. It should also be heavily supplemented.

Good luck with this. There's a great Yahoo group on Gastroparesis (just do a search for them in Yahoo Groups) which you may want to join.

[Mitch5]

I was just diagnosed with gastroparesis. I don't know what diet I should be on. I know carbs make me sick. Yet I am thinking eating the cheeses and meats aren't totally good for this condition as well. I'm not sure what precise diet I should be on.

[donnaraeb]

Hi!  I have diabetes and was diagnosed with gastroparesis 2 years ago.  I took a big leap and started a very low fat, totally vegan diet after that diagnosis.  IT"S AMAZING!  I knew that I was having a REALLY difficult time digesting any kind of meat, and dairy just made me sick.  What I didn't realize is that fat slows the process even more.  Going VERY low fat, and only eating good fats when I do (olive oil, avacado, etc) has helped tremendously.  The mass quantities of fresh fruits and veggies I eat seem to digest quickly and well.  I do occasionally take Reglan, but only if I'm going to a wedding or a special event and don't have alot of control over how the food is prepared.  This regimen has helped me so much, has helped me to lose 30 pounds, and has really regulated my blood sugars as well.  All the best to you!

Donna Rae

[wanabb]

Also with your back injury you could have affected the nerves that cause your stomach to contract... have you asked your doctor?

[wanabb]

domperidone has not been evaluated by the fda. my doctor says it is safe they just haven't done any studies on it in the us.  you can buy it in the us through a compounded pharmacy but it's expensive, i order through www.northwestpharmacy.com it's $19.99 for 100 pills (10 mg) if you oreder more it's cheaper. you have to have your doctor send them a prescription.  as for gaining weight, i limit my fiber intake, with gastroparesis it basically turns into sludge in your stomach and slows digestion. i eat a breakfast with a lot of protein to keep from getting hungry, and i take a multivitamin to balance myself.. also yoga is great for digestion.

[Sonny09]

Thanks for the suggestion. I did try reglan and made me very sick. Doctors gave up with modern medicine. I do not have Diabetes. But I do have lower back condition. I was in a car accident and have 4 herniated discs. also I have gal bladder removed in 2001. Orther than that I don't have any serious problem. I do believe in Ayurvedic medicine. I'll try to get Shatavari. and see if it will make any difference. Domperidone, is it available through Pharmacy (Prescription)? My food intake is very low becaue of this reason, anytime I eat even small portion I get bloated and takes hours to digest food. When I wake up in the morning my stomach if flat. Due to this. I have gain 30 lbs in two years. Please advice.

[Sonny09]

Thanks for the feedback. I did try Reglan and I felt sick with this medicine. I did not try  Domperidone yet. how to order the medicine. Do we have it in US.So I don't have to go through Canada. advice.

I also have gained weight with this problem.

[wanabb]

Hi, I have gastroparesis also, my doctor originally put my on Reglan, which was horrible.. now i am on Domperidone, it's wonderfull, it took maybe a week to notice a big difference. The only problem is i have hypoglycemia also and if i take it three times a day it works too well and my bloodsugar bottoms out.  but i haven't had any side effects, the only problem is remembering to order more before i run out (you have to order from canada or a compunded pharmacy). hope that helps..

[GhostOf1901]

That's a pretty open question. Chinese medicine practitioners claim that they have a fair amount of success with curing some types of gastroparesis, but a lot of it has to do with the reason for the condition. Is there an underlying condition in your case? (Diabetes is the most common, but there are others.) I have heard of a few successful cases of naturopaths working with the condition to improve it. My own condition was improved somewhat while seeing an acupuncturist, although due to my moving out of town my sessions had to stop.

As far as western medicine is concerned, there's not really much that can be done. Medications like Reglan and Domperidone might be of use. (If you're already taking Reglan and you're having side effects, ask about Domperidone.) The herb shatavari has been known to help, as has Iberogast, I don't know how effective they would be considering the severity of your condition.