My name is Christine and February/March 2010 is when my life changed forever. That is when I first became ill with a mysterious illness that took doctors until September of that year to (more or less) figure out what it was--Gastroparesis. Of course I didn't necessarily care WHAT it was, I just wanted it to STOP!! Little did I know that it (most likely) never would. Let me explain:
In medical jargon Gastroparesis is defined as: a condition in which the muscles in your stomach don't function normally.Ordinarily, strong muscular contractions propel food through your digestive tract. But in gastroparesis, the muscles in the wall of your stomach work poorly or not at all. This prevents your stomach from emptying properly. Gastroparesis can interfere with digestion, cause nausea and vomiting, and cause problems with blood sugar levels and nutrition.
In easier to understand terms: when I eat food, it sits there and makes me feel sick to my stomach because it can't be mashed up properly, so it takes the path of least resistance...UP! Other times, I'm just plane not hungry. A simple sip of water makes me full.
Whichever definition works for you, that (and, really SO much more) makes up Gastroparesis, Because of the challenges of eating and keeping food down, a person with Gastroparesis tends to run into nutritional status issues. I, luckily never have. Dehydration is another possible problem one can face when living with Gastroparesis. I struggled A LOT with that at the beginning, making 2-3 trips a week to urgent care to be hooked up to an IV. Luckily I haven't had to do that in 3 1/2 years!
Early on I had botox injected into my stomach to relax the pylorus, but that only ended up making me sicker! (See, ladies, botox isn't all it's cracked up to be!) I tried a slew of medications over the next couple of years. Some designed to help motility (food to move through the gastric system) along with ones to help me stop vomiting...none of them worked. Some of them even came with some not-so-friendly side effects, so those got pitched pretty quick, let me tell you! Finally, after a year of dealing with this (as well as sudden onset migraines and vertigo [vertigo for a year straight!]), I just put my foot down and said "I am going to conquer this! I am LIVING with Gastroparesis, not suffering from it! I will be fine!" and decided that I would be able to drive and work again. It took a couple of months, but I made it. It wasn't until April of 2011 that I was able to drive and work again, but I did it!
Am I cured, now that I have decided to start this blog 3 years later?! Absolutely not! I have hit some major snags in this road called Gastroparesis, but you know what? I live my life the best way that I know how. I have a new best buddy--Alfred--that I'll tell you about soon and what that's like. And you know, if Gastroparesis is new to you or old to you....Keep fighting! Keep living! All of our experiences are different, but a lot of them are the same too! We're fighting the same fight against a disease that doctors know SO little about and we've got to stick together! God, family, friends, and a good sense of humor has helped me through this. If you need a friend, I'm here, just leave me a note!
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.-Jeremiah 29:11
Hi Christine,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great! I noticed the 'migraine and vertigo' things, as I've had balance probs and also headaches non stop for near a year. I thought it was sinus pain but it's apparently not. What did you do for the pain, and did you find out what caused your migraines?
Hey, D! My vertigo and migraines hit right all at the same time as the gastroparesis started, so it really stumped the doctors. Initially they tried scopolamine patches for the vertigo--didn't work. And then sea sick pills--didn't work. I saw the ENT, did physical therapy--didn't work. I was sent LA and to be involved in a trial--didn't qualify. Then I was sent to LA to see a specialist about my migraines and he said that I have a migraine disorder, there's no such thing as sinus headaches. By that time I was taking Topomax, so he bumped up the mgs. So over time it seemed that the topomax increase helped with the vertigo. I take topomax twice a day and imitrex for acute onset. Or, sometimes, just excedrin. PLEASE consult your physician. I am NOT a doctor! Hope that helps!
DeleteHi Christine,
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog through your instagram act. I am arty_kat there. I have had gp for about 14 yrs now. I've never known (online or off) anyone else who has it. They told me it is a complication of diabetes (have had it much of my life). I was on a pill but the dr stopped it. It threw me into depression so I was glad he took all his pts off of it.
I have near constant nausea and have trouble because I get full so fast- and it has caused my blood sugar to be so unpredictable that I have high highs (near 500) and low lows (in the 40s).
Kat
Hey Kat!
DeleteFourteen years with GP?! Wow! What a trooper you are!! I'm an idiopathic gastroparetic...no diabetes here. It just started out of nowhere. It's amazing the doctor's haven't been able to do anything for your sugars!! Are you no a candidate for the pump?
Have you asked about antinausea Meds like zofran or phenergan? I use zofran more frequently now since having the pacemaker put in and it works pretty good. Otherwise, I'd suggest trying ginger tea or ginger candy--though that may mess with your sugars more :(
I've seen people suggest acupuncture as well. I haven't tried it myself yet though. I'm not BIG BIG on alternative medicine, but some people like it so it never hurts to throw it out there.
Thank you for reading my blog!