Info on Gastroparesis - Pablo/Pula... yes you ! :)

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

You mentioned you'd had at least one test to assess whether your stomach was

emptying properly. According to this article there are 4 different tests

you should have.

http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdgs45.htm

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of gastroparesis starts with the medical history where the

physician may suspect the diagnosis based on the symptoms. In severe cases,

the physical exam and blood tests may show evidence of malnutrition, but

usually the exam is normal.

An upper GI barium x-ray measures how liquid barium leaves the stomach.

Often this exam is normal.

Upper endoscopy is a visual exam of the stomach using a lighted flexible

tube. Mild sedation is usually given for this procedure. This exam should

always be done to be certain there is not a blockage in the stomach.

A gastric or stomach emptying test is presently the best method of making

the diagnosis. In this test, a food, such as scrambled eggs, is labeled with

a marker which can be seen by a scanner. Following ingestion, the scanner

tracks the time it takes for the food to leave the stomach. In general, half

the stomach contents should leave within about 90 minutes.

A final test, which is not available everywhere, is the electrogastrogram

(EGG). This test, like the EKG on the heart, measures the electrical waves

that normally sweep over the stomach and precede each contraction.

--------------

Info on the stomach pacemaker that Anne in Australia has can be found here.

If this could be an option for you you shouldn't overlook it.

http://www.temple.edu/temple_times/2-1-01/pacer.html

http://www.uams.edu/today/122100/stomach.htm

http://www.medtronic.com/neuro/enterra/

I don't see a specialist for this pacemaker in Oklahoma but there are

several in Kansas and Texas.

http://www.medtronic.com/neuro/enterra/locate_dr.html

Hugs,

Pam

[Guest guest]

HI PAM. THANKS FOR THE POST. I WAS GONE THIS WEEKEND. SPENT MY

16TH ANNIVERSARY WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW (AND WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN)

TRAVELING OKLAHOMA )

REGARDING YOUR POST...

The diagnosis of gastroparesis starts with the medical history where

the physician may suspect the diagnosis based on the symptoms. DONE

AND SUSPECTED.

In severe cases, the physical exam and blood tests may show evidence

of malnutrition, but usually the exam is normal. MINE SHOWED

EVIDENCE OF MALNUTRITION.

An upper GI barium x-ray measures how liquid barium leaves the

stomach. Often this exam is normal. MINE WAS NORMAL.

Upper endoscopy is a visual exam of the stomach using a lighted

flexible tube. Mild sedation is usually given for this procedure.

This exam should always be done to be certain there is not a blockage

in the stomach. NO BLOCKAGE. MINE ALWAYS HAS SOME ODDITIES. EXCESS

BILE ALWAYS PRESENT. USUALLY AT LEAST ONE SPHINCTOR IS

MALFUNCTIONING AS WELL. HOWEVER, I THINK WHEN AT MAYO - ALL ACTUALLY

WORKED OKAY (AT THE MOMENT THEY CHECKED IT :-) MY INTERNIST SAID

THOUGH THAT THIS COULD CHANGE AT THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT - JUST PART

OF THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.

A gastric or stomach emptying test is presently the best method of

making the diagnosis. In this test, a food, such as scrambled eggs,

is labeled with a marker which can be seen by a scanner. Following

ingestion, the scanner tracks the time it takes for the food to leave

the stomach. In general, half the stomach contents should leave

within about 90 minutes. WELL, I HAD SIGNIFICANT VOMITING - AND

ALMOST BLEW THAT TEST - BUT... THEY SAID WHEN THE RESULTS WERE IN -

MY STOMACH WAS EMPTYING PROPERLY. THEY DID SAY THAT MY INTESTINES

WAS PROCESSING A BIT SLOW - BUT THEY DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS

SIGNIFICANT. WHAT IS INTERESTING TO ME, IS THAT - MANY TIMES -

INCLUDING LAST NIGHT - OBVIOUSLY IT DOES NOT EMPTY IN THAT TIME FRAME

(EVEN HALF) AS LAST NIGHT I WAS LITERALLY UP ALL NIGHT VOMITING.

TONIGHT IS MUCH THE SAME. HOURS LATER, AND I'M STILL THROWING UP

FOOD EATEN HOURS AGO.

A final test, which is not available everywhere, is the

electrogastrogram (EGG). This test, like the EKG on the heart,

measures the electrical waves that normally sweep over the stomach

and precede each contraction. THE GI DOC AT MAYO NEVER SUGGESTED

THIS TEST. PROBABLY BECAUSE THE ATOMIC EGG TEST TURNED OUT NORMAL.

AS I EXPRESSED TO MY INTERNIST, WIFE, AND A SELECT FEW OTHERS...

EVEN IF WE GET THE INGESTION PART WORKING BETTER (I.E. VIA J-TUBE OR

PACEMAKER - WHICH NO ONE HAS AS YET SUGGESTED), I STILL HAVE MAJOR

PROBLEMS WITH EXCREMENT - AND THAT CAUSES JUST AS MUCH GASTRIC

DISTRESS.

--------------

>

> Info on the stomach pacemaker that Anne in Australia has can be

found here.

> If this could be an option for you you shouldn't overlook it.

WELL, AS I SAID, NO ONE HAS EVEN SUGGESTED IT AS OF YET. PERHAPS I

SHOULD RESEARCH IT MYSELF. SEEMS OFTEN I AM MY OWN GREATEST ADVOCATE.

>

> http://www.temple.edu/temple_times/2-1-01/pacer.html

> http://www.uams.edu/today/122100/stomach.htm

> http://www.medtronic.com/neuro/enterra/

>

> I don't see a specialist for this pacemaker in Oklahoma but there

are

> several in Kansas and Texas. WELL, WE'RE JUST ACROSS THE BORDER

FROM KS - ONLY 4 HOURS FROM KC. MUCH FARTHER FROM TEXAS.

> http://www.medtronic.com/neuro/enterra/locate_dr.html

>

> Hugs,

> Pam

THANKS FOR THE LINKS PAM. I'LL CHECK THEM OUT AFTER I'VE GOTTEN SOME

SLEEP )

PULA AKA PAUL