I got down, down pat.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Know the feeling all to well myself here lately. I'm only 35, but everyday just gets worse. I live on narcotic pain pills now because without them all I can do is lay in bed and scream from the pain. Problem is they already put me on the strongest pain pill there is, so I have no place to go but down. Hoping to this summer get in to see some new doctors and maybe do something about some of this pain so I can get back off the pills, and maybe enjoy some of life again instead of living it like a zombie.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

I have been diagnosed with gastroparesis, short for food not emptying out of my stomach at normal speed. Pain is unreal at times.. The scale of 10 is inadequate. How much pain do you endure before you pass out? Vomit? Been there, got the t-shirt that is now a few sizes too large.

OMG Ridge. I just reread the start of this post. At the time I had no idea what Gastroparesis was, and I'm sure that most people don't also. But I have a friend that has it and she has been acquainting me with what it is and what it does. So for anyone that doesn't know.... Gastroparesis is basically a nice medical terminology way of saying that the muscles that make the stomach churn (Coating the food with acid and helping to break the food down for digestion) are paralyzed. Basically the food just sits in the stomach and rots.. it's extremely painful and causes large amounts of vomiting up of the food. She (my friend) finally had to get an implant put into her stomach that (much like a pacemaker) shoots a small electrical charge into the stomach muscles, causing them to twitch and mimicking their normal movements. It's not 100% effective, but it works enough that she can keep some food down now and actually go back to work. She belongs to 2 support groups of people that have the same condition and if you want I'll be happy to get the links for the groups and send them off to you. Again, for others that don't know... there is no cure for this condition. Hope everything works out for you with the upcoming tests Ridge. Prayers continuing to be sent for you and everyone else on this site that has some kind of medical condition.

[RidgeRunner]

MJ, you are inspiring my friend. You certainly have had a lot to deal with. Tough as a cut nail you are.
Destroyer is correct about the Gastroparesis. It isn't a very well known disease, at least I hadn't heard of it before I contracted it. No known cure, however there is a medicine that can give relief and actually causes the stomach to start back to working, REGLAN. Unfortunately it is only effective in a small percentage of those that contract the disease. Fortunately it DID Work for me. The pacemaker implant is not a 100% fix as you mentioned Destroyer. They have to turn the electric impulse output all the way to the highest setting in order to get the stomach muscles stimulated enough to work. There is another procedure that does away with the gall bladder and stomach that I couldn't ever see having done personally..., my god I hope and pray for the best possible outcome for your friend Destroyer. The long term prognosis is not very good for people with the condition. A feeding tube for nutrition comes after a time and many people don't make it. BUT - As I mentioned I beat it. I am one of the lucky ones. I was scheduled to do a motility study to determine if food was moving thru my stomach and about a week before the procedure my stomach started working just as suddenly as it had stopped. I am not sure if it was a result of the medicine or by the grace of god. A Glimpse into haydes- On 1/1/2014 I was 265 lbs by 10/1/2014 I was down to 170 lbs and loosing about 10 lbs a month. For days I could only sit in a chair and rock back and forth trying to cope with the pain in my stomach. I am embarrassed to say that I was having panic attacks on top of the stomach not working. No pain meds for it, it wouldn't do any good to swallow them as the adsorption of nutrients from food as well as most medicines happens in the small intestine. Narcotics tend to relax your stomach muscles which would worsen the condition as I understand it. That is the rub. The food that you eat goes to the stomach and if your gall bladder is still working it will pump acids onto the food and cook the food right there in your stomach. Without the stomach muscles contracting the food can't get past your stomach and make it to your small intestines to be absorbed and used by your body. Essentially your dying from malnutrition. Acid reflux ensues anytime you try to lie down and depending on how tough/stupid you are, you throw up within a few minutes/hours/or days. Voluntarily and sometimes involuntarily, either way your in for one heck of a ride. Insomnia, Nausea, vomiting, weakness, and dehabilitating pain. I do not recommend in the least.
The last time we were in the keys I will never forget, we went to the resturaunt next to World Wide Sportsman and I was feeling pretty good. I ordered and ate grilled Mahi, steamed squash and brown rice. This is borderline TMI, Stink will appreciate. The meal was kinda bland so as not to disrupt my gut. A day of suffering later I finally heaved up what was left of the meal. NO sign of any fish or rice, that was all a yellow mash of spittle, but there in the bucket were those squash skins- green zuchinni and yellow squash to be exact. You just about can't digest squash skins, who knew?
I haven't lost my sense of humor and I am nearly home BUT the aftermath of the sickness has left me with a crappy case of depression. I have absolutely nothing to be depressed about either, hard to figure out. No longer diabetic, the sickness may have saved my life to be honest. Diabetes and specifically my uncontrolled blood sugar could have been the cause of my onset of gastroparesis. I know, I know, I scoff when people put it all out there on the internet for all to see but I really don't care. It is what it is. I know I am not alone. I am on the mend and doing 100% better than before and like I said earlier, this is therapy. You guys are my kind of support group.
So sorry to hear about your ongoing pain Ferman, I can't imagine. A few on here are smart enough to realize what a tragedy that really is. Reason being, for those of you that may have never had the priviledge to meet his acquaintance, TheFermanator is most talented, has quite an intellect and is a heck of a nice guy all the way around. Besides that, noone deserves to live in pain/suffering. I pray too MJ, for all the sick and ailing. I have faith and I have been tested a little. Keeping the faith. Y'all do the same, V

[macojoe]

Well if there is a bright side the diabeties is gone!! Thats why my kidneys are gone, and I have real bad neropthjey in hands & feet. But like you I lost the weight after gastro by pass (370 yo 160, now holding at 195), and away with the sugar, but to late, and thats what is killing my wife now, but she can't lose weight as she is 100 pounds soak and weight. She is so depressed taking all kinds of meds and still can't come out of it. Just tue. the doctor told her she needs to eat or she will die and thats what is happing he told her your dieing!! This is the third time in a month I have been told that, but the first time she was told, hopefully it will sink in??
OK Ok I am done I am praying for ya and for frem and anyone else that needs it!!

[willy]

My prayers to you all, MJ, his wife Ferm and to you Ridge. I cannot imagine the suffering you all have been through. Try to stay strong and always fight. I hope this new year will bring healing to you all

[Destroyer]

MJ.. Try to get your wife's doctor to prescribe some Medical Marijuana ... Not sure how you feel about it, but the reason it's prescribed for lots of people is because Chemotherapy for Cancer causes people to not eat... and that's why they loose all that weight.. Not from the Cancer.. from the chemo. So if you're wife isn't eating, get her some weed. It will stimulate her desire to eat, (that's why it's called "getting the munchies") and if it makes her feel a little better at the same time ... well, where's the harm in that?

Ridge.. So glad that you're not one of the ones slowly dying from the Gastroparesis. It's an insidious disease that, as you said, slowly starves people that are eating food. But their body can't digest it. The stomach stimulator is one of the most effective ways of treating the condition. A gastric bypass also often works since the small intestines are the place where the body actually digests the food and absorbs it into the body. But the stimulator is by far the preferred treatment. By the way, the reason you couldn't digest those squash skins is they are loaded with fiber, and fiber is one of the hardest substances for the body to digest,,, that's why we need it... to keep everything "flowing". Mu friend has to avoid anything with fiber like the plague.

Ferm... What can I say man? I wish there was something I could do other than pray for you to make a speedy recovery. But since I do believe in the power of prayer, I'll continue to pray for you and for everyone else here that's sick or injured. God bless and get well soon.

[macojoe]

Things are not looking good! Have to meet with Hospice tomorrow morning! Nursing home has called them in as she is not doing well, they told her yesterday (with me there) that no amount of help anyone can give is going to help her unless she snaps out of her mind set and helps her self!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hospice will go to the nursing home and treat her there, they will supp[y a nurse councial and other help one on one, something the home can't offer.
I have been good with depression all this time but this is testing my strenth!!!!! I won't lie I have been sitting since yesterday in tears on and off. it doesn't help she is not in her right mind and says some hurtful things!

Please Pray all!! Thanks

[Pipe_Dream]

Praying for ALL of you! Hoping that you can get some relief and peace.

[bradford]

God bless y'all.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I go in Monday for my hands. Haven't had anything but burning pain in my left for over a week now. Was hoping to wait till summer when my wifes off work to do anything, but it doesn't look like my body is going to wait that long.