www.incontinentsupport.org

I have gastroparesis, which means that my stomach is partially paralyzed. Although I am on medication for this, I still need to manage it. A normal diet gives me a painful stomach and vomiting, often at the most embarrassing times, and it has made me vomit in my sleep, which can be life-threatening. The prescribed diet for GP is fiber-free, basically infant food and nutrition drinks such as Ensure. But this diet always gives me a bowel blockage and diarrhea, which can be especially painful and embarrassing. The diarrhea leaks around the blockage and I soil myself, in addition to the pain. Most GPers lose weight, sometimes to the point of starvation. So I have a choice between a normal diet with vomiting and stomach pain, or a GP diet with bowel blockages, soiling, and starvation. One bright spot here is that I am managing to maintain my weight, but eating is difficult.

Venting like this with my family would surely bring difficult, emotional times. They understand the broad outlines of GP, but discussing it in this detail would be inappropriate. Which makes this site so valuable for me. I am so grateful for this site; thanks to everyone here.

Patrick, im sorry youre going thru this...its true that if you think it bad for u others have it worse..i might not get outof diapers again, but at least i dont have issues with eating. I am curious....would having a feeding tube help your situation at all? It occured to me that it might... but maybe not since people with feeding tubes usually cant swallow....

Rob

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"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

Wow.....I'm sorry, Patrick.....that's a really tough break......I don't even know what else to say other than, I feel for you because this seems to be a no win situation....

Thanks guys.

Feeding tubes are used for GP patients, but only to prolong their lives in a last-ditch management effort.

Wow, I'm sorry for what you are going through. How do manage to ever get to sleep knowing you could aspirate your vomit and choke to death. I'd probably lay in bed and stare at the ceiling all night. I first started having bowel accidents in my sleep. Disgusting yes, but at least not life threatening. I hope you take care and don't endanger yourself or your safety if at all possible.

I'm on ranitidine plus erythromycin, (not for its antibiotic properties, but because it irritates the lining of my stomach, making it do its job), but the situation is still frustrating. Last Thursday I had a blockage, so I took more ranitidine and erythromycin than I should have, giving me three bouts of diarrhea yesterday. In order to avoid vomiting in my sleep, I limit the food I eat at supper and take my medicine. Evening snacks are forbidden. I don't go to bed until I feel that my stomach is empty, about five hours after I've eaten. As with Meniere's and incontinence, gastroparesis can be managed, although sometimes it makes me a little depressed. Thanks muchly for your concern.