Tag: Gastroparesis

I Had Lost 84 Pounds

Posted on by Gastroparesis: Fighting For Change
Tami Bankson
Tami Bankson

Good morning everyone! I’d like to just introduce myself a bit to ya’ll.


I’m 47 years young, married with 5 adult ‘children’ 🙂 My husband and I have adopted our oldest grandson, who is 6 and autistic, making him child #6. THEY are my reason for fighting every day!


In 2007, I had an emergency cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), but NEVER got better 🙁


I’ve tried everything under the sun to treat my symptoms and have had little luck with any of them. I was a gainer for most of this time until about 2 years ago, then all of a sudden I wasn’t. Nothing in my habits changed. I just started dropping weight. FAST. The last time I weighed myself (bear in mind, this is about 6 months ago, because it depresses me that much!), I had lost 84 pounds.

🙁 But, WAIT! I’m still considered a “healthy” weight, so not much concern from my G.I. there. :-/

I still hear stories of others and lack of treatment because of our current weight. Not worrying about the fact the weight loss is completely uncontrolled and unintentional. I was only told to go seek a therapist and stress management classes. That should do the trick?!?!? Yep, suffering with nausea, vomiting (4/5 x/week), bloating, abdominal pain, insomnia, and major weight loss…. all I need is a psychiatrist and talk it out. 🙁 Needless to say, after seeing 4 different G.I.’s, I give up! I give up on seeing any more doctors who only shake their heads at me, almost in disbelief. You know the looks and body language. 🙁 We feel it. It’s hard and the only thing I can do at this point is fight! I cry daily for those we’ve lost in this battle. But the war isn’t over! This is an epidemic and too many of us are needlessly suffering. I hope this group is only the beginning of turning those stones over and pushing them down the hill. <3 They’ll hear us, if not… they will see us!! <3 We aren’t going away!

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Diagnosed 2 Years Ago After Being Sick For Years

Posted on by Gastroparesis: Fighting For Change
Sarah Gilbert
Sarah Gilbert

I’m Sarah, from Colorado. I’m 37, and was diagnosed in May 2 years ago after being sick for many years. At first it was just written off by many doctors, and after finding out what was wrong I’ve realized I probably have had delayed emptying problems my entire life. I’m lucky, I respond well to reglan, and have recently been gaining some of the weight I had lost back. I’m so glad to be here! This is a pic of me tonight, pretty bad pain but still smiling!

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My GP Flare Face

Posted on by Gastroparesis: Fighting For Change
Beth Davis
Beth Davis

I’m Beth, I live in Shelby NC 28150. I’m 58; been on disability due to fibromyalgia since 2007(I’m an RN). Since 2008, have had episodes lasting months/years of nausea, vomiting, pain, bloating; during one of those I lost 80lbs. 

I was diagnosed with gastroparesis in January of 2018. Due to flares this year, my quality of life has been severely affected. At times, sips of Sprite and IV fluids is my total intake. It’s exhausting and depressing. I get scared, because doctors and specialists admit, they don’t know much and cannot do much to help. 

This is my GP Flare Face; I was in the hospital. Much better right now. I’m thankful for every hour of non-flare!

Also below, my baby Matilda, 2 years old. She keeps me going. I have little family support, but I have her!

Matilda

I also have fibromyalgia, diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, IBS, and angina. I’m a disabled nurse.

We all need and deserve better!

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Thanksgiving 2010 While I Was In Army Basic Training

Posted on by Gastroparesis: Fighting For Change
Jacqui Jenkins
Jacqui Jenkins
Jacqui Jenkins

Hey Y’all, I just thought I would introduce myself. I’m 26 and live in Troy. I got sick after an emergency appendectomy on Thanksgiving 2010 while I was in Army basic training. I was able to fight off the inevitable and did four years in the Army during which I did a tour in Afghanistan. When I got back, my health really started
declining.

I fought and fought and fought for an answer, but it took just over 7 years to get diagnosed with GP. I had a gastric emptying done in 2013 or 2014, which showed delayed transit but nothing was ever done, besides a short trial of reglan, which didn’t help. My main symptoms were nausea, vomiting and pain. It go so bad, that i had to give up my dream career and was medically retired from the service.

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Thanksgiving 2010 While I Was In Army Basic Training

Posted on by Gastroparesis: Fighting For Change
Jacqui Jenkins
Jacqui Jenkins

Hey Y’all,

I just thought I would introduce myself. I’m 26 and live in Troy. I got sick after an emergency appendectomy on Thanksgiving 2010 while I was in Army basic training. I was able to fight off the inevitable and did four years in the Army during which I did a tour in Afghanistan. When I got back, my health really started declining.

I fought and fought and fought for an answer, but it took just over 7 years to get diagnosed with GP. I had a gastric emptying done in 2013 or 2014, which showed delayed transit but nothing was ever done, besides a short trial of reglan, which didn’t help. My main symptoms were nausea, vomiting and pain. It go so bad, that i had to give up my dream career and was medically retired from the service.

It took awhile to find a good GI doctor that actually believed me – i was told it was all in my head, because I didn’t even fit into the “catch all” diagnosis of IBS. I was diagnosed with Crohns due to some physiological changes on a colonoscopy, but they retracted that diagnosis when the biopsy was negative (i still believe i have crohns as well). I finally had a smart pill done in January and my doctor was shocked when she got the results. Just shy of 200 hours for the pill to pass through my entire digestive system. So i’m just a teeny bit slow ?.

I don't look sick you don't look stupid

Because we had tried pretty much every conservative treatment, they told me i would just have to live with it, using scopolamine patches and zofran for nausea and dilaudid for pain. It got to the point where i was going weeks without eating, and was in and out of the ER getting fluids, because anything that went in my stomach came back up. My GI doctor even told me at one point that she couldn’t do anything drastic until my blood work was “bad enough.” So i saw a nutritionist and explained my whole ordeal.

I tried a GP friendly diet and that still didn’t work, as even the smell and sometimes the thought of food would make me sick. My hair thinned, so I shaved it and I was having memory problems and confusion, which got so bad that my neuropsych tests came back with my score being in the range of dementia. I talked to my nutritionist and asked about a feeding tube. I considered it my last hope and a last resort.

I got a NJ tube, and it wasn’t two days and I was feeling better than I’ve felt in years. I had that a total of almost five weeks when I finally got my J tube and I’ve had about 85-90% relief of my nausea and vomiting. I also got a port shortly after the J tube, because i have pretty much no veins left, so that helps with fluids if i need them, since i don’t drink any water.

I am currently going to college, which is definitely a challenge with the health issues I already struggle with. I have an Associates degree in Biotechnology, during which I worked in a neuroscience research lab studying Gulf War Syndrome, Traumatic Brain Injury and Epilepsy. And now, I am working on my Bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in Forensic Lab/Investigative Science and Medical Lab Science. My heart belongs in the lab.

I hope to meet some great people here! It’s always easier to have people that understand what you’re going through.

Hope y’all are doing good. Remember, a day at a time!

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