Gastric Emptying Study

[Deleted]

Has anyone had one?

I went to see a new GI yesterday, and she said that she doesn't like to do colonoscopies on young people unless absolutely necessary so she wants to start with a Gastric Emptying Study. She agrees with me that there's a decent chance I could have gastroparisis. I saw her once quite a few years ago and we talked about it, but at that point the meal was required to be eggs, which I'm allergic to, so it wasn't an option.

If you've had one, what was it like? Should I be worried/stressed?

[Deleted]

Aug 2, 2013 13:30:39 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

What does it consist of anyway? No clue.

I think it's a little weird she won't do a colonoscopy though. Is she at least taking blood work?

It's not that she won't do a colonoscopy. She actually offered to do one, but said that she hesitates to do them on young people. I brought up the emptying study and she agreed that gastroparisis might make more sense than something like Crohn's because all of my bloodwork (which was done a month ago) looks good with no inflammatory markers or anything, and it fits my top to bottom GI symptoms nearly perfectly. If the emptying study comes back normal, then the colonoscopy is next on her list.

From what she said and what I've read, you eat something solid (usually eggs, but for me it will be oatmeal) and something liquid (usually water) that have radioactive dye in them and they use some sort of scanner to track how quickly the food leaves your stomach and goes into your small intestine. When we talked about it a few years ago it was a four hour test and they did an MRI once per hour for 15 minutes at a time, but from what I'm reading it looks like they've changed it quite a bit since then so I was hoping someone else has had it done relatively recently.

[Deleted]

Aug 3, 2013 7:04:07 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Can you remind me what your symptoms are? I hope the study shows something for you!

Not having answers is the worst.

The big symptoms are nausea, reflux, bloating, loss of appetite, feeling full after a few bites, pain and discomfort, and alternating between diarrhea and constipations. I usually start out feeling decent in the morning and throughout the day my pain and symptoms get worse (especially the bloating). I also have Hashimoto's (hypothyroidism), which can cause gastroparisis, and vitamin deficiencies from lack of absorption.

Not having answers is really terrible. I've been symptomatic for over ten years now, and I'm just ready to figure out what's wrong and do whatever needs to be done to treat it. I'm so beyond over feeling like this all the time.

[mandapanda18]

I had it done, I are oatmeal as the other option was a milkshake and dairy is a trigger for me. It was really no big deal, you eat the oatmeal, then lie on a really uncomfortable metal table for like 2 hours as they watch it move through the digestive process. I have probably had every test out there, pm if you have any specific questions, I'm an open book!

I will tell you, I let them do a sigmoidoscopy because they said I was too young for a colonoscopy, that is a load of b.s! If it comes to it, demand the colonoscopy, I was not a good advocate for myself those days, ended up needs ding the full scope anyway, so it was a waste of time and money.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2013 7:19:23 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Any update pixie?

My appointment is scheduled for Tuesday. I'm already panicking and considering cancelling. I don't know if I can handle the stress level of a four hour test right now, but I know that I have to do it. I'm going to have H give me a pep talk this weekend, and hopefully that will keep me from calling on Monday and rescheduling it. I wish that he could come with me.

[tacom]

interesting - I'm 23 and recently had a colonoscopy at the urging of multiple doctors - not one expressed any concern

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2013 23:50:05 GMT -5 tacom said:

interesting - I'm 23 and recently had a colonoscopy at the urging of multiple doctors - not one expressed any concern

Well, I'm not having one yet.

[tacom]

Aug 17, 2013 15:53:10 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

Aug 16, 2013 23:50:05 GMT -5 tacom said:

interesting - I'm 23 and recently had a colonoscopy at the urging of multiple doctors - not one expressed any concern

Well, I'm not having one yet.

Right, and you obviously need to go with what your doctor wants. But I'm just going to say it:

How can you be so sick that you're posting on here that you're not physically capable of working outside of the house, but a colonoscopy is too risky? 

It is just a little mind-boggling to me. I feel like there are a whole lot of steps, a colonoscopy being one of them, before you jump to that conclusion. From your posts here, it sounds like your medical providers have either shrugged you off in the past, or you've decided certain recommended tests aren't for you, or you've pushed things off for years d/t anxiety. If you're seriously in so much pain that you can't function on a daily basis and are considering quitting your job, I'd try to incite a little greater sense of urgency in my doctors. 

I wish you the best of luck. I do hope you can get some answers and the treatment you need. 

[Deleted]

Aug 17, 2013 16:08:15 GMT -5 tacom said:

Aug 17, 2013 15:53:10 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

Well, I'm not having one yet.

Right, and you obviously need to go with what your doctor wants. But I'm just going to say it:

How can you be so sick that you're posting on here that you're not physically capable of working outside of the house, but a colonoscopy is too risky? 

It is just a little mind-boggling to me. I feel like there are a whole lot of steps, a colonoscopy being one of them, before you jump to that conclusion. From your posts here, it sounds like your medical providers have either shrugged you off in the past, or you've decided certain recommended tests aren't for you, or you've pushed things off for years d/t anxiety. If you're seriously in so much pain that you can't function on a daily basis and are considering quitting your job, I'd try to incite a little greater sense of urgency in my doctors. 

I wish you the best of luck. I do hope you can get some answers and the treatment you need. 

You have me confused with someone else. I am not considering quitting my job. I work 40+ hour weeks just fine, along with a full course load of classes. I also never said I won't get a colonoscopy, just that my doctor feels this would be a better test to do first.

[tacom]

?

Jul 7, 2013 13:26:57 GMT -5 Pixie said:

Confession: I've started researching work from home options, but I'm struggling with wading through the scams to find legitimate options. I don't know that I even have a chance of finding one since I haven't even finished my degree yet, but being out of the house for 10+ hours per day trying to stay on top of my game with the amount of pain/nausea/bathroom time I'm having is just draining me.


I want to reiterate that I'm not doing this to be an ass. I just hope that your doctors are aware of the level of illness that is presented here so you are able to get the care you need (which has been a frequent complaint). It may just be my personal experience, but doctors associated with two separate hospitals wanted to do a colonoscopy asap when I told them I've had chronic ab pain, anemia and periodic blood in stool. I didn't get the sense that this was only used in emergency cases, but I can obviously only speak to my experience.

[Deleted]

Aug 17, 2013 16:19:32 GMT -5 tacom said:

?

Jul 7, 2013 13:26:57 GMT -5 Pixie said:

Confession: I've started researching work from home options, but I'm struggling with wading through the scams to find legitimate options. I don't know that I even have a chance of finding one since I haven't even finished my degree yet, but being out of the house for 10+ hours per day trying to stay on top of my game with the amount of pain/nausea/bathroom time I'm having is just draining me.

See, and I thought this board was for support, not for being judged based on an in the moment confession from months ago. Thanks for digging through my posts and making assumptions about my medical decisions.

AGAIN, I DIDN'T SAY I'M NOT GETTING ONE, JUST THAT THIS TEST IS HAPPENING FIRST AND I WONDERED IF ANYONE ELSE HAS DONE IT.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:44:13 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Aug 16, 2013 7:33:40 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

My appointment is scheduled for Tuesday. I'm already panicking and considering cancelling. I don't know if I can handle the stress level of a four hour test right now, but I know that I have to do it. I'm going to have H give me a pep talk this weekend, and hopefully that will keep me from calling on Monday and rescheduling it. I wish that he could come with me.

Update?

I'm waiting on results. They said I should hear by the end of the week.

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2013 5:34:04 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

How was the procedure part?

It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. 60 second scans once per hour for four hours, so a lot of sitting and waiting. The amount she wanted me to eat was ridiculous, though, and I wasn't able to finish it because she only gave me ten minutes.

[peachykate]

I actually found out I have gastropariesis a few weeks ago! I was actually a little mind blown at how slow my stomach works. I just started the medications this week so I don't think I am anywhere ready yet to tell you if they are working.

I have a lot of the same symptoms as you but the reason they decided to do it is that my reflux has been completely out of control the past six months or so.   I've also had nausea every day for almost 15 years now but the doctors always blamed either the birth control pill/hormones and they never looked into it any further.