I went again to the gastroenterologist (GE) yesterday and this is just my “vent”, with a few questions (:bouncing: )

I have gastroparesis (GP), but now he says it’s “not that bad” (although he really had wanted me to do the Reglan) at “110 minutes half-time”. I guess 90 min is normal.

:bouncing: Any thoughts on normalcy for GP?

He did suggest Motilium, finally (I had way too much problem with the Reglan), and said he’d see which pharmacies in his (office) area might have it.

:bouncing: Of course he said it’s not Food & Drug Admin, but I’m wondering why any US pharmacy would have it at all? Isn’t it technically illegal? :confused:

:bouncing: Also, if not through a pharmacy here, how would I get hold of Motilium myself? Just order it from Canada through some website? (GE is “skeptical” about the med.)

I would like to try it. I’d like to see if helping the GP would stop my burping/hiccupping altogether.

He also has suggested having a pH study, via Bravo (Bravo! I really don’t want that tube stuck down my nose a whole day :eek: ). He would like to see if the Nexium, et al, is technically controlling my acid even if I’m still feeling problems in my throat (mainly).

:bouncing: This brings to mind, does anyone seem to live with these reflux symptoms day-in & day-out for ages on end? Sounds like so many people recover and maintain, but I feel like I'm the only 1 still actually suffering (i.e., feeling it very much) 11 mos later, on a daily basis.

The GE also said he’d like to do a colonoscopy, I think mainly because of my “bowel problems” (mostly because I have a rainbow of colors and slightly mushy soft stools most of the time). My lower gastrointestinal doesn’t bother me much, but obviously my stools have been wildly variant and I guess that could be something.

I’m just so sick of feeling bad many times, and almost always in my throat (my tongue is now totally coated, up to the front). I’m sick of worrying about what or how much I eat (even though I see no pattern to the former). And now, I’m sick of feeling dizzy :dizzy: and having heart flops that I can’t get rid of because of the Reglan usage. Never mind I’m sick of going to doctors and taking off work for it. It’s embarrassing.

I sure hope someday they can figure out how to FIX these things, not just nurse them. :(

I can't answer your GP questions, but regarding the day-in day-out suffering I can relate to. I'm 17, and was pseudo-diagnosed with GERD a few weeks ago after a particularly severe esophageal spasm. Was on Prevacid, which battled valiantly with my stomach (but lost. Very sore loser). In the end I was subscribed Prilosec, which I have been taking for about four weeks, but the symptoms have yet to 'disappear'.

Every day I get regurgitation, although my primary symptom is the spasms, which tend to wake me up at night and are really painful. Now constantly loose, watery and occasionally bloody stools have come into the mix, along with a painful lump thingie in my upper abdomen around where my stomach is. Funfunfun.

Here here on them figuring out how to fix these stupid occurances. I can't imagine having to put up with it 11 months. :eek:

My doctor believes that the supplement betaine hydrochloride can aid GERD by increasing stomach acid. This sounds crazy, since conventional treatment involves reducing stomach acid. However, according to him lack of stomach acid leads to incomplete digestion of proteins; these proteins cause allergic reactions and other responses that lead to an increase in reflux.

So he FIXED my problem by making me take Metagenics Metagest with every meal, along with Enzymes and probiotics. The metagest contains both HCL and Pepsin. It works well and I have a normal functioning system again. It took me almost 2 years to figure this out, plus I had to completely eliminate antibiotics - although now I can take them for emergencies only. If I take antibiotics, I have to increase my probiotics (good bacteria).

For what its worth , check out the symptoms of "LOW stomach acid", they are almost the same, if not worse. If you have bad stools, I could almost guarantee that some probiotoics would help.

Hi oldman,

I'm not sure of your age, but I'm 31. I've read a lot about low stomach acid and it tends to happen as we age. I think I might have this problem, but at my age I'm not sure if it's a possibility.

Do you have any idea?

Hey Cappy,
I am 41 and I have had low stomach acid for at lets 5 years, I just didn't know it. I think it had alot to do with drinking too much and poor eating habits. I know that booze and potato chips mess with everything. Seems like in America, we get everything at younger and younger ages. If you think you have low acid and a shot of lemon juice helps your heartburn (right after you eat) then you are probably right.

I used this product called Metagest by Metagenics. It works extremely because it not only has HCL (acid), but Pepsin, which is an enyzme that helps digest fats and proteins. Classic symptoms of low acid are sensativity to fatty foods.

Low acid can cause lots of problems later. If not checked, then the rest of your gut is digesting incorrectly and allowing bacteria and other creatures that would normally die in the acid, to move into the gut and blood stream. This stresses your liver out and in my case, eventually infected my blood vessels. what a mess. So keep researching, I found an alternative guy who did the "vinegar test" for low acid.

I've had acid reflux for six years, since I was about ten.

I was told when I was younger that some people recover, but I've read in several places that it's a long term condition--for a lot of people, it never does go away.

In terms of not being able to eat what you want...it's a struggle. I used to love coffee, and I haven't been able to drink it in several years. Most foods that irritate GERD I can stay away from if I really try, but for the ones that I HAVE to have sometimes, I just limit it.


I wish I could tell you there's some miracle cure, but if there is one, I haven't had any luck finding it yet.