My name is Kim I am 35 and have 3 children all with GI problems. I guess we can figure out where they came from :(
I have had problems with GERD for most likely my entire life but wasn't dignosed until the late 90's after all 3 of my kids had been diagnosed. An endoscopy showed evidence of Barretts Esophagus. I had my GB removed in 2001 after a couple of attacks and we thought I had my stomach problems under control. I took Prevacid then Prilosec and now Aciphex for that. I have always had some problems with nausia but I always linked it to my headaches and just carried Phenergan with me everywhere. FFWD to March of this year. Our whole family got sick starting with my DH, then myself, our middle child, the youngest and then the oldest. The boys got better within 24 hours( they have g-tubes so we just let them drain overnight and all better) my DH and DD were better in less than 48 hours but I was sick for 2 weeks. I ended up with 2 ER visits for rehydration and IV Zofran to control things. Once I was better I only had 4 days before I became drasticly ill again. I didn't think I could have such bad luck as to get another bug but when no one else got sick it cynched it for me. My regular doctor started out to order a scope but they were unable to start an IV after 13 attempts so we were unable to go through it. Then they did an upper GI. The radiologist noted to me that my esophagus was not working properly and that I had notably fewer contractions in my stomach than I should. I started the next day on just liquids until I could see the GI doctor the following week. At that point he diagnosed me with viral induced gastroparesis. I was happy because I thought at that point this would be temporary. He ordered a GES which showed me emptying at 15% in 2 hours (Normal is about 50% in 1 hour) which has him concerned that this may be more than just temporary after all. I do have a number of risk factors including the narcotics that I take for my FMS pain as well as possible Lupus(I have low possitive, need to be retested). Yesterday I saw my GI and he started talking about surgery. His recomendation is a gastric pacemaker which while it doesn't thrill me may allow me to eat again. The other option would be a J-tube which because of dealing with feeding tubes for almost 9 years with my two sons is the option I am more comfortable with just because it is what I am more familiar with.
I would rather not have any surgery but I also know between my lack of veins (had a picc line recomended) and the number of ER visits and the one hospital stay I have had just in the last month I can't keep going on like I am either.
Kim
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