Loss of energy, pain in lower extremeties and cold

By karendiane
Posted January 22, 2008 at 6:48 pm · 9 replies
In Coping with chronic illness

My husband was diagnosed with diabetics about 5 years ago, for a 3 year period he exhibited indications of being healed with normal range sugar readings and all over good heath after changing his diet drastically. The past couple of months his health has rapidly declined with blood sugar levels going up and by all indications it now looks as though he has gastroparesis. He is waiting for a referral appointment to confirm the doctor's suspicion.

In the meantime he is suffering from lack of energy, is always cold and has pain in his lower extremities (groin, legs & buttocks).

Anyone else have those pains & aches in addition to all the other dark clouds of gastroparesis? And if so - any coping ideas or relief?

9 replies

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By Gayla1
Posted January 23, 2008 at 1:23 pm

I wonder if this might help. I think I had the start of GP. It was a year ago and I was not digesting and very sick. I lost 100 lbs during the year because of the stomach and colon problems. I could hardly eat anything. I tried everything and what finally made a difference for me was: Large amounts of Probiotics, HCL, Enzymes. Over a couple of months of doing these I started to be able to eat more things until now I know I can eat anything and things are moving finally. I am diabetic and my sugar is now in control.
I wonder if those digestive aids helped me and if they might help you in this circumstance.

During this time I was also was so cold it hurt most of the time. It could be 80 degrees out and I wanted to sit in a hot car (maybe 110) to be warmer. That has also turned around.

Gayla

By Shell1
Posted January 24, 2008 at 8:10 am

Gayla,

Could you share what type of Probiotics and Enzymes you take ... and more about HCL (not familiar)? Were these things you tried on your own or were they doctor prescribed? Also, how much do you take each day?

Also, I was on dr prescribed Probiotics once for bacterial overgrowth. I remember I had to take something to kill the bad bacteria, before taking something that would help grow good bacteria. Did you have to do this, too, just in case there was bad bacteria to start?

Thanks,
Shell

By karendiane
Posted January 24, 2008 at 11:00 am

Thank you Gayla for sharing what has worked for you and I will share the information with my husband.

It is interesting you mention that being cold hurt as my hubby says the same thing.

I too wonder if you'd post just a little more information regarding HCL as I am not familiar with it.

Also Probiotics.

Thank you
Karen

By Gayla1
Posted January 24, 2008 at 1:11 pm

After all the problems I was having, not being able to eat, the abdomen pain, etc., constipation, and I knew I wasn't digesting right, my naturopathic physician said it's time to find out what is wrong. We need a comprehensive stool sample to tell us what is going on. So I did a 3 day stool sample test, sent it to the lab and we got the report back which said I had almost NO intestinol flora, Pancreatic insufficiency, but no parasites. This meant I needed probiotics and enzymes badly. So we added these things plus the HCL because I probably needed that too. Within a short time I was having less stomach discomfort and began to add foods and started to eat again.

The naturopath physician suggested I take the HCL, probiotics, enzymes. These are the 3 things important to digestion. She said if I didn't need HCL I'd know it as I'd get heartburn or I;d feel a burning sensation or heat after taking it and then I'd know not to take it or that I was taking too much. I can take up to 4 before a meal with no problem. I started by taking 1 before each meal for a few days then increased to 2 a day for a few days. I increased until I went up to 4 a day before each meal. I have no problem with 4. And I take 2 enzymes mid meal.

Probiotics (I take Jarro-Dophilis+FOS): In am 1/2 hr. before breakfast and pm 1/2 before dinner take the probiotcs. In the beginning if you think you have almost no intestinal flora you can take up to 4 each meal. Then after a month or two drop it to 2.

HCL with Pepsin (Betaine HCl 650 mg, Pepsin 162 mg): Take just before first bite of meal. Start with 1 and after several days increase to 2, after several days 3 and after several more day 4. You'll have to experiment to see what you can take. It will let you know if you don't need it.

Enzymes I sent away for Klaire Labs Vital-Zymes complete. I take 2 each meal, mid meal.

Recommended book: H.O.P.E. by Brenda Watson. http://www.brendawatson.com and she is also on PBS channel. Explains everything you should know about digestion. Amazon has it for about $17.

I didh't take anything to kill bad bacteria. I would have been too nervous to do that as I think the Keflex antibiotic might have been what killed off the good bacteria in the first place. But adding good bacteria is supposed to kill off bad bacteria anyway.

I never could talk to my gastro doc because he just labeled me an IBS person and would blow off anything I had to say. He would ignore most questions and then give me a big humoring smile and say "oh, it's just IBS, that's normal for IBS, comback in 3 months, see you then." When he recommended I start prozac I got it. He thought I was a hystertical female and discounted anything I said. I got rid of him quick after that.

What a learnng experience this has been.

By karendiane
Posted January 24, 2008 at 1:31 pm

Wow - thanks for the details and the book recommendation. My hubby will appreciate this information very much.

Even though I am not going through this myself I am learning quite a bit.

By Gayla1
Posted January 24, 2008 at 1:59 pm

I do get trembly from the waste down, into legs, whenever I have stool building up in the rectum. Doctor says that cannot be stool causing the problem. Must just be a coincidence and I am nuts. I almost hate to even bring up problems because I'm so tired of doctors dismissing my problems as can't be.

By karendiane
Posted January 24, 2008 at 2:19 pm

It certainly makes sense to me and it must be the cause of my husbands pain also.

By samiduke
Posted January 24, 2008 at 3:35 pm

Gayla,

Just curious how you found your naturopathic doctor??? I see a great GI doctor at the moment but there are somethings that I would like to follow up with a naturopathic doctor on. For example, the holistic therapies that you recommended. I'm currently taking motility medications that are really helping but I believe that there are probably natural remedies that I can transition to over time. Also, there are a ton of things that have been left unchecked that I would like to look into.

Can you make some recommendations on how to find a good holistic/naturopathic doctor? Thanks so much for the info.

Sam in VA

By Gayla1
Posted January 24, 2008 at 5:49 pm

I found her several years ago. I went to see her because my daughter had breast cancer and I was looking for some alternative medicine to help. I found out that a "Naturopathic Physician" is someone who does a lot of medical school and needs to be licensed in your state to make sure they are "real" naturopathic physicians. They should be a Bastyr college graduate, and licensed in your state. A lot of people do quicky courses online and call themselves naturopaths, or naturopathic consultants, but they are NOT naturopathic physicians. Make sure you go to an experienced professional who graduated from the right school.

I've love to know what motility meds you are taking in case I want to look into them also in case things turn bad for me again.

I'd contact Baystr website and see if there is a way to find someone in your area at http://www.bastyr.edu/

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