Day of the Gastric Emptying Test

JediSurfer · #1 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 10:23 PM

This morning I will be having the gastric emptying test and the nuclear imaging department at the Western Park hospital.
I have fasted since 8pm last night which has been no problem with the severe lack of appetite, stopped taking the domperidone on Friday which has left me with stomach pains and I feel as sick as a dog. The domperidone could affect the results of this test.

I reduced my split Lantus basal rate on saturday to two 8 unit injections to reduce the risk of hypo. My fasting BG this morning is 5mmol/L and has risen to 6.6mmol/L in the last hour. look like my BG's will work out just fine. My only concern is that when I haven't eaten for a while and I do consume food my BG tends to spike dramatically, so the dosage for the irradiated food I will be eating needs to be spot on. Going low during the four hours this test will take is not an option. I think I will leave the BG to ride slightly high for the duration of the test.

Taking a book to read, got three movies and a couple of TV show loaded onto my pocket PC so I will have plenty of stuff to occupy my mind with during the test. I may even post on here to give an minute by minute update on the situation.

I really doubt the test result being positive as the autonomic nerve function test result were superbly normal. Either way today is the day. Man, I hate hospitals. Never been irradiated and I must say I'm quite excited.

Rich

Funnygrl · #2 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 10:47 PM

3 movies, a TV show, and a book?

How long is this test?

Mine took an hour.

JediSurfer · #3 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 10:55 PM

Three and a half hours for the barium meal test and then another 45 minutes afterward to drink a liquid of some sort.

Alice · #4 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 08:13 AM

I wasn't able to read with the barium test...I had to lie flat on a very comfortable/spa-like bed...I just snoozed. I did remember to take footies to keep by toes warm.

I didn't do the liquid test afterwards, but sounds interesting. Good luck and let us know how it went!

Seems like I had to lie still for about 1 1/2 hours. They didn't even want me to cough...and of course...I was choking back little coughs...if they just hadn't said anything to me...

Jan B · #5 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 08:15 AM

Hugs and well wishes; look forward to hearing about what is going on and how you are doing.

HollyB · #6 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 08:16 AM

Good luck with it!

kgm0612 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 08:23 AM

Good luck today, Rich. Please let us know the results when you get them back.

Karen

JediSurfer · #8 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 09:41 AM

Had the test, only took 2 hours in total, the nice lady whom conducted the procedure told me they say 3 and hallf hours because it can take that long sometimes.

Went quite well and the food didn't taste too bad. It was mashed potatoes, beans and sausage. The worst part was having to sit with my back up against the xray machine for so long. The water containing the radiation only took 5 mins and the conversation with the two woman who where taking care of me was really good. Made me feel relaxed and less nervious of the hospital enviroment.

They showed me the pics taken by the machine and it was truly fascinating. All the result are fed into a computer which analyses the info and give a result. These results will be ready sometime this afternoon and passed on to the gastromed. Hopefully won't take to long for my appointment to come.

Thanks for all the support xxxxxx
I'll post the results as soon as I have them.

Rich

shabbie · #9 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 10:27 AM

glad it went well rich, fingers crossed for good results now

Gary_W · #10 (**permalink**) 01-29-2008, 08:57 AM

Glad it went well for you (as well as a hospital visit with radiation involved can anyway!). All fingers crossed

Gary

JediSurfer · #11 (**permalink**) 03-03-2008, 12:17 PM

Today I had my follow up consultation regarding the gastric emptying test, in February. My stomach did empty within a “normal” timescale, the gastroenterologist mw that what is normal for one person can be very different for another.

In addition, the test is only good for picking up moderate or severe gastro paresis.
It would appear I only have the early stages of this stomach problem and with continued stable “control”, it will not become severe.

Therefore, I am to keep using the Domperidone, which alleviates the nausea for me. I can also increase or decrease the dose as require, as some day are better than others are. Also, can try other types of this kind of drug if I find it isn’t working properly. All in all this is a good result for me but still does not address my loss of appetite, which can cause problems as can the nausea. If only I could remove the diabetes, aspect of all this it would not be so bad.

Apparently, there are new drugs now being trailed for this type of disorder and botox injections can be used on the muscles at the bottom of the stomach, which tend to harden in diabetic people. This would be for severe cases so do not apply to me.

Cannot complain really, as I am back at work and exercising again. Slowly getting my muscle mass and fitness back. Ya can’t hold me back all I need now is good surf.

peace n love

Rich

JediSurfer · #12 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 09:08 AM

Would anyone know if when gastroparesis occurs in diabetic people if other complication would also be present. I dont appear to have any other complications and this is really bugging me. Could the test results be wrong. My autonomic nerve test came back normal so would this still be the right diagnosis or am I being given the nearest possibilty of diagnoisis just because of being diabetic for so long?
I sometimes feel that the docs are blinded by the science and actually miss what is staring them in the face.

Thanks

Rich

Jan B · #13 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 09:21 AM

Rich,

My guess would be that we could have just one problem without others. However, I've also had a doctor guess I had a problem (kidneys & would soon be on dialysis) by estimating one test along with the time I'd had diabetes. Thankfully, that doc was dead wrong -- that was over 10 years ago and I do not have any kidney disease at all. It is highly aggravating that so many doctors blame even unrelated issues on diabetes.

squidsdc · #14 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediSurfer

Would anyone know if when gastroparesis occurs in diabetic people if other complication would also be present. I dont appear to have any other complications and this is really bugging me. Could the test results be wrong. My autonomic nerve test came back normal so would this still be the right diagnosis or am I being given the nearest possibilty of diagnoisis just because of being diabetic for so long?
I sometimes feel that the docs are blinded by the science and actually miss what is staring them in the face.

Thanks

Rich

Rich, forgive my ignorance as I don't have lots of time on the PC so I may be a bit behind in info on this site. It would be helpful if you would summarize in this thread what your symptoms are that are leading you toward this diagnosis. I've had two gastric emptying studies, one this past year, and both came back with maybe a 25% delay, which was deemed to be OK, and since there were no changes, also stable. Although I would much prefer your study, as all I got to eat was an irradiated hard boiled egg! Looking forward to your response...

JediSurfer · #15 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 09:45 AM

basically, constant nausea, abdominal pain, bloated feeling and dizzyness.And complete loss of appitite. also when i eat carbs they can often take along time to absorb. And just generally feeling unwell. The domperidone would appear to stop this. get these symptoms even if I haven't eaten.