Rapid Gastric Emptying not related to Gastric Surgery

Hi Lucy, yes I have it....I baffled several specialist as I have never had any kind of surgery.. I was palmed off with a few silly conclusions before they realised what it was. It took several years....it was the final test that I insisted on having that diagnosed the problem. I've found none of the surgery related tips work too well.....and I cope in 3 ways, 1 is the tablets I take ( which I thought would never help, but did greatly )...and second I have found small combinations of food that don't trigger the emptying ( though I don't know why, and they don't match the online or doctors advice ! ) 3rd, posture after eating a larger meal

 

Tablets : 1 acarbose ( glucobay) before eating ( this is normally for diabetics) / I also take 30mg of Amitriptyline at night (these are the main treatment....I thought the doctor was bonkers when he suggested these as they are for depression ( in higher doses ). These two lots of tablets have made my symptoms bearable and I can work around it. - 

 

Food, that's just what works for me, it might not for you, we can discuss if I get a response. I eat exactly the same 3 things for breakfast & lunch EVERY day to get through work....then eat a bigger meal at night that can be varied daily, that is helped by posture.

 

Posture : I position myself almost horizontal after a large meal, this works for me very well, if I stay that way for about an hour, I'm over the worst. If I stand up for more than 5 mins, I can feel the food go through and so the symptoms start.

 

Hope this helps.....you're not alone, but I don't think there are many of us...very rare indeed without surgery.

I was just diagnosed and have not had surgery. Thank you for the tips!

Wow, after much research online you are the first person I come across who is in the same situation. I was diagnosed with this in September 2012 (last month) and after some research, I was so confused because everyone who has this has had gastric surgery. I am not alone, I thank God but I pray this goes away as well. I have constipation also, and not diarrhea, I have symptoms of hypoglycemia as too sometimes, but mostly tiredness, weakness, hunger, major bloating too. I’m in Canada, and the test showed 72% of the food I eat goes to my intestines in a matter of 30min. I still have to go see a gastroenterologist in December to see the cause of this. Any updates about your situation?

I also have the same symptoms, without surgery. My Dr. has suggested Dysautonomia. A problem with the autonomic nervous system. I was given amytriplanen also but could not tolerate the fatigue and heaviness of limbs that I felt while taking it. I don't have any answers for you but can only point you and your doctors in that direction.

Hi, I also suffer with this and I havn't had surgery either. I've had it now for about 3 years. My symptoms definately don't include constipation... Fortunately I have an excellent Doctor who ran blood tests and a urine test and quickly diagnosed me with this after just a few appointments. I've tried to seek advice online too but until seeing this post have only been able to find articles relating to the after effects of surgery. It was interesting to read the post about avoiding certain food combinations, as I can go anything from a couple of days to several months inbetween bouts of this. There is no fixed pattern to it and I havn't been able to pick out a specific type of food which makes it happen so I suppose it could be foods which I've eaten together.

I have just found out I have rapid gastric emptying. I have tried everything. Will you please tell me the combination of foods that you eat everyday that help? I also have constipation not diarrhea.thanks

nmorrison - my situation includes diarrhea at the drop of a hat, so I don't think I can help. But I have found that NOT drinking 30 mins before, during or after meals helps somewhat.

I have a similar situation with varying symptoms. I was diagnosed by two doctors with dumping syndrome, but have baffled literally dozens of doctors. During the normal course of a day, the symptoms are of hypoglycemia, although with normal glucose levels. Profuse sweating of the hands, shakey, heart racing, anxiety (major) irritability. Stomach ulcers, gastritis, and when I eat you can watch my stomach/abdomen swell up to three times the normal size in a matter of minutes.

  It runs in the family as all males are affected by it. What appears to help the symptoms is prilosec for the GERD, vitamin b6 for the depression (major case of that and SAD disorder). The B vitamins, especially B6 and B3 have made a major difference.

What helps the sweaty, shakey stuff, is eating tons of sugar or sweet things. The stomach nausea goes away, and the sweating stops, until it dumps. Then the process starts all over again.

I was tested for gastric emptying with the scan that watches as you eat the radioactive eggs and toast. That showed slow emptying! But then again, I don't eat nuclear eggs and toast in the normal course of a day, so not sure how they can base anything on that.

   It's sad that the human heart, brain, and other organs are well studied, but the stomach, as one doctor put it, is just a bag that holds and grinds food. That's not true, as it's considered a "second brain" which has many different cells, enzymes and co-enzymes that operate within it, along with signaling from the Vagus nerve.

    What's unfortunate for us sufferers, is, that not all doctors are informed, or educated past the general level, but still charge premium prices for stumbling and misdiagnosing. If you go to a new doctor, they reinvent the wheel by taking the same common tests over and over again, then sending the bill.

If I ever in my lifetime get it figured out, I'm positive the dumping syndrome, along with the gastritis and gerd, is a symptom of a malfunction farther up the metabolic ladder. Unfortunately finding a doctor to track down the hormone, enzyme, or chemical process responsible, is a daunting if not unreachable goal.

Hi, if you send me your email address, I'll email you directly.

Thank you ST

My husband has a form of this problem. After having a blood test here where we live in the UK. He was told after the blood test his problem was triggered by Pepper black/white since taking that from his food he is ok, also pineapple too is a problem for him. My problem for running for the restroom is triggered by some nuts and Gluten.

I just went yesturday for the gastric emptying study.  My doctor thought i had slow gastric emptying so I was quite surprised to find that I Have rapid emptying, 87% empty after one hour. In the past year, I have had such an uncomfortable full feeling after eating even the smallest amount of food.  When I move my bowels, which is every day, they are loose compared to before.  What I don't understand is that I have gained weight.  I am 46 years old and have already gone through menopause, and am a type 1 diabetic.  I have looked online and see no one who has gained weight.  Does anyone know anything about why I might gain weight?  I do not have a follow up appointment with my doctor until July 25th and just want some understanding about what this is and why I have gained weight.  thanks

I was diagnosed with rapid gastric emptying 6 months ago. Numerous tests later, several Rx tried, etc., gallstones were found. Within 6 weeks after the gallbladder was removed, all my symptoms are gone. Life is so much better now. Hope this helps you or someone else with this condition.

Thank you.That may be the problem for some on here.There also might be another problem I haven't heard any one mention.Hyperthyroidism.This produces many symptoms similar to dumping syndrome.Most have the runs rather than constipation though.
Hypothyroidism can produce some of the effects and does cause weight gain.It also is more likely to produce constipation.

I had gastric bypass surgery in July of 2012. I have struggled to lose the 53 pounds I gained prior to that surgery. In the past 4 months I have gained about 15 pounds and I don't know why. After many appointments with dietitians I finally went for a upper GI test which my weight loss surgeon told me she showed rapid gastric emptying. But in order for my insurance company to pay for treatment I have to have an endoscopy. If this test shows and confirms what my surgeon suspects then I can begin treatment through medication first then surgery if necessary. What my surgeon told me is that with rapid gastric emptying, my insulin spikes within 40 minutes of eating a meal and that is why I have had difficulty with losing weight and actually gaining weight. I'm very anxious to find out the results of the endoscopy because that maybe the reason why I can't lose weight and I'm actually gaining. So I can get it fixed and get on with my life.