Second Gastric Pacemaker: 4 Week Update
It’s been exactly 4 weeks since I had the second gastric neurostimulator implanted at the Mayo Clinic. Compared to the first surgery and recovery period, the second time around has been significantly easier. The swelling, on the other hand, was far more dramatic — almost unbelievable — but it’s mostly gone now. Most importantly, the device seems to be working perfectly (no twitching!) and has significantly decreased my symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and pain.
I have my first follow-up visits with Dr. Swain, my fabulous surgeon, and Dr. Fox, my gastroenterologist, a week from today. I’m hoping for the all clear to return to yoga and start acupuncture treatments. I’m also hoping to arrange for my local family doctor to have a programmer, just in case the device gets turned off or I need a quick adjustment, as the 16-hour trip to Minnesota is getting a bit old.
My symptoms have already improved dramatically. I’ve had only 2 or 3 day-long “flare ups” of nausea over the past four weeks. Other than that, just some low-level, very mild nausea here and there. The only time I really have problems at this point is when I continue eating after I feel full. So far, the device doesn’t seem to be affecting the rate of gastric emptying (it’s not “supposed” to decrease emptying time, but it has been shown to do that in some cases), so small meals spaced several hours apart is the key (for me).
Those meals, however, are a bit bigger, more filling, and offer a little more variety than what I was eating pre-surgery. Almond butter and honey on toast and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are becoming staples, providing a good amount of much needed healthy fats. I must admit that the process of introducing foods back into the diet, after so many years of cutting foods out of the diet, is a bit daunting. But I’m approaching it with optimism, caution, and assistance from a few experts (more to come on that in a future post!).
While the last several months has been a physical and emotional roller coaster ride, I’m so grateful to have a working device, to be feeling better everyday, and to be launching my health counseling career. Helping others take control of their lives and learn to live well with gastroparesis is my way of turning lemons into lemonade!
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4 Responses to “Second Gastric Pacemaker: 4 Week Update”
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Great to hear of the positive results
! At least maybe you can look at food with some excitement, though I can definitely understand the trepidation surrounding introducing more stuff into your diet. It’s almost like jumping into the deep end, it’s hard to gauge how deep you’ll go before you jump.
Oh and the new site looks spiffo!
Thanks, Gabriel! It’s a relief to be sure. I’m approaching new foods with cautious optimism at this point…it is indeed an exciting experience! Hope you’re doing well
I have a daughter who has gastroparesis.. she is 24 years
old. Her first flair up was in 3rd grade and I could not tell if
she had soiled her underwear or the vomit that smelled so bad.You
have to know that as a mother I am very, still, concerned over her
condition. It seems now that Ensure and other health boosters are
just about the only thing that she can survive on. We know that
gastric-pacemaker is coming in the near future. IT is very hard for
me to eat anything in front of her.. I want her to be able to enjoy
the foods that she use to eat, normally. Nothing seems to be able
to be tolerated. We do not know which foods are making her sick as
fluids, just fluids, can cause a vomiting episode..I would like to
talk with you if at all possible about how you are doing and how
you got to a doctor and the line in wait for the Mayo Clinic.
Please contact me at the above email address.. thank you so much,
Nancy M. Still LaGrange,Ga.
This is for Nancy: I just now saw your blog. I live in SC. The BEST place for your daughter
(if she lives there in GA) is to see Dr. Thomas Abell, in Jackson, MS. He INVENTED the pacemaker and is head of the Gastro dept. there at University Hospital. Google him.
Also the dr. who does the surgery, Dr. Chris Lahr was my colon surgeon at Medical University of SC in 2002. So I know him very well, and he’s THE best surgeon.
I’ve had my pacer since Aug. 2010. I’m still having a lot of nausea and am going thru a very rough spot right now. But, Dr. Abell and his wonderful staff are working with me and changing the setting/meds to help me. It’s been a life saver for me!!
I do hope your daughter can get some relief-its a scary place to be when you don’t have any medical support that can help you. But, there IS the right dr. there and you can have the best. Let me know if you need further info.
Take care,
Jane Hall