Gastroparesis Online Support Group

I am honestly thinking about going on disability because I've been so sick with GP. Has anyone went on disability or had trouble working? I was diagnosed with GP about 6 months ago and I've found it increasingly difficult to get out of bed most days. my husband has been very supportive but I feel guilty for not helping with our income. I don't feel like I can hold down a job if some days I can show up and some days I can't. The pain episodes are by far the worst, I get them a lot, I puke and dry heave a lot too, and I find eating impossible sometimes so somedays I go without. When you go with out or just do the juiceing you often feel like passing out. I'm just beside myself with frustration. Trying new foods has been scary, going out to dinner is nearly impossible. I just don't know what to do or where to go. I was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic, so I know all about the diet and such, but how can we hold down a job like this?

I was one of the lucky ones. My symptoms were not so bad that I couldn't work...most ofthe time anyway. Even when I was on liquids, somehow I was still able to get in to work most of the time. I never really had the vomiting, just pain, nausea and reflux.

It is possible just difficult to do.

Diana

I've just had so much trouble with it. At one point I weighed 64 lbs and I'm 5 ft.2". I feel so frustrated sometimes and overwhelmed. I cant seem to get my diet under control.

-LaShelle

LaShelle,

Honestly, my gp has been so bad this year; I don't think I could work. In June, I had a total colectomy due to colon inertia, and then nobody thought of doing an gastric emptying test on me until August (8 hours or more to leave my stomach) when I have been losing weight since 2009. I was complaining of excessive burping, dry heaving, bloating, reflux, nausea, etc. Everyday I have this pain and burn in my left abdomen. I am extremely gassy everday trying to get my gas out and go to the bathroom at times still. You can hear air just gurgle in my stomach sometimes, or even liquids just sitting in there.

I am at my lowest weight now, and I am 5"10. I really need extra nutrition right now (nothing but skin and bones), but I can barely eat anything. Even just a bite, and my left abdomen can start to expand. I am lucky I am not working right now. I got laid off before my surgery in June, but I am receiving unemployment =). I tried to apply for temp. disability, but I am still waiting to hear about it.

I wish you the best of luck, and this Thursday I am going to see a surgeon in Chicago about my gp and the pacemaker. I am glad I got accepted for a medical card this year! Good luck, and I know the frustration!

Kyle =)

I am SO glad to hear that I am not alone! My husband works full time and is very supportive about me not having a job right now but sometimes I feel guilty. I am trying to avoid being put on a feeding tube but sometimes the pain is so bad and I am knocked on my butt for days or even weeks. I refuse to take Reclamation, I know it's not a safe drug to use long term every day so I am trying to do this naturally. Hopefully they find us a safe cure!

I refuse to take Reglan* stupid auto correct!

Im pretty much in the same boat. I have been on short-term dis since June of this year. I was having Gallbladder stuff go on, and then in July the docs took my GB out. Sine that time, I have gone from bad to extremly worse. Unfourtanetly, I am the only 1 earning any money right now, and the Ins Co. handling my case has not paid me since Nov 6th!!!! Yup, thats right. 8 friggn weeks with ZERO INCOME!! I do have a guy in my works HR dept. that is 100% behind with me on everything. He is trying to help with the cash aspect, and said that it would prob take going to a media outlet. Sooo, Im crossing my fingers on that 1. As far as disability goes, I dont know what to do. Like prob most of you, I go without food most days, have horrible stomach, chest, groin, and shoulder pain. Plus, I puke when I do eat.. ALL THE TIME!! My HR guy says at this point also that I should start the paperwork for disability. I truely dont know if I can even work anymore cuz of the pain, nausea, and vomitting. I am a guy that used to work 50-70 hrs a week ( 2 jobs) just to support my fam. Now, I cannot even play with my kids without getting sick... I truely hate this damn disease!! Im supposed to go to a specalist in Boston on the 4th who hopefully starts me on the meds, and test my Vagus nerve. It seems like it got damaged in my GB surgery. Sooo wish me luck. I prob will start the disability paperwork soon though. I really dont want to, but I know working is not an option like 99% of the time.

let me know how it goes filling out the forms! It's nice to know that we aren't alone! God help thouse of us with GP! <3 God Bless! You will be in my prayers!

those*

I was just denied my first application. I sent back a document for an internal review. All my friends with GP that have got disability benefits (sorry it's what we call them in Canada I think it's SSI in the USA?) got them from the 3rd step which comes after the internal review. That's when you go to court and fight for it. I have fibro and chronic fatigue and depression (due to all the other conditions) and Disability still denied me on my first application. It's possible to get it but you have to be ready for a battle. Also, get letters from the specialists in each of your conditions. It doesn't matter that I have 3 general practitioners saying that I have a bad case of fibro...I still haven't been able to see a rheumy and as per disability, I don't really have fibro since a specialist never diagnosed me. I do have GP but not a ''bad case'' since I was diagnosed 2 years ago and wasn't bad off. I didn't lose 25 pounds since nor do I vomit pretty much every day unless the specialist writes on paper that I do. They are very technical in hopes to get rid of many applicants.