Treatments

The Neuroelectric Stimulator is implanted just outside the stomach with leads attached to the stomach muscle wall. It uses mild electric pulses to stimulate the antrum portion of the stomach which helps to eliminate nausea and vomiting. There hasn't been enough study to determine if it will speed up the mobility in the stomach. I myself, haven't noticed any quicker digestion but I would like to get another gastric emptying study done to see if the percentage in my stomach paralysis has improved or not.

The surgery takes about an hour and a half and there is an 8 week recovery time. I had 6 incisions, 5 about 1/2 inch long and the other incision is 2 1/2 inches long. The stimulator sits just under my left side rib cage. Finding the right setting for each individual and to notice its full effects can take time, up to a year. For me it took 8 months. I have no pain or discomfort from it. The only times I can tell it's there is by placing my hand over it or by sitting on my knees leaning forwards, I have to push it up and tuck it under my ribs. With the trial part however, you feel a slight vibration in the stomach. For the trail alone not when its implanted. For the trial, the stimulator is conected to a battery pack that you wear on your belt for two weeks. The tubing comes through your nose. Thats very uncomfortable :( The stimulator is only on for one week and off the other, but you dont know which week its turned on. I think I did noticed the week it was on because I felt that slight vibration in the stomach. The stimulator is also called a pacemaker or pacer. There are different settings for it so theres room to work with it if I'm not doing well. Also over time and finding the right setting for the stimulator I will hopefully be able to decrease some if not all of my meds. That would be amazing!


Botox Injections

When I was first diagnoses with GP and was having extreme pain, I was sent to a pain specialist. I only saw him twice but the first time, unlike the second, I was having pain so he injected botox directly where the initial pain was (same place as heartburn). It helped for a bit but after 45 minutes the pain returned. The reason it worked is because my pain is from muscle spams in the stomach area so using botox these muscles were able to relax for a while. The second time I went I wasn't having pain so there was no need for a botox injection. I never returned after that appointment because I felt if these shots were only going to last about an hour, I didn't want to have numerous amounts of botox in my abdomin like that.

A lot of people have tried the botox injections and it has helped them. For most I believe it can help with symptoms as long as a few months. It's definitely worth looking into!