After seeing three different doctors and months of testing, I’ve (Eric) been told that essentially I have three different inter-related medical issues. Earlier this week, I went to the latest doctor appointment to review the findings of the different exams performed over the last 2 months. All of this from the beginning of swallowing / sore throat problem!
The latest tests showed that I have something called gastroparesis. In laymen’s terms, my stomach has difficulty emptying properly. The doctor compared my stomach to a coffee cup (how did he know I liked coffee?). Unfortunately, my coffee cup is full and will not empty – so that leads to spills when and where you don’t want them (acid reflux). He is recommending that we try to ‘fix’ this latest problem first. Again, in the coffee cup analogy – it doesn’t matter if we put a better lid on the top of the cup, you still have a full cup and it will continue to spill.
So, how is this related to fiber? I’ve been told I should go on a ‘low fiber, low fat’ diet, in addition to trying some medications. That means I should avoid foods like oatmeal, high fiber bread, raw vegetables, beef, and the list goes on. This for a person who does like food of many varieties.
Deb and I are still processing the information and reading through material about what this will really look like. After trying this approach for the next two months, we’ll re-evaluate if things are improving. Some trusted medical websites say, “there is no cure for gastroparesis“. All things considered, this really is a small problem when compared to other major obstacles in life.
Please be in prayer that God will bring healing, whether that be through His miraculous touch or through the medical community. Pray as I make adjustments to my diet and eating schedule.