So, the medications that I'm on right now are as follows:
Zofran 8mg - three times daily under the tongue. Zofran is used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. It is also used to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting after surgery.
My problem with this medication is that even though it dissolves under the tongue, it's very hit or miss. It doesn't always work to control the nausea. It also has a VERY strong mint taste and when you're nauseated, that doesn't really help.
Phenergan 25mg - four times daily. Phenergan is an antihistamine. It is used to treat allergic reactions and to treat or prevent nausea and vomiting from illness or motion sickness. It is also used to make you sleep before surgery, and to help treat pain or nausea after surgery.
My problem with this medication is that it's hard to keep down. However, it works the best out of all of the antinausea medications. If you get it through an IV, make sure your nurse pushes it slowly. If not, it will burn like hell and blow your vein. Trust me on that one.
Bentyl 20 mg - once per day. Bentyl is used to treat bowel problems including irritable bowel syndrome.
Again, it's hard to keep down tablets. This was given to me to control the spasms in my stomach. It does help, but not enough.
Dexilant 60mg - once per day. Dexilant prevents the production of acid in the stomach. It is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and inflammation of the esophagus.
The problem with this medication is that it interacts and effects the absorption of the Levsin. So, I haven't been taking it. Also, it's hard to keep down, even though it's a small capsule.
Levsin 0.125 - four times daily under the tongue. Levsin is used to treat stomach and bladder problems. This medicine is also used for rhinitis, to reduce some problems caused by Parkinson's disease, and for the treatment of poisoning with drugs that are usually used to treat myasthenia gravis.
I have been on this medication for only a few days, so I can't really offer an opinion.
As for diet, I follow this plan:
I cannot have fruits or vegetables, high fat, high fiber, or gluten. That limits my diet greatly. When I eat, it burns in my stomach. Imagine having heartburn inside of your stomach ... and then multiply that by 20. My stomach is pretty much conditioning me NOT to eat. If I do manage to keep food down, it's usually bland. I try to drink Ensure so that I can have vitamins, but that doesn't really stay down either.
The Mayo Clinic says:
Eat smaller meals more frequently.
Eat low-fiber forms of high-fiber foods, such as well-cooked fruits and vegetables rather than raw fruits and vegetables.
Choose mostly low-fat foods, but if you can tolerate them, add small servings of fatty foods to your diet.
Avoid fibrous fruits and vegetables, such as oranges and broccoli, that may cause bezoars.
If liquids are easier for you to ingest, try soups and pureed foods.
Drink water throughout each meal.
Try gentle exercise after you eat, such as going for a walk.
Some people with gastroparesis may be unable to tolerate any food or liquids. In these situations, doctors may recommend a feeding tube (jejunostomy tube) be placed in the small intestine.
Feeding tubes can be passed through your nose or mouth or directly into your small intestine through your skin. The tube is usually temporary and is only used when gastroparesis is severe or when blood sugar levels can't be controlled by any other method.
And believe me, I DO NOT want a feeding tube! An infected feeding tube does not sound like fun.
The Mayo Clinic says that treatments are:
Injecting a nerve toxin to allow the stomach to release food. Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) is a nerve toxin most commonly known for its use in treating skin wrinkles. Researchers have found that Botox injections relax the pyloric muscle in some people, thereby allowing the stomach to release more food into the small intestine. The benefits are temporary, however, and more studies are needed to determine the overall usefulness of this treatment.
Implanting an electrical device to control the stomach muscles. Electrical gastric stimulation uses an electric current to cause stomach contractions. Working much like a heart pacemaker, this stomach pacemaker, consisting of a tiny generator and two electrodes, is placed in a pocket that surgeons create on the stomach's outer edge. Stomach pacemakers have been shown to improve stomach emptying and reduce nausea and vomiting in some people with gastroparesis, but more studies are needed.
BUT, there is no cure. Each of the treatments have serious side effects. I haven't tried either one yet, but I've read about them. The Botox injections are temporary and I've read that the pain comes back a hundred times worse after it wears off. The pacemaker in your stomach, well, that could cause a whole lot of problems, not to mention that you can never get an MRI again.
I'll keep you updated on what works for me but everyone is different.
The orthopedic doctor did an MRI and didn't see anything major. The doctor said I dislocated my knee cap again and tore some cartilage. However, the I did fail the physical exam when I was tested for a meniscus tear. I did some research and found that meniscus tears can be missed by an MRI. The doctor then sent me to an orthopedic surgeon, because he said that MRI's don't always catch EVERYTHING. The surgeon then proceeded to call me, "kiddo" throughout the appointment and was very condescending and rude. He wouldn't listen to me at all and told me that if I wanted to get a second opinion, it would be useless because he was right. He didn't fix me, he said I didn't need surgery. He injected me with cortisone again...specifically not asking first nor telling me what he was going to do. He was extremely condescending and rude. He told me not to seek a second opinion because I would get another doctor cutting into my knee when I didn't need it. He just really pissed me off.
The cortisone made it worse. >.< class="text_exposed_show">knee surgery because that could possibly make it worse but THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG and it's not in my head. I am pretty sure I have a tear and my doctor is too - that's why he sent me to a surgeon. The guy didn't even order more tests...he just referred to a MRI taken in June.
Also, this is the third time I've dislocated my knee and this feels DRASTICALLY different from the other two times. I have kept it elevated, iced, and rested as much as possible. When this happened before, I could put weight on it and get around with a brace. It never hurt to the point where I wanted to vomit. The doctor did give me a cortisone injection two weeks ago...and it helped the pain some but now it's back with a vengeance. I am currently using a brace for a torn ACL (it has a hinge to keep from straightening my leg) and crutches to get around. The brace only helps when I try and crutch around. I keep my leg elevated at work too. Nothing seems to be helping. The pain medicine takes the edge off a little but I'm still in *a lot* of pain with the pain medicine. I'm not fishing for drugs - I WANT THE PROBLEM FIXED.
I just don't want to do physical therapy for four weeks if it's not going to improve my leg but make it worse. Tuesday made it SO much worse. My leg is so swollen, almost to the size of a watermelon. This is the second doctor I've been to and Emory is supposed to be great. I really want to take fall classes, so if I have to have surgery - I would rather just schedule it and do it as to not miss class.. I just don't know what to do anymore. I can't eat, I'm having trouble sleeping, and I can't get comfy at work. It's just so frustrating.
Enclosed is the link I found about tears:
http://www.yorkshirekneeclinic.co.uk/cartilage-tear.htm