Digestive system
 

Would Neuropathy affect your digestive system?

yes,
 

and also the other way around.

Please explain Mrs. D

GI disturbances...
 

Chronic diarrhea, gluten intolerance/celiac disease, Crohn's,
GERD (use of acid blocking drugs), all lead to malabsorption of nutrients. Especially B12, but others too. Low B12 damages nerves.

Damage to autonomic nerves that run the GI tract (mostly the stomach) leads to gastroparesis, and failure to digest your food.

It goes both ways.

Thanks Mrs. D

PN and digestion
 

Hi, just a second to Mrs D - PN can definately affect your digestion - by damaging the nerves the control the normal contractions of your stomach and intestines.. although caused by nerve damage - handled by "motility specilialists" - GI doctors - and its necessary to find one who is familiar with the contition. There are tests to confirm, and also some meds that may help, in addition to diet changes. the degree a person can be affected varies greatly too - just like with PN.. I've got pretty severe PN and also the GI problems from it (called gastroparesis) - for me I have to live on liquid diet only and meds, but again, correct diagnosis and then different diet and treatments can help each person on an individual basis...

I hope you feel better....:)

Same here. Small fiber neuropathy>>>autonomic neuropathy=gastric issues. Not pleasant and hard to manage. The worst for me are, dysphagia, nausea, postprandial hypotension and early saiety...and well, how do I put this, ok, I will just say it, constipation.

It is hard to eat healthy, when you eat and want to barf and pass out. I have given up on restaurants.

Search 'Autonomic Neuropathy' to see all what neuropathy can affect.

Megan
 

Certainly autonomic issues can cause stomach problems such as gastroparesis but don't assume it is that before having a gastroscopy/endoscopy.

I have had stomach issues for 15 months now off and on, but mostly on, since the onset on my PN last year. I wondered if it was an autonomic problem but last week after having a gastroscopy I got an alternate answer.

What they found was that I have a large para-oesophageal hernia, which essentially means that a large part of my stomach has moved into my chest through a herniation in the diaphragm. This can be quite life threatening so will probably need surgery in the very near future.

So I urge you, if you haven't already done so, to get a gastrocopy done to eliminate any anatomical and structural problems first, which may be fixable. Gastroparesis is not a nice thing to have.