Digestive Problems Caused By Autonomic Neuropathy

Today's post from dressamed.com (see link below) is another article by well-known neuropathy expert, Dr. John Hayes Jr. This time he talks about the relationship between digestive problems and autonomic neuropathy (you know, the one where your involuntary functions are affected by nerve damage). He focusses on the results of stomach surgery which may lead to nerve damage but in fact, autonomic neuropathy affecting your digestive system can arise irrespective of the cause. It's a useful article because many of us do have digestive problems, especially as we get older - these may result in weight gain, or weight loss, or general discomfort but identifying the culprit is a nightmare. If you already have neuropathy, you may well suggest to your doctor that he consider autonomic neuropathy: there's a good chance that nerve damage may be the cause of your symptoms.

Could Your Digestive Problems Be Caused by Autonomic Neuropathy? 
Posted on May 11, 2016 Posted in Staff Pick by Staff Pick

So you finally bit the bullet and had gastric bypass surgery…

Or maybe you opted for the lap band…

Everything went really well with the surgery and now you’re back home and on your way to your new life and brand new you.

You started to lose weight almost immediately and you couldn’t be happier with the results.

You knew you’d have some side effects[1] but you really didn’t expect anything you couldn’t handle.
But you never expected:

Heartburn
Bloating
Nausea and/or vomiting
Difficulty in swallowing because your esophagus no longer functions properly
Inability to empty your stomach
Diarrhea
Constipation

None of these digestive problems are pleasant. And what’s even worse is that they can last from days to weeks on end.

You knew you needed to take off the weight but it’s beginning to feel like it might not have been worth it.

They warned you about possible side effects but one they may not have mentioned what could be causing one or several of your symptoms.

Your problems could be a result of Gastrointestinal or G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy.

Exactly What Does That Mean?

It means that your body is suffering from nutritional deficiencies caused by the lack of certain nutrients and vitamins. The bypass surgery or lap band procedure may have stopped your body from taking in too much food, but it also substantially reduced the amount of nutrients and vitamins you’re getting from your food.

You no longer take in enough food with the nutrition your body needs[2]. When that happens, the body begins to break down. One of the many issues you can develop due to what is basically malnutrition is G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy. The nerves; specifically the vagus nerve, is damaged by the lack of nutrition and it begins to malfunction. That means difficulty in digesting food, difficulty in swallowing, and inability to eliminate waste properly…

Basically an inability of the digestive system to do anything it was designed to do.

Before the advent of gastric bypass surgery and lap band procedures, most people who developed G.I. Autonomic neuropathy or other types of neuropathy were diabetics, alcoholics or they live in countries where malnutrition was common.

Now gastric bypass surgery has brought on a whole new subset of patients who suffer from G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy.

The Nutrients You Probably Lack

G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy is usually caused by deficiencies in:
Vitamin B1 or Thiamine
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin E
Many of the symptoms caused by your G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy can be lessened and possibly even controlled by a healthy diet and management of whatever underlying condition you have that could be contributing to your neuropathy.

What If You’re Not a Gastric Bypass Patient But You Have These Symptoms

What if you haven’t had gastric bypass or lap band surgery but you still have the symptoms we talked about above? If you have
A history of alcohol abuse
Hepatitis C
Crohn’s Disease
Celiac Disease

And you’re having the problems we discussed above contact your doctor immediately. Ask him to test to make sure that you are indeed suffering from nerve damage that could be linked to any of these causes. Once that diagnosis has been made, ask them about treatment options.

Treatment Options

A highly skilled medical professional well versed in diagnosing and treating nerve damage is your best place to start for treatment of your G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy. An excellent place to start is with a neuropathy clinician. They have had great success in treating patients with your symptoms using a multipronged approach that includes:

Care and correction for your muscular and skeletal systems
Treatment for any underlying medical problems
Nutrition education and diet planning
A step by step exercise regimen
Medication as needed or necessary

If you have a confirmed diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Autonomic Neuropathy or think you may have it, you don’t have to just live with it. In fact, just living with it could be downright dangerous due to intestinal blockages, continued malnutrition, etc. You may also contact us today for information on how G.I. Autonomic Neuropathy can be treated, your suffering lessened and exactly how to find a neuropathy clinician in your area.

References:

[1] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autonomic-neuropathy/DS00544/DSECTION=symptoms

[2] http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Nutrition-for-Neuropathy

About The Author

Dr. John Hayes, Jr. is an Evvy Award Nominee and author of “Living and Practicing by Design” and “Beating Neuropathy-Taking Misery to Miracles in Just 5 Weeks!”. His work on peripheral neuropathy has expanded the specialty of effective neuropathy treatments to physicians, physical therapists and nurses. A free Ebook, CD and information packet on his unique services and trainings can be obtained by registering your information at neuropathydr.com. To book interviews and speaking engagements call 781-754-0599.
 
https://www.dressamed.com/root/could-your-digestive-problems-be-caused-by-autonomic-neuropathy/