Something as simple as having a slice of pizza wasn't possible for Pam Thompson earlier this year.
"I would have to have just a little tiny piece and then 50/50 on whether I was going to be sick or not," Thompson said.
Diagnosed with gastroparesis 25 years ago, Thompson's stomach wouldn't digest food properly and she couldn't eat anything without throwing up.
"Almost every day, sometimes two or three times a day, I just couldn't keep anything down. I was always nauseous, never wanted food, didn't want to smell it, cook it, or see it," Thompson explained.
Medications failed, but thanks to a new pacemaker device placed under the skin, Thompson is getting her appetite back.
"It's changed her life," said Dr. John Petersen, board certified gastroenterologist at Borland-Groover Clinic.
Petersen said gastroparesis is a condition where the nerves that control stomach functioning are damaged. It's typically seen in diabetics like Thompson, but can strike anyone.
"They can't accept a meal properly," said Petersen. "They can't grind a meal into the right size and shape to get out into the intestine so it can be absorbed."
The gastric pacemaker uses electrical stimulation to get the stomach to contract and do its work. Doctors can monitor functioning and make adjustments as needed.
"I think it's a massive breakthrough for the people that just had nothing to look forward to," Petersen said.
Now, Thompson can eat without worry and focus more attention on her dog Tango.
Patients can also get gastroparesis after a viral infection impacts the nerves. Symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea with vomiting, bloating and weight loss.
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