title: ["Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?"--Combining conventional and complementary medicine in the treatment of gastroparesis].
abstract: Gastroparesis is a chronic disorder of abnormal gastric motility causing considerable suffering. We describe two cases of gastroparesis which were treated by methods which were not part of routine conventional therapy, but which, nevertheless, led to significant clinical improvement. In the first case, the patient suffered from gastroparesis following a vagal injury while undergoing a lung transplant. During his illness a mega-bezoar formed, a well-described complication of gastroparesis. After conservative measures failed, and in order to avoid a surgical intervention that carried considerable risk under the circumstances, a successful trial consisting of imbibing large amounts of "Coca Cola" and acupuncture was initiated. The bezoar dissolved completely and considerable improvement of the patient's gastric motility was achieved. In the second case, the patient was a young woman suffering from idiopathic gastroparesis, which responded well to treatment with tricyclic antidepressants. Due to her intention to become pregnant, this treatment was discontinued and she was admitted to receive homeopathic treatment. After two failed attempts in finding the right homeopathic remedy to replace the conventional treatment, the third remedy (Sepia) used brought dramatic improvement in her general condition and her dyspepsia. Today, over two years after her successful homeopathic treatment, she is in the middle of her second pregnancy, without any treatment and free of complaints. These two cases are examples of simple solutions for seemingly complicated and complex conditions alleviated by an integration of conventional and complementary/alternative medicine.
authors: Menachem
authors: M
authors: Oberbaum
authors: Malki
authors: M
authors: Schmell
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Schreiber
authors: Tomer
authors: T
authors: Adar
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Lysy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001630:Bezoars / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D008419:Materia Medica