What Brittney wants people to understand is what being sick with a chronic illness means. Sure, the condition has left her with a slim figure which has earned her compliments in this society where “skinny” is “in.” But she is far from lucky, she says. “It drives me insane.”

It is unlikely her condition will improve. And people who suffer from gastroparesis have few treatment options. Some people can manage their condition with diet. Others must rely on medication or surgery. But there are risks to surgery, and even the medication raises concerns.

One popular medication for gastroparesis is metoclopramide, known by the brand name Reglan. Earlier this year the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black box warning on the drug after it was linked to a serious movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. The debilitating condition often doesn’t go away even after treatment has stopped.

There are several other illnesses besides gastroparesis that fall under the “invisible illness” umbrella, such as Fibromyalgia and scleroderma. For Brittney, raising awareness for such conditions brings her hope that better treatments will be found and she will be able to lead a more normal life. For activities and forums as part of Invisible Illness Week, go to InvisibleIllnessWeek.com.

Source: Journal Star

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › Sufferers of chronic conditions raise awareness for invisible Illness week

Scleroderma is a chronic and disabling connective tissue disorder that involves changes in the skin, blood vessels, muscles and internal organs. For most, the condition is progressive. If the gastrointestinal tract, heart, kidneys or lungs are involved, the condition can be fatal. Secondary conditions resulting from scleroderma include gastroparesis and pulmonary hypertension.

The Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act, co-sponsored by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) gives hope to the 300,000 Americans and their families living with this disease. The legislation specifies:

1. Directing the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the National Institutes of Health to expand research related to scleroderma. Priority areas would include:

• Development and evaluation of new treatments.
• Research on the relationship between scleroderma and secondary conditions including: pulmonary hypertension, gastroparesis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and Sjogren’s syndrome.
• Establishment of family and “childhood-onset” patient registries.
• Support for the training of new investigators.

2. Directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a scleroderma public awareness campaign highlighting disease symptoms, prevalence, related conditions, and the importance of early diagnosis.

Treatment for scleroderma includes corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and NSAIDs. Other treatments for specific symptoms, such as heartburn and gastroparesis, include antacids or Reglan (metoclopramide), medicines to improve breathing, and blood pressure medications.

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › Scleroderma bill will raise awareness, fund research