UK Teen Who Vomits 30 Times A Day Weighs Only 38 Kilos, Given Less Than 6 Months To Live!

In a recent medical case, a nineteen-year-old vomits about thirty times a day due to this rare condition she is suffering from. Caitlin White suffers from gastroparesis which causes a delay in the process of emptying the stomach. Caitlin just weighs a little over thirty-eight kgs (84lbs) and requires a daily transfusion.

According to Daily Mail, her daily infusion takes up about 12 hours of her day and for which she goes to the hospital every day. Her infusions sometimes even cause several infections. Caitlin has battled with sepsis seven times in and the last resort she has been offered could turn fatal as it may cause deadly blood clots.  Did you know what exactly do you mean by a rare disease? You may want to know what is a Rare Disease and 6 Strange Diseases You’ve Never Heard of Before!

What Is Gastroparesis?

This rare conditions severely affect the normal movements of your stomach muscles. In some cases, the stomach's motility doesn't work at all or is slowed down. The stomach doesn't empty in the right manner. A study that reviews the diagnosis and management of this rare disease says, 'Gastroparesis is a chronic motility disorder of the stomach that involves delayed emptying of solids and liquids, without evidence of mechanical obstruction. Although no cause can be determined for the majority of cases, the disease often develops as a complication of abdominal surgeries or because of other underlying disorders, such as diabetes mellitus or scleroderma.'

Symptoms of Gastroparesis

While the signs and symptoms are very apparent and involve too many vomiting episodes and extreme weight loss, the other symptoms laid down by a study is quoted as, 'Patients will often cite nausea, vomiting, postprandial fullness, and early satiety as their most bothersome symptoms on history and physical examination. Those that present with severe disease may already have developed complications, such as the formation of bezoars or masses of undigested food. In patients suspected of gastroparesis'

Diagnosis

A research paper that studies the diagnostic aspects of Gastroparesis says, 'Diagnostic evaluation requires an initial upper endoscopy to rule out mechanical causes, followed by a gastric-emptying scintigraphy for diagnosis. Other diagnostic alternatives would be wireless capsule motility, antroduodenal manometry, and breath testing.'

Regarding the medication of this rare disease, there is still a lot to be done. There isn't much research done on the potential ways one can curb Gastroparesis. A study says, 'New medications, such as hemin therapy, are emerging because of a better understanding of the pathophysiology behind gastroparesis, and present treatment options, such as gastric electric stimulation, are evolving to be more effective. Regenerative medicine and stem cell-based therapies also hold promise for gastroparesis in the near future.' Did you know that Vietnam Hospital Gets a Kid Who Sweats Blood, A first of the Rare Case

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2018 06:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).