A 33-year-old man from Colchester has reported vomiting up to 90 times a day due to severe gastroparesis, a condition that slows the movement of food out of the stomach. His experience highlights the complications that can arise when diabetes affects gastric motility and shows why early diagnosis is important. He is currently seeking financial support for treatment, including replacement of his gastric stimulator battery.
A 33-year-old man from Colchester, England, recently reported that he was vomiting up to 90 times a day due to a chronic digestive disorder. His case has brought gastroparesis into public focus, a condition that affects stomach motility and can severely disrupt daily functioning.
According to him, the symptoms began in 2017 when he experienced persistent nausea, abdominal pain, and repeated vomiting. At first, the episodes were considered a minor stomach illness. Over the following months, vomiting increased to more than 50 episodes per day on average. At its peak, he reported nearly 90 episodes in one day, along with significant weight loss.
The individual, identified as Matthew Pascoe, lives in Colchester and has Type 1 diabetes. His diagnosis in 2018 confirmed gastroparesis, a disorder known to occur more frequently in people with long-standing diabetes.[1]
Gastroparesis occurs when the stomach cannot move food into the small intestine at a normal pace. In diabetes, repeated fluctuations in blood glucose can damage the vagus nerve, which controls stomach muscle contractions. Damage to this nerve slows gastric emptying and leads to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, and early satiety.[2]
In severe presentations, retained food and fluids accumulate in the stomach. This can cause repeated vomiting, dehydration, and poor nutritional intake.[1]
Doctors implanted a gastric neurostimulator in 2019 to control his symptoms. This device uses electrical impulses to support stomach movement and relieve chronic nausea and vomiting. Reports noted that his symptoms improved after the procedure, and he tolerated meals better.
When the stimulator is working, it is a lot more manageable. I used to always love my food, and to have the stimulator fitted, I was able to be intrigued with food again. But in the last couple of months, I have reduced how much soluble food I can intake.Matthew Pascoe
The internal battery powering the device typically lasts 10 to 15 years, although he stated that his battery appears to be failing earlier than expected.
He has also begun raising funds to cover the cost of replacing the battery for his gastric stimulator and to manage his ongoing medical needs. The financial support is intended to help him continue treatment at a time when his health limits his ability to work. Community contributions have offered him some stability as he prepares for the next stage of care.
His symptoms progressed steadily from early 2017 until his diagnosis in April 2018. This prolonged period reflects how gastroparesis can be difficult to identify because its symptoms resemble common gastrointestinal disorders. A gastric emptying study is usually required for confirmation.[2]
Gastroparesis is a recognised gastrointestinal motility disorder, but extremely frequent vomiting of this severity is rare. Conditions such as cyclic vomiting syndrome can produce repeated vomiting, although they usually occur in episodes with symptom-free intervals.[3] Gastroparesis creates continuous problems because the stomach empties slowly over long periods.
If untreated, patients can experience dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, weight loss, and unstable blood glucose levels.
Recognising delayed gastric emptying at an earlier stage can prevent complications and guide timely interventions. Gastric neurostimulation may offer an option for patients who do not respond to conventional treatment.
1. Camilleri M, Chedid V, Ford AC, Haruma K, Horowitz M, Jones KL, Low PA, Park SY, Parkman HP, Stanghellini V. Gastroparesis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018 Nov 1;4(1):41. doi: 10.1038/s41572-018-0038-z. PMID: 30385743.
2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). "Gastroparesis."
3. Cleveland Clinic. "Gastroparesis: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment." Last modified 2023.
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