A 22-year-old woman, Ella Rake, is suffering from a rare and debilitating stomach condition that has left her vomiting as many as 100 times a day on her worst days. According to a report in The Mirror, Ella has struggled to keep food down, loses weight rapidly and is now largely housebound or bedbound. At 18, she was diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder. Further tests found that she suffers from severe gastroparesis. She requires a wheelchair, faints frequently and weighs just over six stone.

Her condition has also affected her bowel, with a diagnosis of colonic inertia, in which the muscles and nerves responsible for moving stool through the colon do not work properly. Ella says her health has gradually deteriorated despite repeated hospital admissions and different treatments. She has experienced dangerously low potassium levels after frequent vomiting, requiring intravenous potassium replacement, and has developed life-threatening heart rhythm disturbances. She has also experienced bowel obstruction, severe constipation, sepsis and acute kidney injury.

Ella said, "Everything with my health has just gradually gone downhill. It is really scary. My weight is dropping. My bones are very visible and I am just very weak all the time. I do worry how much more my body will take before it gives out. I say to my mum all the time that this is it and I am going to die."

But what exactly is gastroparesis, what causes it and what complications can severe cases lead to?

What Is Gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis is a digestive disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents into the small intestine. In usual cases, coordinated contractions of the stomach muscles helps move food forward after a meal. In gastroparesis, these movements are slowed or impaired, usually because the nerves or muscles involved in stomach emptying are not functioning properly. This means food can remain in the stomach for much longer than expected. A person may feel full after eating only a small amount, experience nausea or vomit food several hours after a meal.

Severe gastroparesis can make eating and drinking extremely difficult. In Ella's case, she says she generally eats only small portions of foods such as melon or egg.

Symptoms Of Gastroparesis

Symptoms can vary from person to person and may range from mild digestive discomfort to severe, disabling illness. Common symptoms include:

  • Nausea and repeated vomiting
  • Feeling full quickly while eating
  • Feeling excessively full after meals
  • Stomach pain or discomfort
  • Bloating
  • Loss of appetite
  • Acid reflux or heartburn
  • Fluctuating blood sugar levels in some people
  • Unintentional weight loss and malnutrition in severe cases

Vomiting can become particularly dangerous when it happens frequently because the body loses fluids and essential electrolytes.

What Causes Gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis can develop when the nerves or muscles that control stomach movement become damaged or stop working properly. Diabetes is one of the best-known causes because prolonged high blood sugar can damage the nerves that regulate digestion. Other possible causes include:

  • Surgery involving the stomach or upper digestive tract
  • Certain viral infections
  • Neurological disorders
  • Connective tissue disorders
  • Some medications that slow stomach movement
  • Damage to the vagus nerve, which helps control digestion

However, sometimes doctors cannot identify a specific cause. This is known as idiopathic gastroparesis. In Ella's case, she was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder.

Why Can Severe Gastroparesis Be Dangerous?

The condition is more than simply feeling sick after eating. In severe cases, persistent vomiting and an inability to consume enough food can lead to dehydration, malnutrition and significant weight loss. Repeated vomiting can also cause electrolyte imbalance.

Potassium is important for normal muscle and nerve function, including the electrical activity of the heart. Severely low potassium levels can therefore trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which can potentially become life-threatening. Severe dehydration can also put significant strain on the kidneys.

Other Complications You Should Know

Food remaining in the stomach for prolonged periods can sometimes contribute to the formation of a solid mass of undigested food, known as a bezoar. Severe gastroparesis can also make it difficult to maintain adequate nutrition. Other potential complications include:

  • Severe dehydration
  • Electrolyte disturbances
  • Malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies
  • Significant or rapid weight loss
  • Abnormal blood sugar control
  • Bezoars
  • Poor quality of life
  • Kidney problems caused by dehydration
  • Repeated hospitalisation

In people who also have problems affecting the intestines, constipation and bowel obstruction can add to the difficulty of managing nutrition and hydration.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.