When I was 9 years old, I started to throw up after almost every single meal. My pediatrician referred me to a GI specialist at a Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. They performed a 24 hour probe test and did a esophageal biopsy. The doctors there believed that my stomach was just not digesting food as quickly as it should, and that is why I was throwing up after I ate. I was put on medicine to help my stomach digest food faster and it worked for a while, but not long. I had to take medicine 30 minutes before every meal for 6 years.

My doctors realized that the medicine simply wasn’t working… and that my vomiting was getting worse. I underwent a series of tests, including an esophageal manometry and motility testing, to try and figure out what was wrong. I eventually got to a point where I could hardly even keep water down and it was affecting every aspect of my life.

After all of the testing had ruled out any other possible diagnosis, my doctors told me that they believed I had something called Adolescent Rumination Syndrome and referred me to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

I met with Dr. Carlo Dilorenzo and Dr. Anthony Alioto and they gave me a definite diagnosis of ARS. Just a month later, I was back at the hospital to go through their rumination program. They explained to me that rumination is the unconscious regurgitation of recently ingested food. Dr. Alioto worked with me to retrain my body and brain to accept food. He also helped me to overcome my fears of not being able to apply my newly learned skills outside of the hospital. I also got the privilege to work with many other specialist such as a nutritionist, and even a massage therapist. All of these people worked together to help me succeed in the program. By the time I left the hospital my rumination was 70% better than just two weeks before when I began the program. It was the best I had felt in 6 years!

Now I am 17 years old and have almost no problems with rumination. I am able to live my life and eat and drink without having to worry about throwing up afterwards.

I will forever be thankful for the amazing care I received at Nationwide Children’s. My life was truly changed in my two weeks that I spent there.

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• Name: Allie G.Allie Gordy
• Condition(s): Rumination Syndrome
• Age at Treatment: 15 years
• Age Today: 08/04/199924 Years

When I was 9 years old, I started to throw up after almost every single meal. My pediatrician referred me to a GI specialist at a Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. They performed a 24 hour probe test and did a esophageal biopsy. The doctors there believed that my stomach was just not digesting food as quickly as it should, and that is why I was throwing up after I ate. I was put on medicine to help my stomach digest food faster and it worked for a while, but not long. I had to take medicine 30 minutes before every meal for 6 years.

My doctors realized that the medicine simply wasn’t working… and that my vomiting was getting worse. I underwent a series of tests, including an esophageal manometry and motility testing, to try and figure out what was wrong. I eventually got to a point where I could hardly even keep water down and it was affecting every aspect of my life.

After all of the testing had ruled out any other possible diagnosis, my doctors told me that they believed I had something called Adolescent Rumination Syndrome and referred me to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

I met with Dr. Carlo Dilorenzo and Dr. Anthony Alioto and they gave me a definite diagnosis of ARS. Just a month later, I was back at the hospital to go through their rumination program. They explained to me that rumination is the unconscious regurgitation of recently ingested food. Dr. Alioto worked with me to retrain my body and brain to accept food. He also helped me to overcome my fears of not being able to apply my newly learned skills outside of the hospital. I also got the privilege to work with many other specialist such as a nutritionist, and even a massage therapist. All of these people worked together to help me succeed in the program. By the time I left the hospital my rumination was 70% better than just two weeks before when I began the program. It was the best I had felt in 6 years!

Now I am 17 years old and have almost no problems with rumination. I am able to live my life and eat and drink without having to worry about throwing up afterwards.

I will forever be thankful for the amazing care I received at Nationwide Children’s. My life was truly changed in my two weeks that I spent there.