Gastroparesis

Understanding Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal movements of the stomach. It causes the stomach to empty too slowly after a meal. This can lead to a variety of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, feeling full quickly when eating, bloating, and stomach pain. While gastroparesis can happen for no known reason, some common causes include diabetes, surgery on the stomach or vagus nerve, and certain medications.

When you eat, your stomach muscles contract to break food down into smaller pieces and move it into the small intestine. This process is controlled by the vagus nerve, which tells the muscles when to contract. With gastroparesis, the vagus nerve is damaged or not working properly so the stomach muscles don’t contract normally.

Food then sits in the stomach longer instead of moving into the small intestine for digestion and absorption of nutrients. This can cause nausea, vomiting of undigested food, weight loss, dehydration, and malnutrition. The undigested food can also harden into solid masses called bezoars that won’t pass through the intestines.

Doctors diagnose gastroparesis through a physical exam, medical history, blood tests, and imaging tests like an upper endoscopy or gastric emptying study. During a gastric emptying study, you eat food that contains a radioactive substance while a scanner tracks how quickly it leaves your stomach.

There is no cure for gastroparesis, but treatment focuses on managing symptoms. Dietary changes like eating smaller, more frequent meals of soft, low-fiber foods can help. Medications like metoclopramide, domperidone and erythromycin can help the stomach empty faster. In severe cases, a feeding tube may be needed to provide nutrition.

Living with gastroparesis can be challenging, but being aware of triggers, sticking to dietary modifications, and working closely with your doctor can help control your symptoms and allow you to live a fuller life. With proper treatment, most people find they can still eat and drink enough to maintain their weight and nutrition.