Gastroparesis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month, a time to learn more about the condition, recognize the symptoms and understand the treatment options available.

What Is Gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis is a condition that causes the stomach to empty food more slowly than normal. It can lead to nausea, vomiting, bloating, stomach pain and feeling full after eating only a small amount

Normally, muscles in your stomach help move food through your digestive system. With gastroparesis, these muscles do not work as they should. Food stays in the stomach longer than normal, even though there is no blockage stopping it from moving.

Gastroparesis is a long-term condition. Symptoms can be mild for some people and much more severe for others.

What Are the Symptoms of Gastroparesis?

Common gastroparesis symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Upper stomach pain or discomfort
• Feeling full after eating only a small amount
• Feeling full long after eating
• Poor appetite

When symptoms are severe, it can be difficult to eat or drink enough. This may lead to dehydration, weight loss or not getting enough nutrients.

What Causes Gastroparesis?

Several conditions can affect the nerves and muscles that control how the stomach empties. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of gastroparesis. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the nerves that help control the stomach.

Other possible causes include:

• Previous stomach or digestive surgery
• Some viral infections
• Certain medications
• Conditions that affect the nervous system

Sometimes, doctors cannot find a clear cause.

How Is Gastroparesis Treated?

Gastroparesis treatment depends on your symptoms, what is causing them and how much they affect your daily life. Treatment often starts with changes to how and what you eat. Your healthcare provider may recommend:

• Eating smaller meals more often
• Choosing foods that are lower in fat
• Limiting high-fiber foods that are harder to digest
• Choosing softer or liquid foods when needed
• Drinking enough fluids

Medications may also be used to help the stomach empty more quickly or control nausea and vomiting. If diabetes is causing gastroparesis, managing blood sugar is also an important part of treatment.

When Is Surgery Needed for Gastroparesis?

Most people with gastroparesis do not need surgery. Surgery may be considered when gastroparesis becomes refractory, which means symptoms remain severe and difficult to manage even after trying diet changes and medications.

Depending on your symptoms and overall health, a gastroenterology team may involve a general surgeon to discuss additional treatment options. Some procedures may help the stomach empty more effectively. Others may provide nutritional support when it becomes difficult to get enough nutrition by eating.

Treatment is different for each person. Your care team will consider your symptoms, health history and response to other treatments before recommending surgery or another procedure.

A Patient’s Experience at CRMC

“The abdomen is a huge galaxy to explore, but they just started checking off the boxes. They kept searching, and they found it. The communication between doctors is amazing. I didn’t have to track down or share information; they shared it between themselves, and that is huge. That doesn’t happen with those big statewide names. So, driving an hour and 45 minutes here has definitely paid off.” – Tami, CRMC patient

Read her story

When Should You Talk With Your Healthcare Provider?

Occasional nausea or bloating can happen for many reasons. But if you regularly feel full after eating only a small amount, have ongoing nausea or vomiting, or experience other digestive symptoms that do not improve, talk with your healthcare provider.

These symptoms can have many causes. Getting the right diagnosis is the first step toward finding a treatment that can help.

During Gastroparesis Awareness Month, we encourage people to learn the signs of gastroparesis and seek care for ongoing digestive concerns. When surgical care is needed, CRMC’s General Surgery team provides evaluation and treatment for a wide range of digestive conditions and works with patients to determine the right next step in their care.

Learn more about gastroparesis care at CRMC.