Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the muscles and nerves around the stomach and prevents the stomach from properly digesting food. Normally, when food enters the stomach, the muscles contract, which churns and breaks up the food into smaller particles. Then, the food can pass into the small intestine. When the muscle contractions around the stomach are weakened, the food doesn’t get broken up thoroughly or empty into the small intestine. This can lead to a wide variety of uncomfortable symptoms.
Diseases of the stomach muscles can sometimes cause gastroparesis. The condition can also be caused by damage to the vagus nerve, which controls the contractions of the stomach muscles. The vagus nerve can become damaged during surgery or as a result of another health condition. Other causes of gastroparesis include potassium or magnesium imbalances, medication side effects, and thyroid disease. The cause of the condition is unknown in many patients, though.
To diagnose gastroparesis, patients usually undergo a gastric emptying study, which measures the amount of time it takes for food to empty into the intestine. Once you’re diagnosed, you and your doctor can develop a treatment plan. However, many people with the condition never see a doctor because they believe they just have indigestion. It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of gastroparesis, so you can see a doctor if you think you may have the condition. Here are nine of the most common symptoms:
1. Vomiting
Vomiting is one of the most common and most unpleasant symptoms of gastroparesis. Not everyone with the condition has a problem with vomiting, but it can be an extremely troubling symptom when it does occur. Vomiting typically happens within a few hours of eating a meal because the stomach isn’t able to churn and mix the food. However, people with severe gastroparesis may vomit without eating when secretions accumulate in the stomach.
In some cases, vomiting can lead to serious complications. If it happens multiple times per day, you could become dehydrated, which can cause fatigue, dizziness, confusion, shock, or coma. Dehydration is a common reason people with gastroparesis require hospitalization. If you can’t keep fluids down, you may need IV fluids and electrolyte replacement to prevent the dangerous complications of dehydration. Malnutrition is also common in people with gastroparesis, partially because of frequent vomiting. When you vomit after most meals, your body can’t absorb enough calories or nutrients to keep you healthy. Frequent vomiting leads to an overall decrease in quality of life. It can make it difficult to go to work or keep up with your other responsibilities. Social events often involve food and eating, which can make people with gastroparesis feel isolated. Treatment for the condition usually focuses on reducing vomiting, which makes it easier to eat enough to stay healthy.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Nausea
Nausea is one of the main symptoms of gastroparesis. Depending on the severity of the condition, nausea can range from mild to debilitating. It typically peaks within a few hours of eating a meal, but some people feel nauseous all the time. Many people report that their nausea gets worse in the evening and is often accompanied by abdominal pain. Nausea can usually be treated with dietary changes and prescription medications. Natural remedies like ginger can sometimes help as well. Most people with gastroparesis go through a process of trial and error to find the best ways to manage their nausea and abdominal pain.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. A Feeling of Fullness After Small Bites
Gastroparesis causes delayed stomach emptying, so most people with the condition feel full after eating just a few bites. When food from your last meal is still sitting in your stomach, you won’t be able to take more than a few bites before you feel too full and bloated to continue eating. This contributes to malnutrition, which is common in people with this condition. Although you may feel full, your body isn’t getting enough calories or nutrients. Because it can be difficult or impossible to eat a full meal, doctors recommend that people with gastroparesis eat smaller quantities more frequently throughout the day.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Vomiting Undigested Food
Because the condition prevents your stomach from properly churning, mixing, and breaking down your food, it’s common to vomit undigested food. This can even happen several hours after a meal. Some people report that they wake up most nights to vomit, no matter what time they ate their last meal. Vomiting is painful and unpleasant, but it sometimes is better than having undigested food remain in your stomach. When undigested food sits in the stomach for too long, it can harden into a bezoar. Bezoars often lead to even more nausea and vomiting, and they may block food from passing into your small intestine. This problem is rare, but it can require surgery.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Acid Reflux
A ring of muscle at the entrance to your stomach prevents stomach acid from entering your esophagus. When this muscle doesn’t close all the way, acid can move into your esophagus and cause a burning pain in your chest. This is known as acid reflux or heartburn, and it’s particularly common in people with gastroparesis. Like nausea, acid reflux often gets worse at night. It can usually be managed with medications and dietary or lifestyle changes. Some foods make acid reflux worse, so keeping a food journal and looking for patterns in your meals and symptoms can help. Keeping your torso propped up on extra pillows can reduce acid reflux while you sleep.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Abdominal Bloating
When food stays in your stomach without being digested, it can cause abdominal bloating. You may feel uncomfortably full for several hours after eating, or your abdomen may look distended or larger than normal. Many people with gastroparesis experience bloating, nausea, and pain all at the same time. These symptoms may get worse when you move around, so it can be difficult to keep up with work and your other responsibilities. Dietary changes are usually the best way to handle bloating. Eating smaller but more frequent meals can reduce how much food sits in the stomach, which will lessen the feeling and appearance of bloating.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]7. Changes in Blood Sugar Levels
Delayed digestion and stomach emptying can cause issues with blood sugar. Your blood sugar levels may drop if food remains in your stomach for a long time because it’s almost like you haven’t eaten at all. High blood sugar may actually cause gastroparesis because it weakens the vagus nerve, which is responsible for digestion. Because of the connection between blood sugar and the vagus nerve, people with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing gastroparesis. The condition is especially common in people with Type 1 diabetes, but it can also occur in people with Type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar levels will help with stomach emptying.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]8. Lack of Appetite
There are many gastroparesis symptoms that lead to loss of appetite. If you vomit after your meals, you probably won’t want to eat. If you feel nauseous or bloated most of the time, eating may make you feel worse. Since food stays in your stomach for a long time, you may not feel physically hungry. Most people with gastroparesis have a small appetite or no appetite at all. They often have to force themselves to eat small meals even though they don’t feel hungry. This leads to problems with malnutrition, which can make you more susceptible to developing other health problems.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]9. Weight Loss
If you don’t eat enough food because of nausea or loss of appetite, weight loss is inevitable. Vomiting also contributes to weight loss as it prevents your body from absorbing all the calories and nutrients of your food. Weight loss usually happens gradually as the condition develops over time, but acute flare-ups of symptoms can cause sudden and rapid weight loss. When the other symptoms of the condition are treated with medications or diet changes, it becomes easier to put weight back on. Foods that are low in volume but high in calories can be helpful for weight gain, and some people find that consuming soft or pureed foods is easier than solid foods.
