Gastroparesis is a disorder that delays your stomach from digesting as fast as someone without the disorder would. The vagus nerve, which is usually controlled by the muscles in your stomach, will help move along the food you have contained. When the nerve becomes damaged it prevents the muscles in the stomach and intestine functioning, which in turn prevents the food from moving through the digestive system. Most causes for gastroparesis are unknown.
Some causes of Gastroparesis can include:
1. Uncontrolled Diabetes
2. Injury to the vagus nerve(most likely caused by gastric surgery)
3. Narcotics and antidepressants
4. Parkinson's disease
5. Multiple Sclerosis
Gastroparesis complications can include:
1. Food that stays in your stomach too long can lead to bacteria.
2. You can develop what is known as bezoars. Bezoars are hardened undigested food that causes obstructions.
3. Those who have diabetes may have more trouble controlling their blood sugar.
Diagnosing Gastroparesis:
1. Gastric Emptying Scan: You eat eggs coated with small amounts of radiation with toast. You are allowed to swallow a sip of water. After you wait an hour a camera scans your stomach to see how much you have digested. Then you do another test in the 2nd hour and then 3rd. If 10% of the meal is still undigested after those hours then you are diagnosed.
2. The smart pill: The smart pill is a small electronic device that you swallow. This device sends back information on how fast it travels through the digestive system.
3. Ultrasound: The ultrasound will take pictures of your bodies organs using sound waves. If your doctor wants to rule out other diseases with similar symptoms this might be done.
4. Upper endoscopy: This is a small outpatient procedure which entails moving a small thin tube through the esophagus to examine the line of your stomach.
Known treatments for Gastroparesis:
1. Reglan- This is a pill you take before eating. This pill causes the muscles to contract to help move the food along. This is NOT a long term solution. This drug has a high chance of the recipient getting a neurological disorder.
2. Erythromycin- This is an antibiotic, also not to be used long term. This antibiotic contracts the stomach muscles to help move the food along.
3. Diet- This is one of the best ways to get your symptoms under control.
If all of these treatment options stop working for you there are other drastic measures that can be taken but are not always guaranteed.
Some these options include:
1. Electric stimulation- This is like a pacemaker except for your stomach. This device uses electrodes that are attached to the stomach wall. When your stomach is stimulated by the electrodes, the stomach contracts and moves the food along. Only a few facilities offer this option across the U.S.
2. Feeding tube- Some people are unable to eat solids and may not even be able to get down liquids due to the aggravating symptoms of this disorder. This option is the last resort for very malnourished patients.
Afterthought- I have been suffering with gastroparesis for two years now. It is definitely a problematic disorder. I got my gastroparesis from an unexpected colon infection. I was sick for months before I got a formal diagnosis. After seeing the doctor, emergency room visit, a specialist, a colonoscopy, and then finally a gastric emptying scan, I finally got my diagnosis. I learned the best way to maintain my disorder is not eating certain foods that trigger the symptoms. I do not eat anything that contains skin. Those foods include most vegetables. I stay away from onions completely, which is my worst trigger. If you think you may be suffering with this illness and have not been formally diagnosed, inform your doctor about this disorder. This disorder is not really talked about much and should be more recognized.
Here is a foundation that is searching for the cure for gastroparesis: http://gpdfoundation.com/
