Gastroparesis 101: Getting to Know This Condition & Its Triggers
First and foremost, what is gastroparesis? Gastroparesis is a gastric disorder in which the stomach both a) doesn’t produce enough acid to digest food properly and b) doesn’t empty when it’s supposed to. This leads to some very uncomfortable symptoms and can, in severe cases, lead to malnutrition. In this post, we’ll look at the answers to the following questions and more: what triggers gastroparesis, what can be mistaken for gastroparesis, how is gastroparesis diagnosed, and how is gastroparesis treated?
What Is Gastroparesis: Causes, Risk Factors, and More
What Are the Symptoms of Gastroparesis?
The symptoms of gastroparesis are:
Nausea, acid reflux, and vomiting
Pain and bloating in the abdomen
Feeling full after small amounts of food
Difficulty maintaining blood pressure levels
Decreased appetite, weight loss, and malnutrition
Who Is at the Most Risk for Developing It?
The following individuals may be at a greater risk of developing gastroparesis:
Those who have had previous abdominal surgery
Diabetics
Individuals who take narcotics
Those with hypothyroidism
Patients with scleroderma
Those with Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis
What Triggers Gastroparesis?
In most cases, gastroparesis is caused by an issue with the vagus nerve – an important gastric nerve that causes the lower gastric sphincter to open and close. The vagus nerve is also responsible for telling your stomach’s parietal cells to produce sufficient amounts of gastric acid. In people with gastroparesis, these processes are delayed and inefficient.
Some patients find that certain foods (foods high in fat and fiber, for example) will trigger their symptoms. If this applies to you, you may be able to live symptom-free by simply avoiding your triggers.
What Can Be Mistaken for Gastroparesis?
In less severe cases, gastroparesis can be easily confused for things like GERD, achalasia, viruses, and more. Gastroparesis can cause serious complications and lead to severe malnutrition, so it’s important that – if you have gastroparesis – it is diagnosed as such and you are referred to a specialist.
How Is Gastroparesis Diagnosed?
It’s important to note that, since gastroparesis can be confused with other conditions, most reflux and gastric specialists will want you to contact their office with a diagnosis and a referral. First, work with your primary care physician to rule out other conditions.
Your primary care physician will probably ask for a gastric emptying study so that he or she can properly diagnose your condition. If you do, in fact, have gastroparesis, you will be referred to a specialist (or you can find one yourself).
What Are the Treatment Options?
Since gastroparesis is caused by a couple of different factors, including the vagus nerve, the best thing to do would be to repair this nerve damage. However, this is extremely complicated and a procedure to address this hasn’t yet been created and FDA approved. Right now, the best course of action for gastroparesis patients is to widen the opening between the stomach and the small intestine.
Your doctor may also prescribe medication to help relax your stomach sphincters. In severe cases, you may need a feeding tube.
Gastroparesis Treatment in Tampa Bay
Surgical endoscopy might be right for you if you need to avoid large incisions or just want a generally smoother recovery. If you cannot undergo general anesthesia, a different treatment option may work better for you. If you’ve been diagnosed with gastroparesis and are ready to work with a reflux specialist to resolve your issues, get in touch with our office.