Our specialists are national pioneers of advanced techniques for treating gastroparesis and they’re here to help you feel better.
Our stomach relies on the brain, through a network of nerves, to tell it when to digest what we swallow and move it along in the digestion process. When key nerves don’t work properly, food can end up trapped in the stomach for longer than usual causing the discomfort of a condition called gastroparesis.
Damage to these nerves can stem from previous surgery in the abdomen or esophagus, certain medications, thyroid trouble or diabetes. In addition to negatively impacting your quality of life, the repeated vomiting of gastroparesis can cause severe hydration and lingering food can develop bacteria in your stomach.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Vomiting – especially undigested food, sometimes hours after you’ve eaten – is the most common symptom of gastroparesis. You might also experience:
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Feeling full after only eating a small amount
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Changes in blood sugar levels
- Malnutrition
To diagnose gastroparesis, your specialist will order one or more of the following tests:
- Bloodwork – to check blood sugar levels, blood cell count and signs of infection.
- Endoscopy (EGD) – allows us to see and evaluate the inside of the upper gastrointestinal system and take biopsies if needed to check for inflammation, infection or damage. We use a small telescopic camera sent through the mouth into the esophagus and stomach.
- Gastric emptying study – we have you eat a small meal containing a harmless radioactive material and then use a scope to see how long it takes your stomach to move the food through and become empty.
- Ultrasound – using high-frequency sound waves, we check for abnormalities in the stomach and nearby organs.
- Upper GI X-Ray – with barium and a special X-ray machine called a fluoroscope, we take images of the esophagus, small intestine and stomach.
Treatment Options
Gastroparesis can be treated on various levels depending on its severity. For mild cases, medication and such self-care tactics as eating easier-to-digest foods keep the stomach muscles functioning enough to move food along.
If those approaches don’t help, there are other options for relief. Our specialists lead the way nationally in the advancement and use of new techniques to treat gastroparesis, including:
- Gastric stimulator – a surgeon implants a special device under the skin of your abdomen. Two leads from the device are placed in the stomach muscle to deliver mild electrical stimulation that reduces the chronic nausea and vomiting of gastroparesis.
- Per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) – the surgeon uses an endoscope to cut a muscle where the stomach connects to the small intestine. We are the only center in Connecticut – and one of a handful in the country - equipped to perform this procedure, which replaces surgery for some patients.
- Pyloromyotomy – this minimally invasive procedure, performed under general anesthesia, splits some of the muscle of the sphincter or valve controlling the emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine.
Living with the Condition
As with many swallowing disorders, there are ways you can adjust your diet and lifestyle to minimize the impact they have on your life. Our team is here to help you address habits that may trigger related symptoms.
Our suggestions include:
- Avoid trigger foods like high-fat or fried items, fast food and things that cannot be chewed well like corn or broccoli.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Keep an eye on your nutrition. It’s easy to suffer from malnutrition with conditions like gastroparesis.
- Drink lots of fluids. Dehydration is a common concern.
- Eat smaller meals with cooked vegetables, breads and cereals, pureed meats and legumes like lentils or soy beans.