Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Diet and nutrition are key for people who suffer from the digestive disorder known as gastroparesis.

The condition in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents, most often is caused by diabetes but has been associated with infections, endocrine disorders, connective tissue disorders such as scleroderma, autoimmune conditions, neuromuscular diseases, cancer, radiation treatments applied to the chest or abdomen, some forms of chemotherapy, and surgery of the upper intestinal tract. People with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia may also develop gastroparesis.

Those with gastroparesis suffer from a host of symptoms such as discomfort of feeling too full too soon after eating a meal, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Poorly digested food also can collect in the stomach and form a bezoar, a mass of undigested matter that may cause a blockage that can prevent the stomach from emptying, resulting in pain and nausea. The bothersome symptoms of gastroparesis can result in weight loss and poor absorption of nutrients, which makes diet and nutrition of the utmost importance to those with the condition.

Few medications are available for people with the condition, and most carry serious side effects. For example, Reglan (metocloparmide) was recently linked to a serious involuntary movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. The medication now carries a black box warning. Such warnings leave many searching for better ways to control their gastroparesis.

Some foods are more difficult for the stomach to digest, such as fatty or fibrous foods such as raw vegetables. People with gastroparesis should reduce their intake of fibrous foods or eliminate fiber from their diet altogether. If one chose to eat foods high in fiber, he should be sure to chew the food well and cook it until tender. If necessary, solid food can be pureed in a blender to ease digestion.

Thick and thin fluids such as puddings and nutritional drinks tend to pass well through the digestive tracts of those with the condition. Supplemental nutrition drinks are among the best choices for those with gastroparesis because they can provide important nutrients for the body that one may not be able to get with such a limited diet.

Source, American College of Gastroenterology

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• Patients with gastroparesis should weigh treatment options
• Gastroparesis treatments offer little relief
• Clinical trial seeks diabetics for new gastroparesis treatment
• Gastroparesis sufferer finds relief through surgery

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