Gastoparesis and Diabetes

Friday, January 16, 2015

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Gastroparesis is a disorder that affects people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes that can contribute to difficulty managing your blood glucose levels.

Gastroparesis and Diabetes

Do you suffer from gastroparesis? Having gastroparesis and diabetes can make it difficult controlling your blood glucose levels. Because of the delayed gastric emptying, medications and insulin timing can be thrown off and less effective.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a form of neuropathy that affects your stomach. The nerves in the stomach are no longer working properly or have become damaged. This damage causes your stomach to empty very slowly. Just like other forms of neuropathy, having high blood glucose levels damaged the nerves.

Symptoms of Gastroparesis

Depending on the person, symptoms can be mild or severe. Symptoms include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, early feeling of fullness, weight loss, decreased appetite, abdominal bloating, uncontrolled B6 levels, and reflux. If you are having symptoms listed above, discuss with your healthcare provider.

Diagnosing Gastroparesis

There are certain tests and procedures that can be conducted in order to diagnose gastroparesis. One test is a gastric emptying scan, where you consume a prepared meal and see how long it takes to digest and leave the stomach. Gastroparesis is diagnosed if more than half the food is still in the stomach after two hours.

Diet and Gastroparesis

If you have gastroparesis, it is important that you follow these steps. Eat small, frequent meals – about 4-6/day. Avoid foods high in fat and fiber as these take longer to digest. However, high fat drinks like milkshakes may be tolerated. Make sure all food is cut up very well and chew the food very well to jumpstart the digestion process. Also, never lie down after eating. Wait for several hours and try walking after meals. (1)