This means that you have poor emptying of the stomach due to diabetes. It is caused by elevated blood sugars over time damaging the nerves that go to the stomach resulting in poor muscle contractions.The symptoms include regurgitation or heartburn, chronic nausea, vomiting undigested food, poor control of diabetes, feeling full quickly when eating and bloating, poor appetite with weight loss, abdominal pain, and what is called sour belching.  When food stays in the stomach too long it can turn into a solid mass called a Bezoar.  This mass can then cause an obstruction in the digestive system.  There are several ways to diagnose gastroparesis.  Upper endoscopy, to check for retained food and rule out obstruction.  Barium studies, such as an upper GI can also be done.  Nuclear scans or breath tests to measure gastric emptying.  There is even a "Smart Pill" that measures how long it takes for a pill to go through the digestive system.

 

Treatment is difficult and there is no cure.  The first step is to adjust your diet by reducing high fiber such as raw fruits and vegetables and avoiding fatty foods since they slow the emptying of the stomach.  Frequent small meals are suggested to aid in digestion.  There are only 2 drugs approved for gastric emptying problems, Reglan and Erythromycin.  Both of these have side effects.  As a last resort there can be surgical placement of a "pacemaker" in the stomach, this can help with the nausea and vomiting.  We have even tried Botox injections in the bottom of the stomach to aid in emptying.  However, this is not particularly effective.  As diabetes becomes more common, diabetic gastroparesis will also become more common.  We are continuing to strive to find new treatments for this difficult disease.