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What Is The Long Term Outcome For Gastroparesis?
Question: What is the long term outcome for gastroparesis?
Brief Answer:
Gastroparesis usually lifetime.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your medical question and concerns.
You are concerned about gastroparesis and what its long term effects would be. As you know gastroparesis is the inability of the stomach to fully empty within a specified time. This causes the person to feel full early and then it takes more time to feel hungry again. It can lead to weight loss and to esophagitis. The most common cause of gastroparesis is diabetes, in which, the diabetes causes damage to the nerves to the stomach. Other disease like malignancies and medications can also cause gastroparesis.
In my practice when I have a patient with gastroparesis I initially counsel them to eat small meals and eat several times a day 4-6 times daily. This will allow for proper amount nutrition and is the easiest and safest way to help gastroparesis patients.
If this approach does not work then there are medications that can improve. In the United States we have metoclopramide. This is a medication used for nausea and helps increase the emptying time of the stomach.
There is also surgical methods of inserting a nerve stimulator that may also improve gastric emptying.
So with good nutritional support a person with gastroparesis can lead a normal life.
Hope this answers your medical question. Please contact us again with your health care concerns and questions
Gastroparesis usually lifetime.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your medical question and concerns.
You are concerned about gastroparesis and what its long term effects would be. As you know gastroparesis is the inability of the stomach to fully empty within a specified time. This causes the person to feel full early and then it takes more time to feel hungry again. It can lead to weight loss and to esophagitis. The most common cause of gastroparesis is diabetes, in which, the diabetes causes damage to the nerves to the stomach. Other disease like malignancies and medications can also cause gastroparesis.
In my practice when I have a patient with gastroparesis I initially counsel them to eat small meals and eat several times a day 4-6 times daily. This will allow for proper amount nutrition and is the easiest and safest way to help gastroparesis patients.
If this approach does not work then there are medications that can improve. In the United States we have metoclopramide. This is a medication used for nausea and helps increase the emptying time of the stomach.
There is also surgical methods of inserting a nerve stimulator that may also improve gastric emptying.
So with good nutritional support a person with gastroparesis can lead a normal life.
Hope this answers your medical question. Please contact us again with your health care concerns and questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Do you think bentyl could have factor in with gastroparesis?
Brief Answer:
Bentyl as an antispasmotic
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for returning with more information.
You are concerned that Bentyl or dicyclomine is a contributor to gastroparesis and the short answer is yes. Bentyl is a medication to reduce the gastric motility of the GI tract for those who have significant diarrhea or irritable bowel. Over a prolonged period of use the body will become accustomed to its use and the GI tract will slow down. Stopping the medication abruptly is also not recommend because of the over activity of the GI tract and could cause sever diarrhea and other withdrawal effects. In my practice I have my patients decrease their doses of dicyclomine by one tablet daily each week. In other words if you are taking 4 tablets a day the first week take 3 tablets daily for a week then 2 tablets daily for a week then 1 for a week. By that time you should be able to stop without withdrawal effects.
Hope this answers your medical question. Please contact us again with your health care concerns and questions
Bentyl as an antispasmotic
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for returning with more information.
You are concerned that Bentyl or dicyclomine is a contributor to gastroparesis and the short answer is yes. Bentyl is a medication to reduce the gastric motility of the GI tract for those who have significant diarrhea or irritable bowel. Over a prolonged period of use the body will become accustomed to its use and the GI tract will slow down. Stopping the medication abruptly is also not recommend because of the over activity of the GI tract and could cause sever diarrhea and other withdrawal effects. In my practice I have my patients decrease their doses of dicyclomine by one tablet daily each week. In other words if you are taking 4 tablets a day the first week take 3 tablets daily for a week then 2 tablets daily for a week then 1 for a week. By that time you should be able to stop without withdrawal effects.
Hope this answers your medical question. Please contact us again with your health care concerns and questions
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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