Gastroparesis Treatment: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ask Your Doctor
When your stomach won’t empty properly, food sits there too long—that’s gastroparesis, a condition where the stomach muscles don’t work right, slowing or stopping food movement into the small intestine. Also known as delayed gastric emptying, it’s not just indigestion. It’s a real medical issue that can turn eating into a chore, cause nausea, bloating, and even blood sugar chaos if you have diabetes.
Most people with gastroparesis have it because of diabetes, surgery, or nerve damage—but sometimes, no one knows why. The key is managing symptoms, not just masking them. Common treatments include prokinetic drugs, medications that help the stomach contract and push food along, like metoclopramide or erythromycin. But these aren’t magic bullets—they come with side effects, and some lose their punch over time. Then there’s gastric emptying, the actual process your stomach should be doing, which doctors measure with a scan to confirm the diagnosis. Diet changes are often the first real step: smaller meals, low-fat, low-fiber foods, pureed options. Liquid calories can be easier to handle than solids. And if your blood sugar swings wildly? That’s a red flag—diabetic gastroparesis, a common and tricky form tied to nerve damage from high blood sugar—needs tight control of glucose levels to even begin healing.
Some people try acupuncture, electrical stimulators, or even surgery, but those are last-resort moves. The truth? There’s no cure, but there are ways to feel better. What works for one person might not work for another. That’s why you need to track your symptoms, test your food reactions, and talk to your doctor about what’s really happening—not just what the pill bottle says. Below, you’ll find real stories and data-backed advice on what medications help, which diets actually reduce nausea, how to avoid dangerous complications, and what to do when standard treatments fail. No guesswork. Just what you need to take control.
Can Domperidone Help with Diabetic Gastroparesis? What the Evidence Says
Domperidone may help improve stomach emptying and reduce nausea in diabetic gastroparesis with fewer side effects than metoclopramide. Learn how it works, who it’s for, and why it’s not available in the U.S.
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