Gastroparesis

If you are having serious problems with your digestive system you may be experiencing gastroparesis. It means your stomach is taking too long to empty its contents.

Your food movement through your digestive tract is controlled by the vagus nerve. If it is damaged, your stomach and intestine muscles stop working properly and the movement of your food is slowed or stopped.

If you have high blood glucose levels over a long period of time it can cause chemical changes in your nerves and damage your blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves, thus causing the damage to your vagus nerve.

Look for these symptoms of gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying):

• heartburn
• nausea
• vomiting of undigested food
• an early feeling of fullness when eating
• weight loss
• abdominal bloating
• erratic blood glucose (sugar) levels
• lack of appetite
• gastroesophageal reflux (feels like acid indigestion)
• spasms of the stomach wall

The symptoms may be mild or severe.