Hey everyone! Week six of the blog! Whoo! We are getting closer to being masters on gastroparesis. Now that we know what gastroparesis is, how it will affect us, and how it is diagnosed, let's talk about treatment. What are we going to do once we get this diagnosis? The treatment for this diagnosis is pretty simple and is mostly focused on treating the symptoms of the disease.
First, treating gastroparesis begins with identifying the disease. If diabetes is causing gastroparesis, your health care provider will work with you to control your diabetes and treat the disease. This step is often done with medication adjustment, blood sugar control, and modifications in diet and/or exercise.
One of the first things providers will work with you on involves finding foods that are easy for you to digest. Maybe you can drink flavored water or eat yogurt. Maybe, like me, ice cream hits the spot or maybe you can drink smoothies. It took me a long time to find food that I could eat without being sick and it is important to find these foods early on in your diagnosis so your weight doesn't drop. Meat and potatoes are hard to digest and will make you feel fuller faster- try to avoid foods like this.
Next step in treatment is to look at medications. Metoclopramide (Reglan) is used to increase the rate food is emptied from the stomach by increasing peristalsis. This can decrease nausea, early satiety, and meal discomfort. Metoclopramide has some serious side effects and should never be taken longer than 12 weeks consecutive. High doses or long term use can lead to the development of a movement disorder which can be irreversible. The most common side effects include abdominal pain, chills, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, skin rash, diarrhea, drowsiness, and restlessness.
To treat the symptoms of gastroparesis your health care provider will most likely prescribe you an anti-emetic to control nausea and vomiting. Zofran is most commonly used. The most common side effects of Zofran are constipation, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, fever, headache, and weakness.
If medications and diet adjustments are not enough to keep your weight up and promote personal thriving within the diagnosis, your provider may talk to you about a feeding tube. Feeding tubes may be permanent or temporary and will be used to bring nutrition into your body.
Wow that was a lot of information! Let's talk about me and my journey to see how treatment worked in my life. Once I was diagnosed with gastroparesis my provider prescribed Metoclopramide for me and Zofran. I took Metoclopramide twice a day and Zofran as needed for nausea. I didn't stay on Metoclopramide for more than four days. I was restless, itchy an drowsy all at the same time. There was no way I could stand the side effects. Good thing is that this drug isn't necessary for treatment. It may help with the symptoms by Metoclopramide will not fix your gastroparesis. However, that doesn't mean you will react to Metoclopramide the same way I did! On the other hand, Zofran saved my life!! I took Zofran whenever I was nauseous and I immediately felt better. This allowed me to sit through dinner without being completely miserable. If I wanted to try eating something and I got sick, I could take some Zofran and feel comfortable again within 20 minutes. Zofran was my answer to prayer!!
Again, I hope you don't feel discouraged about gastroparesis after this post. Take with you the fact that gastroparesis IS manageable and you CAN recover. Medications and diet adjustment can help you manage the disease and you will become comfortable with what your body is telling you. Your gut is your best indicator of what is happening. Join me next week as we travel into the nursing care for people with gastroparesis and again let me know if you have any questions!
First, treating gastroparesis begins with identifying the disease. If diabetes is causing gastroparesis, your health care provider will work with you to control your diabetes and treat the disease. This step is often done with medication adjustment, blood sugar control, and modifications in diet and/or exercise.
One of the first things providers will work with you on involves finding foods that are easy for you to digest. Maybe you can drink flavored water or eat yogurt. Maybe, like me, ice cream hits the spot or maybe you can drink smoothies. It took me a long time to find food that I could eat without being sick and it is important to find these foods early on in your diagnosis so your weight doesn't drop. Meat and potatoes are hard to digest and will make you feel fuller faster- try to avoid foods like this.
Next step in treatment is to look at medications. Metoclopramide (Reglan) is used to increase the rate food is emptied from the stomach by increasing peristalsis. This can decrease nausea, early satiety, and meal discomfort. Metoclopramide has some serious side effects and should never be taken longer than 12 weeks consecutive. High doses or long term use can lead to the development of a movement disorder which can be irreversible. The most common side effects include abdominal pain, chills, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, skin rash, diarrhea, drowsiness, and restlessness.
To treat the symptoms of gastroparesis your health care provider will most likely prescribe you an anti-emetic to control nausea and vomiting. Zofran is most commonly used. The most common side effects of Zofran are constipation, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, fever, headache, and weakness.
If medications and diet adjustments are not enough to keep your weight up and promote personal thriving within the diagnosis, your provider may talk to you about a feeding tube. Feeding tubes may be permanent or temporary and will be used to bring nutrition into your body.
Wow that was a lot of information! Let's talk about me and my journey to see how treatment worked in my life. Once I was diagnosed with gastroparesis my provider prescribed Metoclopramide for me and Zofran. I took Metoclopramide twice a day and Zofran as needed for nausea. I didn't stay on Metoclopramide for more than four days. I was restless, itchy an drowsy all at the same time. There was no way I could stand the side effects. Good thing is that this drug isn't necessary for treatment. It may help with the symptoms by Metoclopramide will not fix your gastroparesis. However, that doesn't mean you will react to Metoclopramide the same way I did! On the other hand, Zofran saved my life!! I took Zofran whenever I was nauseous and I immediately felt better. This allowed me to sit through dinner without being completely miserable. If I wanted to try eating something and I got sick, I could take some Zofran and feel comfortable again within 20 minutes. Zofran was my answer to prayer!!
Again, I hope you don't feel discouraged about gastroparesis after this post. Take with you the fact that gastroparesis IS manageable and you CAN recover. Medications and diet adjustment can help you manage the disease and you will become comfortable with what your body is telling you. Your gut is your best indicator of what is happening. Join me next week as we travel into the nursing care for people with gastroparesis and again let me know if you have any questions!
References
Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, and Bucher. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and management of Clinical Problems. 9th edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier; 2014.
Hasler, W. L. (2011). Gastroparesis: pathogenesis, diagnosis and management. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 8(8), 438-454. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2011.116
Morrison, G., & Weston, P. (2015). Gastroparesis associated with diabetes: Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Journal Of Diabetes Nursing, 19(1), 12-18.
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