Most people experience an upset stomach from time to time. Usually, it passes and life moves on. But when nausea, vomiting or feeling full after just a few bites becomes a regular part of life, it could point to something more serious.
Jenetta Thompson, MD, general surgeon at FMOL Health | St. Dominic, cares for patients with a wide range of conditions, including gastroparesis, a condition that many people never hear of until they’re diagnosed with it. Gastroparesis affects how the stomach empties food into the intestines, leading to symptoms that can interfere with nutrition, daily activities, and overall health.
Dr. Thompson says understanding the warning signs and seeking care early can make a meaningful difference.
When It’s More Than a Stomachache
Gastroparesis develops when the stomach doesn’t move food through the digestive system as it should.
“The stomach doesn’t function properly,” Dr. Thompson says. “Whenever they eat or drink, the food or liquids will stay in their stomach for a longer period of time compared to normal.”
As food sits, patients often develop symptoms that go beyond an occasional stomach bug. Dr. Thompson says common signs include nausea, vomiting, dry heaving, feeling full after eating a few bites, and staying hours after eating. Some people also experience bloating, loss of appetite and abdominal pain.
Without treatment, those symptoms can become much more than an inconvenience.
“Patients don’t want to eat, and they’ll have an aversion to eating,” Dr. Thompson says. “That can lead to weight loss. If they’re doing a lot of vomiting, they’re not properly digesting and breaking down food, and that can lead to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies.”
Why More People Are Being Diagnosed
For years, diabetes has been one of the most common risk factors for gastroparesis. Dr. Thompson says patients with long-standing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes continue to make up a significant portion of the people she treats. Others develop the condition after surgery involving the vagus nerve, while some cases occur without a known cause.
More recently, however, she’s noticed another trend.
“A lot of the patients here recently have been on GLP-1s, and they now have this condition,” she says.
GLP-1 medications, including drugs prescribed for weight loss, work in part by slowing how quickly the stomach empties. While many people take these medications safely, Dr. Thompson says some patients experience severe digestive side effects that continue even after stopping the medication.
“I’ve recently seen a lot of patients who have been on GLP-1s and have a really bad shutdown of their GI system,” she says. “Even after being off the medication for over a month, they have still persistent symptoms.”
What Patients Should Watch For
Because symptoms often develop gradually, many people assume they’re dealing with indigestion or a sensitive stomach. Dr. Thompson encourages patients to pay attention when digestive problems become persistent.
She says chronic nausea and vomiting, especially when paired with getting full after eating only a small amount or staying full for hours, should prompt a conversation with a healthcare provider.
The most common way to diagnose gastroparesis is through a gastric emptying study. During the test, patients eat a small meal containing a safe tracer while imaging tracks how quickly food leaves the stomach over several hours.
The results help providers determine whether the stomach is emptying at a normal rate and whether symptoms may be caused by gastroparesis.
Treatment Focuses on Managing the Condition
Gastroparesis is a chronic condition, but there are several ways to help patients manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.
While gastroparesis is a lifelong condition, there are several ways to manage it. Treatment often begins with dietary changes and medication to help manage symptoms and improve how the stomach functions. For patients who don’t find enough relief with those approaches, additional endoscopic and surgical options are available, giving providers several ways to help improve quality of life.
Don’t Ignore Persistent Symptoms
For Dr. Thompson, the biggest takeaway for gastroparesis awareness is simple. Don’t wait months or years hoping symptoms will improve on their own.
“If you have a prolonged period of time where you’re having significant nausea and vomiting and food aversion, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies. That can lead to things like hair loss, fatigue and weight loss,” she says. “The earlier you seek care and get diagnosed, the better.”
