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Found this with a GOOGLE search. Ann Gastroparesis - Q&As Q. What is Gastroparesis? A. Gastroparesis is a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. Gastroparesis or delayed stomach emptying is most often a complication associated with Type 1 diabetes, although it sometimes occurs in people with Type 2 diabetes. Up to 50 per cent of people with diabetes develop gastroparesis, though the vast majority will only experience it to a mild extent. Gastroparesis occurs when the nerves to the stomach are damaged or stop working. The vagus nerve controls the movement of food through the digestive tract. If the vagus nerve is damaged, the muscles of the stomach and intestines do not work normally, and the movement of food is slowed or stopped. Diabetes can damage the vagus nerve if blood glucose levels remain high over a long period of time. High blood glucose can cause chemical changes in nerves and can damage the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves. Q. What are the symptoms of gastroparesis? A. They include nausea, vomiting, an early feeling of fullness when eating, weight loss, abdominal bloating and abdominal discomfort. The symptoms of gastroparesis are usually worse after a meal. These symptoms may be mild or severe, depending on the person. Q. What happens when you have gastroparesis? A. If food lingers too long in the stomach, it can cause problems like bacterial overgrowth from the fermentation of food. Also, the food can harden into solid masses (called bezoars) that may cause nausea, vomiting, and obstruction in the stomach. These can be dangerous if they block the passage of food into the small intestine. Gastroparesis can make diabetes worse by adding to the difficulty of controlling blood glucose. When food that has been delayed in the stomach finally enters the small intestine and is absorbed, blood glucose levels rise. Since gastroparesis makes stomach emptying unpredictable, a person's blood glucose levels can be erratic and difficult to control ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn