Diabetes FAQ » Diabetes Q&A » I have been diabetic now for about two years and I have had trouble eating certain foods like cucumbers and cauliflower for as long as I can remember, I always feel gaseous and bloated and I have cramps after every meal, and forget about beer that just bloats me up so much that I won’t touch it. I don’t know why I feel so bloated I am not a big eater and generally just pick at my food. I can also bring my food back up and that is embarrassing especially when I am out or having lunch at work. I believe I might a have a condition called gastro something or other. Can you tell me if there is a gastrointestinal disease associated with diabetes?

I have been diabetic now for about two years and I have had trouble eating certain foods like cucumbers and cauliflower for as long as I can remember, I always feel gaseous and bloated and I have cramps after every meal, and forget about beer that just bloats me up so much that I won’t touch it. I don’t know why I feel so bloated I am not a big eater and generally just pick at my food. I can also bring my food back up and that is embarrassing especially when I am out or having lunch at work. I believe I might a have a condition called gastro something or other. Can you tell me if there is a gastrointestinal disease associated with diabetes?

Gastroparesis

There is a complication of diabetes known as Gastroparesis. Gastroparesis is stomach paralysis and it is caused by nerve damage diabetic neuropathy. It is the vagus nerve that is specifically damaged in this condition. The vagus nerve is a nerve that is known as a vagabond nerve because it wanders around the body from the brainstem all the way down to the colon. The vagus nerve is responsible for controlling heart rate, sweating, gastrointestinal contractions and a number of other biological involuntary functions on its course along the way. Gastropareisis is specific to vagus nerve damage relating to stomach contractions.

Normal stomach functioning

The stomach is a hollow muscle organ serving as a storage area. It is about the size of a melon. If you really stretch it, it can hold up to a gallon of food content. When the stomach and vagus is nerve is properly functioning the vagus nerve will prompt the stomach to contract and crush and churn food into small particles and then it will mix up with the acids and enzymes produced in the stomach’s inner lining These contractions will come in waves of three or four contractions every minute.

It then leaves the pyloric value (about one eight of an ounce stomach content) and continues on down the small intestine. The process of emptying the stomach into the small intestines takes four hours. If you eat fat it takes even longer.

Damage to the vagus nerve

Damage to the vagus nerve comes from years of high blood sugars. When the vagus nerve is damaged the stomach is paralyzed and does not perform the contractions and as a result the food just stays there; not broken down properly and it can ferment and grow bacteria. This undigested food can create hard balls called bezoars.

Diabetes due to uncontrolled sugar levels is the main cause of Gastroparesis

Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics can contract Gastropareisis. Unfortunately once gastroparesis is present blood sugar becomes even harder to manage due to erratic stomach contractions.

Symptoms of gastroparesis

• Bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Feeling full after even only a few bites of food
• Weight loss
• Heartburn
• Vomiting
• Diagnostic tests

The diagnostic test for gastroparesis include:

Drinking or eating substances like eggs that have been injected with a harmless radioactive ingredient and then the substance is watched on a scan to see how it goes down.

Barium x-ray here you must fast for 12 hours and then drink a sludgy liquid that coats the inside of the stomach so that it can be viewed on an x-ray.

Inserting a thin tube down the throat into the stomach to test for strength and frequency of stomach contradictions.

Gastroparesis Treatment

Changing in your diet is the best treatment for gastroparesis. Even smaller meals than you are eating now can help. It is better to take more, but smaller meals than three larger ones. If you find you have less of an appetite at supper time switch to eat your heaviest meals in the morning and drink only liquids in the afternoon. Lying on your right side after eating can help the digestive process.

Fiber can be a problem as it does not breakdown well in the stomach and eating raw vegetables such as cucumbers as you mentioned would be an issue. You may want to eat more cooked vegetables and soft foods, pureed foods, fish, grains, chicken, yogurt, refined breads and or liquids. You will need to cut down on fats, and you have to drink a lot of water especially if you vomit a lot.

Certain medications such as antidepressants, pain medication, calcium channel blockers, high blood pressure pills, lithium, and antacids that contain aluminum hydroxide can worsen the symptoms. Check with your doctor and let him/her know all the medications you are talking so he or she can coordinate them with the new treatment diabetic medications.

There are medications to control gastroparesis, and of course your doctor will prescribe what is needed. You may need to test your blood insulin more often and take insulin after a meal instead of before to reduce the symptoms. Nevertheless, your doctor will advise the best treatment plan for you.

Living with Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is not life threatening, but can be annoying especially when you have to control the foods you eat which is a condition that can make managing diabetes even harder. However, the disease is not life threatening and is somewhat manageable with proper care.

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