Treatment for Gastroparesis

What is the standard treatment for Gastroparesis? Also any none standard treatments? Other than Surgery what else can be done for Colon narrowing (Due to Ulcerative Colitis)?

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  I'm going to focus on your first two questions and I hope someone else will be able to answer your other question.

The first line of treatment for gastroparesis is dietary changes.  This includes eating small more frequent meals, eating a low-fiber low-fat diet, and if needed, eating only soft/pureed foods.  The second line of treatment is medications.  These incude reglan, domperidone, and erithromycin.  Also, anti-nausea medications might be added to manage symptoms such as zofran, phenergan, etc.  The "last" line of treatment is to be fed through a J tube so that all the tube feedings go into the small intestine and bypass the stomach.  If even this doesn't work, the patient might be given TPN which is nutrition given through a central line.

The most common non standard treatment is a gastric pacemaker.  This is a implanted device that helps with the nausea and vomiting associated with gastroparesis.  There are other non standard treatments such as botox injections, certain surgeries on the stomach, etc.

[greeneyes247724]

I too have gastroparesis and so far have been given Levsin to take twice daily and had botox injections about a month ago.  Good thing I go back to the doctor tomorrow because I really don't think either have helped much!!  : /  

[patient915]

Do you know why your doctor gave you Levsin?  Levsin is a horrible medicine to take for gastroparesis.  It actually slows down the motion of the stomach, which is not good.