Rapid gastric emptying, also known as dumping syndrome, is a digestive disorder in which undigested food passes too quickly into the small intestine. It can occur as a result of stomach surgery such as gastric bypass or fundoplication. Rapid gastric emptying may also occur in people with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, or ZES. ZES is a rare form of digestive disorder, which involves extreme peptic ulcer disease and gastrin-producing tumors in the pancreas.
Symptoms
The condition may be classified as early or late rapid gastric emptying. In early rapid gastric emptying, the person experiences symptoms either during or right after eating. Symptoms of this form may include nausea, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, dizziness, and fatigue.
Late rapid gastric emptying, on the other hand, occurs 1 to 3 hours after a meal. Symptoms may include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), dizziness, sweating, and weakness.
Some people may experience both forms of gastric emptying.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of rapid gastric emptying may be based primarily on the symptoms experienced by people who have had gastric surgery. Additional tests may be recommended by the doctor to rule out other health problems with similar symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.
Treatment
Changes in eating habits and taking the prescribed medications may help manage gastric emptying. Doctors recommend that people with rapid gastric emptying should eat several small meals a day that are low in carbohydrates. In addition, drinking liquids between meals and not with meals may also help.
In more severe forms, the doctor may prescribe medications that help slow down digestion. The doctor may recommend surgery as a treatment option for more serious cases of rapid gastric emptying.
Related Reading:
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (Learn about this rare disorder including its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.)
Reference:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (December 2007). Rapid Gastric Emptying (NIH Publication No. 08—4629). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD. Web URL: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/rapidgastricemptying/index.htm. Accessed: December 7, 2012
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Symptoms
The condition may be classified as early or late rapid gastric emptying. In early rapid gastric emptying, the person experiences symptoms either during or right after eating. Symptoms of this form may include nausea, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, dizziness, and fatigue.
Late rapid gastric emptying, on the other hand, occurs 1 to 3 hours after a meal. Symptoms may include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), dizziness, sweating, and weakness.
Some people may experience both forms of gastric emptying.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of rapid gastric emptying may be based primarily on the symptoms experienced by people who have had gastric surgery. Additional tests may be recommended by the doctor to rule out other health problems with similar symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.
Treatment
Changes in eating habits and taking the prescribed medications may help manage gastric emptying. Doctors recommend that people with rapid gastric emptying should eat several small meals a day that are low in carbohydrates. In addition, drinking liquids between meals and not with meals may also help.
In more severe forms, the doctor may prescribe medications that help slow down digestion. The doctor may recommend surgery as a treatment option for more serious cases of rapid gastric emptying.
Related Reading:
Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (Learn about this rare disorder including its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.)
Reference:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (December 2007). Rapid Gastric Emptying (NIH Publication No. 08—4629). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD. Web URL: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/rapidgastricemptying/index.htm. Accessed: December 7, 2012
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