If you have had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes for a long time – at least 5 years – you may have noticed that your digestion has changed. Diabetes can damage your nervous system in ways that show up as stomach or bowel problems. It’s called Diabetic Gastroparesis. Over time, high blood sugar levels from diabetes can damage nerves and tissues in your stomach. The vagus nerve controls the muscles in the stomach and tells your stomach to contract after a meal to break up food and move it along to the small intestine. When this nerve is damaged, the muscles of your stomach do not work normally, and the movement of food slows down or even stops.

The symptoms of gastroparesis may be mild or severe and include heartburn, nausea, feeling full shortly after starting a meal, feeling full long after eating a meal, excessive bloating, erratic bowel movements and vomiting undigested food. The condition can make diabetes worse by making it harder to control blood sugar levels.

There currently is a need for better treatments for people who have diabetes and suffer with gastroparesis. Researchers are evaluating study medications that are not available from regular doctors and which may one day result in future treatment options.

Take the next step to see if you qualify for local research studies for people with Diabetes and Gastroparesis. But don’t delay — space is limited!