Gastroparesis

Q Is non-face-to-face consultation available?

A. If symptoms are stable, consultation can begin remotely with a symptom questionnaire and discussion. However, an in-person visit is required for an accurate diagnosis and herbal medicine prescription, and if there is repeated vomiting, dehydration, or rapid weight loss, an in-person examination is recommended first.

Q I have had diabetes for a long time and recently my postprandial blood glucose has been unusually erratic. Is this related to gastroparesis?

A. When gastroparesis is present, food empties from the stomach irregularly, causing the timing of absorption to be misaligned and resulting in erratic postprandial blood glucose. When gastric emptying stabilizes, blood glucose fluctuations tend to decrease together.

Q Is there something I can do right away at home when I feel stuffed and blocked after eating?

A. Don't lie down right after eating; sitting upright or walking lightly helps gastric emptying. Reduce the portion at your next meal and eat slowly with soft foods.

Q What habits should I develop to reduce gastroparesis symptoms?

A. Eating small amounts often, reducing oily foods and tough fiber, not lying down right after eating, and chewing slowly and thoroughly are key. If you have diabetes, blood sugar management must go together too.

Q I have diabetes. Won't taking herbal medicine for a long time strain my blood sugar or liver?

A. A Korean medicine doctor prescribes considering your diabetes and stomach condition together, minimizing the burden. Properly prescribed herbal medicine is managed with blood sugar and liver function in mind, and you can monitor blood sugar as usual while taking it.

Q I vomit often, have no appetite, and keep losing weight. Is it okay to receive only Korean medicine treatment as is?

A. If repeated vomiting causes dehydration or rapid weight loss, it's a warning sign and you need a medical evaluation first. If you have diabetes and blood sugar swings so much it can't be controlled, you should also see a doctor immediately.

Q I take a prokinetic and diabetes medication from internal medicine. Is it okay to take herbal medicine together?

A. Yes, if you space them out. We usually advise taking herbal and Western medicine about 1-2 hours apart, and don't stop diabetes medication or prokinetics on your own—adjust them with your physician as symptoms improve.

Q I take over-the-counter digestive aids often. If I start Korean medicine treatment, do I have to stop them?

A. You don't have to stop right away. The digestive aids you used when your stomach felt urgent can be continued for a while, and as treatment improves gastric emptying, you'll naturally reach for them less.

Q This bloating has lasted over a year. Can I really eat comfortably? How long does treatment usually take?

A. If the slowed stomach movement recovers, you can become comfortable enough. Usually 1-3 months of consistent treatment aims for a noticeable reduction in satiety and nausea, and the duration varies with how well the underlying disease is managed.

Q Maybe because I have diabetes, even when I improve, my stomach gets bloated again whenever blood sugar fluctuates. Can recurrence be prevented?

A. Gastroparesis is closely tied to blood sugar control, so when blood sugar swings, stomach movement easily slows again. Pursuing gastric recovery and blood sugar management together can lengthen the recurrence interval and lower intensity.

Q What kind of condition is gastroparesis?

A. It is a state where, even though the stomach inlet or outlet is not blocked, the stomach cannot send food down on time, so it stays in the stomach for a long time. The stomach muscle's contractile force weakens, slowing emptying and causing bloating and nausea.

Q I'm a housewife in my 50s. When I eat oily side dishes with greens and vegetables as usual, my stomach especially won't go down. What foods worsen gastroparesis?

A. Oily foods and tough fiber (raw vegetables, greens, skins) slow gastric emptying further and worsen symptoms. Switching to low-fat, softly cooked foods reduces the burden on the stomach.

Q Work is busy so I tend to eat a lot at once after skipping meals, and then I feel bloated and stuffed all evening. Does the way I eat have an effect?

A. Eating a lot at once stretches the already-slow stomach further, making emptying harder. Eating small amounts often, 5-6 times a day, greatly reduces the burden on the stomach.

Q My mobility is limited, so it's hard to come often. Realistically, how often do I need to visit?

A. You don't need to come every day. We usually proceed with acupuncture 1-2 times a week and daily herbal medicine, so even those who can't make time often can be treated with reduced burden.

Q I'm looking for a place to visit near Dongincheon. How does the first gastroparesis consultation work?

A. At the first consultation, we listen in detail to your symptoms, eating habits, underlying conditions (such as diabetes), and medications, and examine your stomach. Based on that, we set the treatment plan, herbal prescription, and dietary/lifestyle management direction together.

Q What should I prepare before the consultation?

A. Organizing when symptoms are worst, which foods worsen them, underlying conditions (such as diabetes) and current medications, and test results (such as a gastric emptying scan) will make the consultation faster and more accurate.

Q When I take the prokinetic from internal medicine it's fine, but when I stop it I feel bloated again. Can I live without medication through Korean medicine?

A. Prokinetics only push the stomach's movement while you take them; the weakened stomach itself doesn't recover, so it easily slows again when you stop. By raising gastric motility, you can aim for a state less reliant on medication.

Q The endoscopy is clean, but I feel full and nauseous even after eating just a little. Can something tests don't catch improve with Korean medicine?

A. Endoscopy looks at wounds or tumors in the stomach lining, so a slow-emptying movement problem isn't well revealed. This kind of functional rather than structural problem is an area where Korean medicine, which regulates stomach movement, shows its strength.