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Satiety - early

Definition

Satiety is the satisfied feeling of being full after eating. Early satiety is feeling full sooner than normal or after eating less than usual.

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Alternative Names

Abdominal fullness prematurely after meals

Common Causes

Gastric outlet obstruction
Heartburn
Nervous system problem that causes delayed stomach emptying
Stomach or abdominal tumor
Stomach (peptic) ulcer

Home Care

Follow your health care provider's recommendations. A liquid diet may be helpful. A detailed diet log (recording what was eaten, how much, and when) may be needed. Small, frequent meals may be more tolerable than large, less frequent meals. A diet high in fat may worsen the feeling.

Call your health care provider if

Call your doctor if:

The feeling lasts for days to weeks and does not get better
You lose weight without trying
You have dark stools
You have nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, or bloating
You have fever and chills

What to expect at your health care provider's office

The doctor will examine you and ask questions such as:

When did this symptom begin?
How long does each episode last?
What foods, if any, make the symptoms worse?
What other symptoms do you have (for example, vomiting, excessive gas, abdominal pain, or weight loss)

Tests that may be performed include:

Complete blood count and blood differential to check for anemia
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
Stool tests for bleeding
X-rays studies of the stomach, esophagus, and small intestine (abdominal x-ray and an upper GI and small bowel series)
Stomach-emptying studies

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