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

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.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

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 Office Visit

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

Alternative Names

Abdominal fullness prematurely after meals