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Living with gastroparesis

Gastroparesis literally means "stomach paralyzed" in Latin

Unpredictable

You can be fine for hours, then all of the sudden you get nauseous or fatigued. It can be distressing.

Painful

Gastroparesis affects my stomach, abdominals, pelvic floor. All of these muscles connect to other muscles that cause me pain, discomfort, and sometimes humiliation. Personally, I prefer to stand. More trouble happens while I am sitting for long periods.

Isolating

Being around food for long is dispiriting. So many activities in our culture center around meals. I have read studies that people eat more in group settings. I agree with it. In the presence of others, I tend to go off guard sometimes. I usually lose.

Also, every person that lives with this has different triggers. Different people tolerate different foods and feel different pains. Although we as gastroparesis sufferers have a lot in common, we have a lot of differences in our day-to-day conditions.

Tiring

A sloth is the mascot of gastroparesis. I am unsure if it is depression, malnutrition, or the body using a lot of energy trying to digest foods, but you get tired rapidly. You get more irritable because you are unnaturally tired all the time. Naps are good. However, they make you feel like you are a child, or an old person. However, I will say it again: naps are good.

Dominating

You have some choice in being positive. However, having a tiring, unpredictable, painful illness can make you feel dominated rapidly and repeatedly. Sometimes you harness the beast, but other times it owns you.

Most annoying things told to gastroparesis sufferers

You look great

I believe we have a mind-body connection. When our stomachs are nauseous usually the last thing on we want to hear about are our looks. We've probably lost a significant amount of weight and our bodies feel awkward. Comforting someone by talking about their appearance provides zero comfort.

If you just eat a little of it you'll be fine

In a nice way, I have to say, please have some respect for what you do not understand or see

You have IBS, I understand

While IBS is something I may have, it is not gastroparesis. Please do not label my condition into your pre-conceieved notion of what you understand.

Proactive Thoughts

Foods/drinks that I tolerate and help me combat pain/reflux

• KT's Watermelon Kombucha
• KT's Turmeric Kombucha
• Ensure Banana Nut
• Montezuma's Absolute Black Dark Chocolate (no sugar - bitter)
• Natural Calm - magnesium supplement (do not buy flavored varieties, just plain)
• Fresh ginger
• Bird's Eye string beans - only green vegetable other than pulverized spinach I can tolerate - best taste of all supermarket string beans

Lessons learned

• Ginger in drinks is great, but too much creates pain in my sensitive stomach
• The more "bad" stuff you eat, the more it seems to accumulate or inflame your stomach. If you are "bad" you have to go back to your simplest foods for a couple days to give your stomach lining(?) time to recover.
• Caffeine sometimes is your best laxative, all these expensive prescription grade pills can create embarrassing wet farts
• Guided meditation through apps like Insight Timer help relieve pain

Best tools

• Zulay milk frother - stirs everything and removes carbonation (with care and effort)
• Cup sized fine mesh strainer - get the missed floating ginger peels out of your tea/water