The right attitude when dealing with anything in life can make all the difference in the world. I recently made some very significant changes in my life that I thought would send my Gastroparesis into a tailspin, and they did at first. However the changes I made as hard as they were to do, were what I needed to do for me. I wasn't happy and my being miserable was also making me very symptomatic. I was so tense and stressed all the time which in turn brought on the never ending nausea, the bloating, gas, vomiting and stomach aches. So I changed the circumstances that were making me so unhappy and now I am beginning to heal. I scheduled a long over due massage and enjoyed it thoroughly. I've gone shopping at Jebbia's, our local produce store, for some fresh fruits and veggies to juice and puree. Especially beets, I puree and have them for breakfast. Absolutely delicious.
My flare up was brief and I now actually feel better than I have in a very long time. I am still working on getting back to where I was with my daily workouts. I had let myself get away from taking the time to juice and puree fruits and veggies and have been eating more white carbs. This has caused my blood sugar to raise which of course resulted in my being tired and sluggish with no energy to exercise. It is important to remember that when this happens, because it will happen, that you just have to acknowledge it and then go back to doing what you know you have to do. I need to take the time to prepare nutritious foods in a way that I can digest them instead of toasting a biscuit and drinking a Glucerna shake because it's quick and easy. I need to exercise daily, especially Yoga and practice daily meditation.
It's during the down times that I must remind myself how great I feel when I'm working my Comprehensive Management Plan. When I'm eating nutritious whole foods and exercising daily I feel strong, happy and confident! When I'm not working my Plan, I am just getting through the day on automatic pilot with no energy.
Life always deals us the unexpected and it is in these times those of us with Gastroparesis must take care of ourselves. We must keep a positive attitude and not let negative thinking weigh us down. Stop thinking about having Gastroparesis or whatever problems you are currently dealing with and take the time to enjoy life. Really look at nature and all its wonders and just breath in the moment and be happy. Really let yourself be happy. Life is too short to wallow in self pity and worry. Recognize that some things are just out of our control and all we can do is make the best of what we have and be thankful for what we do have. Let positive thinking take the drivers seat and see what happens.
Hi Christina: I commented on an older post of yours this evening. I wanted you to know how much I need your posts right now! I have been diagnosed for about 3 weeks now, and am starting to have more symptoms than before I knew I was diagnosed! I'm wondering if it's just the brain-gut connection happening with me, and I am unfortunately a high-anxiety individual, I'm discovering. Anyway, I cannot allow myself to look around the internet much at all about GP because of the scary horror stories that make me feel my life is at an end! I have also discovered Crystal Saltrelli and have already subscribed to her and purchased her materials. I want to follow the comprehensive management plan idea as well. I will fight this, but at the same time I really want serenity and peace in my life as I try to figure this out.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to write a book here, but I will tell you that I am 54, a mother of five with two teens still at home and a very supportive husband who I've been married to only 3-1/2 years. I have been living a lovely life, in a home feeling so secure and cared for, everything so on track. He had retired me from work and I have been able to do things I'd only dreamed of doing all my adult life - gardening, caring for an old Victorian home, painting and drawing.
Suddenly it seems that my entire focus is on how to get through the day with enough nutrition, while I feel like I have to force-feed every bite. I wasn't feeling this just a few weeks ago before I was diagnosed. In fact, my diagnosis came as a fluke -- I was having heartburn and acid reflux, and the doc saw food in my stomach on endoscopy. That was after I'd had a pretty severe throat virus right before Christmas. It was the week after New Year's Day that I had the acid reflux attack. After the endoscopy showed all the food in my stomach, the doc did a gastric emptying scan which was abnormal. I cannot say if it was severe or mild,and I'm not sure if it really matters. I do not vomit yet, and pray I will not start vomiting, but I am nauseous all day long with absolutely no appetite. The doctor has told me to try to get in 1600 calories every day!!! I feel like my ribs will burst with pain all the way around my body. I have already lost about 17 pounds just since the beginning of January. I was probably 20 pounds overweight back then.
If you have the time and inclination, please give me a personal word or two of encouragement. I know no one personally who has ever had this, and I'd give my right arm to just sit and talk with someone who is living well and can tell me I'll be all right. I don't want to whine or get on a pity-pot, I am just scared and trying so hard to be calm. Thanks so much -- Ellie
Ellen, I hope you have seen my previous reply to your other comment. I have tried replying to this one as well several times but keep having technical dificulties and kept losing what I've written, I am so sorry. I hope that things are improving for you. I also would like to apologize for not adding any new posts lately. I plan on doing that this evening as well. Please know that you are not alone and you can get through this. It won't be easy and it is important to take things very slowly until you find what works for you. I cannot stress this enough. It is just too hard to figure out what makes you sick if you are trying too many new things at once. I literally had to take myself down to nothing but liquids and crackers or toast. Then I slowly started introducing my system to new things. Some people get worse on an all liquid diet. So unfortunately you'll have to find what you can eat to sustain yourself and not get sick and then slowly start adding new things in. It is also very important to get your vitamins during this time. I chose VitaFusion gummy vitamins, the Multi-Vitamin and the B12. I also made sure I drank Glucerna as meal replacements when I wasn't able to tolerate foods. There are other options such as Ensure or Carnation Instant Breakfast. I chose the Glucerna because I am also a diabetic. Homemade broths are also a great way to get nutrition in without over stessing the stomach. See my Favorite GP Recipes page for a great Chicken Stock recipe that I found.
DeleteI also wonder if you have ever been tested for Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD)? I ask because of the pain you described where you feel as if your ribs will burst. I deal with a similar pain attack that is caused by my Sphincter of Oddi not working properly and at times during digestion it will spasm uncontrollably. Which results in excrutiating pain that starts in my sternum and feels like a vice grip squeezing my rib cage inside itself. Do you have a gallbladder? It is common for women who have had their gallbladder removed to develop SOD. If you have not been tested for this I strongly encourage you to ask for the test. My doctor ordered a HIDA scan on me to confirm it but this diagnosis also requires blood work to back up the scan for an official diagnosis. My blood work and scan results confirmed that I definitely have SOD and have been prescribed medication to take at the onset of an attack. However, once I found a regular diet that works for me I very rarely have these attacks. The medicine is only for when the attacks occur it is not something you have to take all the time.
I really do hope things are improving for you. Please hang in there.
God Bless,
Christina
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