Gastroparesis: My Road to Healing

Gastroparesis: My Road to Healing

 

     Well getting a diagnosis of all the pain and discomfort was a relief. I finally knew what I had but now what to do about it was the next step. 

     I was left with a phone call with an unheard of disorder and medication. No office visit to tell me what this is, what to expect or really how to fix it. I first took the prescribed medication, erythromycin, yes an antibiotic just to help with my immediate discomfort as directed. I also was on a medication to tranquilize my stomached to help with pain.     

     It wasn't until I sat down and research what I actually had, how severe it could get and the medications I would be taken for long term that I new I needed to do something about this. So I took the medications for a little over a month while I gathered information and came up with a plan on what to do. This is where mashing my foods, sometimes pureeing them & the Whole30 came into my life.

     With gastroparesis it can progress to such a severity that fixing it is extremely hard. I learned many people don't recover and continue to get sicker. * I have to say up front Im not a doctor or nor do air claim to know much about this except my own personal experience and what I thought was best for me. I knew what and how the way I ate had to change drastically. It was recommended by most of the research to:

Eat smaller meals more frequently.

Eat low-fiber forms of high-fiber foods, such as well-cooked fruits and vegetables rather than raw fruits and vegetables.

Choose mostly low-fat foods, but if you can tolerate them, add small servings of fatty foods to your diet.

Avoid fibrous fruits and vegetables, such as oranges and broccoli, that may cause bezoars.

If liquids are easier for you to ingest, try soups and pureed foods.

Drink water throughout each meal.

     Because it was very painful in the beginning I had to mash and purée my foods just to eat and stay nourished.  I avoided breads, carrots for sure, most veggies & fruits  as each time I had them I would be doubled over in pain.  I then said to myself it was ridiculous to avoid things I know are healthy, especially fruits and veggies.  My main symptoms were starting to back off  with the combination of meds and diet so I then implemented the Whole30 after reading Its Starts With Food and a recommendation from a good friend. Here is the link to Whole30. http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/.  Basically the Whole30 is a plan that helps clean your system and rid your body of the garbage, chemicals and God knows what else that is put in our foods thus giving your body a clean slate to work with. 

     I knew the foods I would be eating were things recommended to avoid but I did not avoid them.  I ate simple, clean, free of sugars, grains, legumes, alcohol, preservatives and so on.  I ate them in small mashed portions at first then increased them as tolerated.  It was great being able to eat, eat good food and start to feel good for once.  My symptoms faded to a point no medication was needed.  I lost 16  pounds on my first Whole30. My digestive system was finally responding well to the good foods and smaller portions I was putting in my body. I had energy like I never had before! I was actually sleeping sound and as strange as it sounds my vision was clearer. Yes, everything looked crystal clear.  I also had a huge foggy cloud move from my brain.  I could think better and my thoughts were processing properly.  I expected changes but not this good.  

     After time I was symptom free from my gastroparesis as long as I didn't over indulge in larger meals.  I don't place blame for that on my Gastroparesis for the pain from being full very may be from the hiatal hernia.  

     Im happy to announce I'm fee of the extreme bloat, embarrassing gas and unbearable pain for a couple years now that was brought on by my Gastroparesis.  Am I cured, NO, but I'm healing and symptom free, and I'll take it! I can't say for certain the Whole30 can fix gastroparesis but in my case I feel very strongly it was a main contributor for me.  

     I thank God every day for my health, being pain free and for this moment - a solution for relief.  

     I'm thankful for the info I got along the way from:

Whole30.  http://whole30.com

Living (Well) with Gastroparesis. https://www.facebook.com/CrystalSaltrelliCHC

Book: It Starts With Food. http://whole9life.com/itstartswithfood/

Lessons Learned:

Listen to your body!

Make changes as neccceasary to gain wellness!

Stay committed! (Whole30 experience and your health needs your full commitment to get the best outcome)

Put Criticism to the trash! (Everyone will not agree with you or think they know all the answers for your health and body) really! Who's body is it anyways.

(((Hugs))), Prayers & Well Wishes,

Janine

Gastoparesis : A Road to Diagnosis

    It's interesting to me to sit back and think how far I've come in making myself well with my diagnosis of gastroparesis over the years, sadly despite the lack of help from PCP & Specialists. I'm not giving myself a pat on the back just realizing how I've taken initiative of my own health. 

     On the night of Thanksgiving 2010 I became very ill with severe stomach pains and bloat. Now mind ya my mom ROCKs an awesome Thanksgiving dinner. I look forward to her creamed carrots (cooked carrots in cheese sauce) & her stuffing every year.  That evening after dinner I really was in agony, it was more than the over stuffed turkey after a holiday meal feeling.  By the next morning I was still miserable.  As the days & weeks went on it only felt a tiny bit better. I still had severe bloat and gas, Yes gas! It was so embarrassing I didn't want to leave the house. (Seriously it was the worst you could ever imagine)  I only could wear elastic waist pants to keep from adding to my already hurting rock hard and bloated stomach. I tried numerous OTC things.  I went through a ton of pepto, gas-ex & Tums.  Just when I thought it was subsiding it would flare right back up again with one bite of food.  It didn't matter what it was I ate either. 

     I finally made an appointment with my PCP and he referred me to a gastroenterologist. Mind ya this is now March 2011.  Yes months of pain and discomfort. When I saw the specialist she scheduled me for a series of tests; Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and a Gastric emptying scintigraphy. 

     An Upper GI involves using an endoscope to see what's going on inside the stomach area. The endoscope is fed down your esophagus and into the stomach and duodenum while you are under general anesthesia.  There is a small camera on the endoscope that transmits a video image to a monitor which allows the doctor to examine your intestinal lining. 

     The Gastric emptying scintigraphy test involves you eating a small plain meal (mine was 1/2 egg sandwich) that contained a small amount of radioactive material. No anesthesia is needed for this test. An external camera scans the abdomen to show where the radioactive material is located. The radiologist is then able to measure the rate of gastric emptying in increments of an hour all the way to 4 hours after the meal has been eaten. If more than 10 percent of the meal is still in the stomach at the 4 hours, the diagnosis of gastroparesis is confirmed. For my experience I basically ate 1/2 sandwich, laid on a flat hard table for hours while a machine basically saw what was happening inside. Then a tech injected me half way through the session with an antibiotic. It wasn't much longer when I physically felt my stomached contract on its own which was allowing the food to finally pass through the digestive system.  

     The Gastric emptying test was my final test. It was only a couple of days later that the office called to say, you have Gastroparesis and the doctor prescribed you medication and it is at the pharmacy for you to pick up.  Oh and you also have a hiatal hernia.  

     That's it! I have what!? What is this gastroparesis? Here's medicine you will need to take on a regular basis and have a nice day. SMH

     So now I'm left with an unexplained disorder and medication. I got the medication and took it and had relief. Thankfully! It wasn't until I sat down and research what I actually had, how severe it could get and the medications I would be taken that I new I needed to do something about this.  

     I took the medications for a little over a month while I gathered information and camp up with a plan on what to do about this. This is where mashing my foods, sometimes pureeing them & the Whole30 came into my life.  (Story of recovery to come soon)  I was determined to turn this around, I was not going to be defeated. 

Lessons learned:

Never give up! 

Have FAITH! 

(((Hugs))), Prayers & Well Wishes

Janine

 

Victories & Blessings

Victories whether big or small are still victories! 

     Along with a complete diet change overhaul and back on thyroid med all starting on July 10 of this year, I decided I needed to get moving daily to aid in my remission of Hashimotto. Come to find out I've taken on a liking to walking.  Who would have thought! So when I saw a post from a FB friend who shared a walking challenge I decided this was a good start to push myself. So the walking challenge started August 16 and went till September 21st (yesterday).  At first I doubted myself but as the days went on and the miles started to add up I realized I could really do this. I'm proud to say I completed the challenge and went beyond the 75 miles total it suggested.  I've totaled up my walking log and I have 104.2 mile completed for this challenge.  Yay, me! 

     With my new found passion for walking so much neat blessings have come out of it.  First my good neighbor friend joined in on my nightly walking ventures.  We have found it to be a great de-stress time for both of us and we enjoy our girl time together, not to mention we are doing something good for our health.  Another really neat blessing is all the support I get now. I have acquired a cheering squad near and far. Two of my sisters both live in different states but text me regularly to see how I'm doing.  Their encouragement means so much to me! They are both avid runners so they know the benefits of a daily run and walk for me. I look forward to their check ins.  Along with their encouragement, my sister in Atlanta has registered us in a 1/2 walk/run marathon. Of course I will be walking but what a great challenge and boost of "You Can Do this Janine" from her. I can't wait for it! My mom is another big supporter and encourager in my road to healing. She has always been there for me, she also knows what I struggle with daily as she to has traveled the ugly thyroid road. She recently treated me to gift of a Fitbit Flex and the Fitbit scale.  What a blessing it has been to have these new gadgets to not only keep me interested but help me keep track of my progress.  I once thought it was impossible to get 10000 steps in a day but that's a breeze now! I now try to surpass 20000 steps a day.  I've hit it a number of times so far so I do know it's doable.  Along with those mentioned and sweet friends that I get to meet up with to walk at the park with it's also nice to have my hubby being interested in how my progress is going and my boys joining me on an occasional walk. 

I never thought of myself as a walker but I sure am glad I'm one now! 

This is the challenge that was posted. 

 

Lessons learned: 

DONT KNOCK IT TILL YOU TRY IT! 

DONT DOUBT YOURSELF! 

May you be inspired to find something you enjoy too.  

(((Hugs))), Prayers & Well Wishes

Janine

I'm a Pumpkin Lover!

    

     Fall is just around the corner and the stores, bakeries and fast food place are already putting out the pumpkin treats from donuts, creamers to lattes. I love just about everything pumpkin, especially during the fall.  Living in the south I miss out on the color change in the Autumn which I absolutely love.  I refuse to miss out on the flavors of pumpkin this season just because I have to eat differently to stay well.  So this weekend I tried a new recipe. 

     With going gluten, dairy, & egg free and with only an exception of a tiny bit of raw sugar on occasions it makes it very difficult to find pumpkin things that are compliant with my new life style.  So in the coming weeks I am on a mission to find some pumpkin treats I can eat or drink in small moderations this fall season.  

     I came across a recipe for a pumpkin bread typed treat made in a bundt pan.  The recipe only has 2 ingredients so I new it would be fairly safe on it being compliant. Here is the link: http://www.realfoodallergyfree.com/2011/11/two-ingredient-pumpkin-bread-with-apple-cider-glaze/. 

     I opted out of making the apple cider glaze this time around but will make the full recipe again closer to the holiday time.  I however did add cinnamon & nutmeg to the batter. No exact amounts just till I could taste them.  

My review:

Recipe is very simple to make

Smells delicious just like fall. 

Tastes good & very pumpkiney 

It's dense so if you were expecting a big plump cake/bread this isn't it.  

It's a little on the chewy side, not sure if Apple cider glaze would make a difference once drizzled on but Im sure it would be a great finishing touch either way.  

Overall I liked it and will make it again especially with the glaze.  One thing for sure with being GF, DF & EF you have to learn to adjust your palate and taste buds because things will look, taste, & feel much different than what your used to.  

Feel free to share with me your favorite pumpkin recipes. 

(((Hugs))), Prayers & Well Wishes

Janine

  

What is Autoimmune Disease?

    Over time I've gathered some basic info that I've learned along the way to help explain to myself what is happening to my own body and what autoimmune disease is, how it affects, how it is  diagnosed and what treatments are there. 

     An autoimmune disease starts within your immune system. Our immune system defends our bodies from diseases but with an autoimmune disease it decides that our healthy cells are foreign. Once this happens our immune system starts to attack our healthy body cells. Depending on which autoimmune disease you have it can affect one or several types of body tissue.

     Here is a list of common autoimmune diseases:

rheumatoid arthritis

lupus 

multiple sclerosis

celiac sprue disease

scleroderma

psoriasis

inflammatory bowel disease

Hashimoto’s disease

Addison’s disease

Graves’ disease

reactive arthritis

Sjögren’s syndrome

Type 1 diabetes

     The actual cause of autoimmune disease is unknown. Studies show that if a family member of your has an autoimmune disease that you are more susceptible to developing one as well. Some possible theories as to what triggers an autoimmune diseases are:

A bacteria or virus

Drugs

Chemical or toxin irritants 

Environmental  irritants

     Since there are many different autoimmune diseases the symptoms can vary. Most all  autoimmune diseases causes fatigue, fever, and general malaise, feeling ill. When your in a flare up the symptoms worsen and the list can increase. An autoimmune diseases can affect many areas of the body. 

The most common affected organs and tissue are:

joints

muscles

skin

red blood cells

blood vessels

connective tissue

endocrine glands

     Usually our immune system produces antibodies that seek out and protect against harmful invaders in our bodies, like viruses, bacteria and parasites.  When someone has an autoimmune disease, their body produces antibodies against some of their own tissues. To diagnose an autoimmune disease it involves identifying the antibodies in which your body is producing.

Some tests use to diagnose an autoimmune disease are:

antinuclear antibody tests

autoantibody tests

complete blood count (CBC)

C-reactive protein (CRP)

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

     Sadly, autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions with no actual cure. Once diagnosed with one you will always have it. There are treatments to help to control the process of the disease and to decrease or if lucky eliminate the symptoms, especially during a flare-up. 

Here is a list of ways to try to help in feeling well with an autoimmune disease and aid in relieving the symptoms too: 

eat a balanced and healthy diet

exercise regularly

get plenty of rest

take vitamin supplements

take hormone replacement, if needed

take anti-inflammatory medication for joints if needed

take pain medication

take immunosuppressive medication

get physical therapy

decrease stress

limit sun exposure

avoid any known triggers of flare-ups

*There are other alternative therapies that also have shown to be helpful:

herbs, chiropractic, acupuncture, hypnosis

Personally for me, in order to be feeling my best I need to: avoid stress (that's a biggie), eat very clean (free of gluten, dairy, egg, soy & grains), be well rested, exercise regularly, thyroid med, take Vitamin D twice a day, plus add in multi vitamins daily and B12 & Biotin (a few days a week). 

I hope you found this helpful. 

((Hugs)), Prayers & Well Wishes

Janine

BIO

ME: Wife, mom, mom in-law, nana, daughter, sister, friend & a Gods Girl
 I love each person I am except the one I've seen in the mirror. As each day goes by I'm learning to love her more and more and realizing she ROCKs! It can be so frustrating to do all the right things, try numerous programs, see Drs, try medications, research to the wee hours, think your going insane and wonder for years what is wrong. Finding out what's wrong is what has led me to here; learning more, seeking support, exercising, eating clean, enjoying each day, praying & blogging.

Brief Description:
     In my school age days I was fairly healthy. I don't remember needing much of a doctors attention. I had a few issues but either treated them on my own or with the care from my mom.  After years later and looking back now the issues I did deal with were early symptoms is now from PCOS & possibly my Hashimoto. 
     I was diagnosed after my first son was born with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian syndrome). After 2 miscarriages and 4 years later we were blessed with our second son. Since I had the two boys I never pursued the issues of my PCOS except be somewhat careful of my diet. PCOS is an insulin and hormone imbalance and classified under as an autoimmune disorder which causes infertility problems along with other issues.
     Several years down the road I developed a severe pain in my stomached that caused the most embarrassing bloat that I looked like I was 8 months pregnant. It was so bad none of my clothing would fit on my bloat days. It got so bad that as soon as I took one bite of any food went in I was in pain and immediately started to bloat. I almost broke down and bought maternity pants just to be a little more comfortable.  After numerous scopes & tests I got a call to say I have gastroparesis  “stomach paralysis" in which your stomach does not empty. I was told to take an antibiotic to help assist my stomach to contract and to help it empty at every meal.  I also was told to purée my meals, don't eat veggies and other healthy foods. Well not eating good for you foods just didn't make sense and got old real quick and I was not comfortable taking an antibiotic daily for life. Changes needed to happen. This is where the Whole30 came in to my life, more on that to come.
     It wasn't until 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Hashimoto. (autoimmune disease)Hashimoto is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid. This result came about while my mom was undergoing treatment & biopsies for thyroid cancer. It was the result of her very own biopsy that came back that she had Hashimoto and after researching (which I do a lot of) I came to learn it was hereditary. Since my mom and I seem to travel the same bumpy road when it comes to our health I right away scheduled an appointment with my PCP and requested the necessary antibodies tests to see if I had it too.  Bingo!

     I've learned that if you have one autoimmune disease you may have or develop more as time passes. Yup. That's me, just this year I was recently diagnosed with RA (rheumatoid arthritis)  at 45 years old. Oh what joy, not!
     I'm embracing all this and in the process finding ways to help, heal and relieve any symptoms from all these diagnosis. It won't happen over night but I'm on the right path.

No time to sit back and wait and see. Now is the time!
Making My Health A Priority!

In my coming blogs I will go further in depth and break down each of my diagnosis along with my personal experiences with them. I also will share my successes, victories and even disappointments on my journey.

((Hugs)) & Prayers,
      Janine

Newbie to blogging.

Trying something new! 

Seems I like to post more than the usual Facebook posts while I'm on my journey to health and wellness. I'm going to try and post here and give the ones who don't care a break. Lol. I'm finding it's therapeutic to jot down my experiences, thoughts, challenges & victories of my day to day life.  Maybe this is just what I need to help achieve my own goals and if I can help inform, inspire or motivate someone along the way then great. 

My next blog (strange to say) will be a little bio of me and a description of some health diagnosis and topics.  

I hope you stick around, learn some things & cheer me on. 

I am here for you as well. :)

(((Hugs))) & Prayers