Gastroparesis |The Truth About Life With A New Diagnosis

I’ve aways had stomach issues but nothing that it really affected my day to day life. To be truthful I got diagnosed a few weeks ago and it completely took it out on me, I know that I had it already there was no doubt about that but actually having it diagnosed messed with my head a bit. I really wanted to write about my thoughts during and after the diagnosis, to document what went through my head at the time for myself, as a diary and for other people who are looking into a diagnosis or recently diagnosed but I’m not going to lie it took a toll on my mental health for a while after diagnosis.

This is the only diagnosis where it is a kick in the stomach type feeling, it’s not that it was a surprise diagnosis or it’s my only ‘big’ diagnosis. Even though I believed I had gastroparesis from the very start of when my stomach issues became chronic, it’s still a bit of a headf*ck.

After my diagnosis I read the very little information on the internet, joined facebook groups and freaked out so much. I’ve looked into the diet needed to reduce the symptoms as much as possible and most of the of the foods recommended to avoid was fibre and fat as much as possible and they recommend things like pureed meat and fish.. which isn’t a very good thing for a vegan. Now the question is it possible to lead a vegan life with gastroparesis? I’ve seen a few people who can work the vegan lifestyle while having gastroparesis but it probably will be hard. I became so overwhelmed, like I guess so many other people do and went into my little cocoon, it’s my automatic response. I shut off from everything, became a recluse, even more then what I am already. I tend to binge play games on my laptop like The Sims or Cities Skylines. I’ve got to say though, I made a good damm city, so I’m sort of proud. You also may have noticed a lack of posts, here on my blog, instagram, twitter and this was what I was doing instead. It’s not as though I post much on my social media anyway, I try so hard to open up but due to my childhood upbringing and issues with that, I find it so hard, especially bringing attention to anything to do with my myself or my family. I’m still learning, the same as anybody else.

Right now I currently have a list in my bullet journal dedicated to the foods I can no longer eat more more importantly foods that I can. To begin with, as I mentioned earlier, my head became such a whirlwind of information about what I should and shouldn’t be eating. Most things what I thought my stomach could handle were on this list, was I making my stomach worse even though I didnt know?! After around a week and a half I came to the conclusion that I’m going to do what makes me feel good, good as in not eat things I know that my stomach finds hard to digest. Not to focus on the food I cant eat and focus on the food that I can still enjoy. In the future that list will decline further but I might as well enjoy them while I can.

A serious situation that you (may) get with gastroparesis is being malnourished, sick and needing a feeding tube. Will people think I’m malnourished and ill because I’m vegan?! (I already think this but I could get worse). What if the formula wasnt vegan?! All these things were running through my head, things that may never come up and even if it did it’s something to deal with then. There is no point stressing about something now, when stressing is not going to change the situation. So I’ve picked myself up and continued to eat the things that make me happy and more importantly my stomach happy. I’ve gone back to trying to eat whole foods to try and get all the nutrients I can get while I can. Ive predominantly gone back to the basics and try and keep everything simple that I know my body can deal with.

This is only the start of my life being diagnosed with gastroparesis and I want to document every little bit of it, for myself but predominantly for any of you going through the same thing.There is nothing better then supporting people who know exactly what you’re going through.

Devon