Another Health Update On Me

Well, here is another update.

 

I am not even sure who reads this blog anymore. People in my social media circle aren't engaging on social media as much anymore. I believe people are still watching lots of tiktoks and reels - but they are not posting and/or commenting about real life as much nowadays.

 

I am still struggling. But what else is new? I think with chronic illness, you just have to realize this is your normal. You will never feel great. You just do the best you can. And that sucks - it's depressing.

 

The last time I wrote about my health, I said that I was experiencing an acid reflux attack. I actually think I was using the wrong term. Every time I eat (and often when I haven't eaten yet) my stomach starts to squeeze (like indigestion). I have a lot of pressure right under my ribs in my stomach and it is so uncomfortable. It can last minutes to hours to all day. 

 

15 years ago, I was diagnosed with a mild case of gastroparesis (after going through a gastric emptying study) - and these are the same symptoms. Gastroparesis is a slowing of the digesting of the stomach. I suffered for 5 months with these symptoms back in 2011. Since I hadn't had symptoms of gastroparesis in many years when I experienced my heartburn/acid reflux attack in 2024 (from taking too much anti-inflammatory medication), both my GI doctor and I thought maybe I had been misdiagnosed with gastroparesis. Well now, we are thinking I may not have been misdiagnosed. 

 

   I started my elimination diet at the beginning of January. For four weeks, I did everything right. My joints stopped hurting, my energy was up and I was sleeping better (and all of that is still true). It was HARD to do. I even lost 15 pounds. But, my stomach seized up the day before reintroducing any eliminated foods. Devastating isn't even a strong enough word for how I felt/feel.

 

I think the diet change (adding in more protein, fiber, acidic foods) plus taking a large number of supplements triggered this flare up. These foods and supplements made my gut work harder. I already know I have vagus nerve issues, and that is what controls the stomach. Even feeling like this, I made the executive decision to bring back in some of my eliminated foods for my mental health - since that is important too.

 

I have now been dealing with this episode for almost a month. I have talked with my functional medicine doctor twice now and she dramatically scaled back my supplements and we talked about possible trigger foods. She said everything I had been doing should have been making me feel better. I told her - I am the anomaly. Always the anomaly. 

 

I saw my gastro doctor on Wednesday and she wants me to take a breath test (to check for bacterial overgrowth) and do another gastric emptying study. She also gave me some meds that can help with the squeezing, but they can also slow your gut motility, so I don't know if I want to take them.

 

I am so frustrated. 

 The health system here in the states is BROKEN. It is so horrible. Ridiculously expensive. If anyone bitches about universal healthcare in other countries, just know I want to punch you in the mouth. If you get really sick in the states, you are screwed - unless your a some sort of billionaire. You pay into the system and then your insurance refuses to pay back out. You will go bankrupt if you get very, very ill. Dealing with insurance is like beating your head against the wall. 

 I just tried to set up my gastric emptying study, but I was told by the scheduling department today that the orders wouldn't even be PROCESSED in the system until Monday. I saw my doctor on WEDNESDAY morning. Who knows how long it will be before I can get the study done or how much it will cost. And the gastro office gave me a breath test kit to take home that costs $700. I hope it would go toward my deductible, but I don't trust Aetna. So I refuse to take it now. My functional doctor can get a similar test for me out of pocket for half that price - which is still stupid expensive. The hoops I have to jump through to try to get my brand name Synthroid paid for is criminal. I am so tired of all of this.

I don't see America being great - for SO many reasons. My grocery bill is high. My medical bills are high. My medications are high. My blood pressure is now high.

  And when you try to eat healthier and be healthier - that makes it even more expensive.

  I thought I would post today pictures of the meals I have been making and the foods I have introduced back in to my diet. I've been pretty proud of what I have been doing. But, I don't feel like it right now. I will do a post on that next time.

 I am tired of trying to help myself and pretty much every single time, things backfire. Again, I am swimming in an ocean with waves that keep pushing me back under water for some reason. 

  I know Dory says "just keep swimming." I am tired though. I desperately want to float for a while.