What It's Like to Have Gastroparesis

An Open Letter to Family & Friends

Through these past two years of helping my clients suffering from Gastroparesis, I have had so many mention how their family and friends don't quite understand what they are going through, and they don't quite know how to explain it to them. So, I decided to help do it for them.

When I decided to write this blog, I thought it would be super easy, because I could just list off symptoms most have, that matched mine, and how they made me feel, until I really started planning it out. I realized I have blocked out A LOT from my memory, when I was at my sickest. So, I had to open that back up, which brought up a lot of feelings and emotions for me, so, please, be kind in my vulnerability.

Here is what it's like to have Gastroparesis.

(This is my personal experience & it's a long one, so buckle in. It can vary by person)

Admitting I Had an Illness

If you haven't read my story, you can here, but we are going to pretend like you already have, and go from there.

I was an athlete, I was in my early 20s, normal & healthy. Then, I wasn't, and that's a hard thing to cope with. I didn't want to admit anything was wrong with me. So, I went about my business, ignoring my growing list of symptoms for 3 years, before I could finally admit it enough to my mom that I needed some help. This admission came after I basically stopped eating, I could barely get myself up for work, I was throwing up, my bowel movements were out of control & more. (we'll go over these more later)

Why was it so hard to admit I was sick? The fear of many things like,

• I would look weak

• I felt like I would have to depend on others

• My friends would treat me differently

• No one wants to date the sick girl

• Being on medication forever

• People wouldn't think I was "fun to be around" anymore

• I was too young to be anything but healthy

• My family would see me as a burden

I couldn't keep up my happy & normal façade forever, and it finally broke down.

The Height of My Illness

This is where things get blurry and dark for me. This is the part I have tried to block out. To pretend like I just had a few stomach aches, to downplay the severity of what I had; what I have. This is the stuff I don't want to remember, but I feel like for the sake of my clients and those out there, I need to. We all need someone on our team, who knows how we feel.

I wasn't getting any better, no matter how many medications they gave me. My symptoms looked like:

• not eating

• feeling full after a bite or two when I did eat

• no energy

• incredible stomach pain that felt like stabbing

• endless bloating

• irritable to no end

• throwing up

• switching back and forth from constipation to diarrhea

• wild weight fluctuations that ended up in an unhealthy amount of weight loss

• acid reflux

• passing out extremely easily

• blacking out and passing out when using the restroom

How This Affected My Life

With my family: 

Family Sunday dinners suddenly were wrapped around trying to find food I could handle and trying to convince me to eat. I was missing family functions for testing or symptom management. I was afraid to eat around them to avoid running to the bathroom. I was tired of them always trying to find ways to help, and those ways weren't helping. I was mean, I was angry, I was depressed.

I had to move back in with my parents, because I couldn't hold a full-time job and couldn't pay for my rent anymore. It was embarrassing, for someone so independent like myself. I was afraid this would be how the rest of my life would go. I got angrier & meaner.

With my friends:

Eating out was an absolute nightmare for me. I would grin and bare it, pretend it was fine and eat and then go home and be sick for days. Drinking was completely out of the question, and they all thought I was just being lame. I wasn't able to hang out all of the time, and turned down a lot of their invites. Eventually, the invitations became fewer and fewer, then there were no more. This excludes my best friend, because she was the only one who understood me, somehow.

They didn't understand my pain & I didn't know how to explain it to them. They thought it was a stomachache and I pretended they were right, until the exhaustion of pretending was too much.

I stopped being the fun Aubrey they all knew and loved, and I could feel the weight of my illness carrying over into my conversations and actions around them. I stopped loving myself, and thought they did too, so I stopped being their friends, too.

With my boyfriend (now husband):

I did a lot of pretending here, too. I wanted to be normal in this new relationship we were starting. I couldn't, so the commitment issues rolled in. I was afraid to commit fully, because who wants to be with the sick girl? Who wants to carry that responsibility?

Going out most of the time was out of the question, eating out was even harder. I was tired and in pain ALL OF THE TIME, but I pretended I was just fine. I wanted to be fun, beautiful, vibrant, sexy and all of the other things that come with a new relationship. This man was so patient, though. He never got mad at me, until I started giving up on myself. I started pulling away, wouldn't be intimate, and sometimes being mean. He got frustrated with that, and told me he couldn't be with someone who won't keep fighting to feel better, to try anything. I got angry at first, thinking how insensitive, but I am grateful for that now.

Where Am I Now?

After I found the path to my healing, major shifts happened. I was my old self again, but with restrictions. It's been a hard road to mentally understand that I can't go back 100% to my old self, so I am finding and learning to love my new self.

These days, my pain and aches are very minimal and definitely manageable. I have finally stopped having to pretend I'm okay. I don't throw up anymore, my weight is normal and I CAN EAT! I can go out to eat and sometimes have a drink or two, but I have to keep tabs on myself to not get too crazy.

My family life is back to normal and doesn't revolve around my illness. I'm, JUST NOW, finally getting to a place where I am letting friends back in, and that's been a hard road for me. I am setting aside my pride of feeling like I am "crawling back", but it's not like that, and I know it.

I got married, and have a very fun life with my husband. I have a steady job. I can pay my own bills and own my own home. I am living a relatively normal life with Gastroparesis, and I never thought it was possible. Finally, I have accepted that I do have a condition, but I don't let it define me and I don't talk about it much in relation to me, because it's not part of my identity, and I don't want it to be.

To My Family, Friends & Husband

I am sorry I couldn't explain it better to you when I was at my sickest. I am sorry that I shut a lot of you out. I'm also sorry I didn't try to help you understand, when you were trying to understand. But I am SO THANKFUL for those who kept pushing alongside me, and pushing me to get better. I am thankful for the patience and grace. It's no one's fault here, because we were all in uncharted territory, but I am glad I am wading out of it. It is something I will always have to deal with, but I am glad I can finally help you understand.

However, I am not blind to the fact that many of us aren't where I am now. They are still in the part I used to be in, but I want them to know they can get where I am. Hence, writing this to let them know that I know how they feel. I am on their team, and I want to help them heal.

This brought me back to a dark place, written through some tears, but my hope is to help someone out there be able to share with their family and friends and explain what it's like and how it feels to have Gastroparesis, then it's worth it. Even if our experiences aren't exactly the same, I know they are similar in some ways.

This is just part 1 of a 2 part series about how to handle Gastroparesis with family and friends. In part 2, I  go over things family & friends should and shouldn't say or do or suggest. You can click here to read that!

This is a chronic condition, there is no cure, but to understand how we feel and how to approach it can change everything.

Until next time,

Aubrey

Sex Drive & Gastroparesis Part 2

In our last blog about sex drive and Gastroparesis, we talked about the possibility of the connection between the two and the signs & symptoms to look for.

As promised, in this blog post, we are going to discuss how to naturally increase your sex drive and how to talk to your partner about your struggles, so that they understand how you are feeling.

Let's get started.

Ways to Naturally Increase Libido

While these aren't foolproof, and not many studies have been done about the natural increase in libido, making these changes or improvements will help improve your overall health. Improving your health, will improve your hormone function, which will then improve your libido.

• Limit your alcohol intake

• Limit the amount of processed foods

• Up your intake of fruits and vegetables

• Get good sleep

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Quit smoking

• Keep your stress and anxiety to a minimum

• Focus on your relationship (date nights, quality time)

This list might sound pretty basic, but that's what it is. Majority of hormonal issues and libido issues stem from poor diet. (of course this leaves out genetic hormonal issues) With Gastroparesis, this can make things more difficult.

When you can't eat, get sick every time you eat or throw everything back up, it can make it much harder to stabilize hormones. Then, it's a domino effect. This is something to work on, but that's for another blog. For now, let's talk about how to address this with your partner to help them understand.

How to Talk with Your Partner

You know what's awkward? Feeling like you want to throw up or maybe use the restroom when your partner is wanting to get intimate. Yikes.

Unfortunately, this happens sometimes to those suffering with Gastroparesis, and it's really hard to explain or to help your partner understand how you're feeling.

As with any other topic in a relationship, communication is key.

1. Make sure you explain what Gastroparesis is to them fully. Those who never experience the pain and feelings we go through, will never fully understand how we feel. So, explaining what GP is, is extremely important. I'm talking GET DETAILED.

2. Explain How it Makes you Feel. I am talking about both GP & how uncomfortable sex can be when you feel so sick. If you just tell them you aren't in the mood, they won't know it's because of your GP. But if you tell them the pain is so severe you are in a constant nauseous state, then they might be more understanding.

3. Try to Put Yourself in Their Shoes. Just like you want them to understand how you feel, try to switch places and think about how it would feel if your partner never wanted to get intimate or always said it made them sick. That would start to make you feel pretty down. While both sides' feelings are totally valid, they both need to be considered. Try to let them know that you understand how difficult this situation is, but that you appreciate them being patient with you. Sometimes, a little affirmation, can go a long way.

While I can't give you the exact words on what to say, keeping these 3 tips in mind, can keep your communication open, calm and informative. Both sides will be adjusting to each other & it's a process.

If nothing else, hopefully this helps you feel like you're not alone in your struggle. There are many out there struggling with this exact topic.

Always remember, communication is key!

Until next time.

Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.

Aubrey

Sex Drive & Gastroparesis

Alright, let's get a little uncomfortable this week and talk about your sex drive.

No one wants to think they have a low sex drive, or that their illness could be affecting it. Unfortunately, MANY of those who suffer with Gastroparesis, also deal with many side effects, one of those being low sex drive.

Something I wasn't ready for when I started seeing clients for their Gastroparesis, was how many would ask me why their sex drive was low, or if was because of their Gastroparesis. This is not my area of expertise and at first I would just have to tell them I am unsure, and maybe it was just being tired from fighting this condition.

Well, after getting this question many more times, I decided that I needed to be able to give my clients a little bit of a better answer, so I started doing a little bit of research on my own.

What Does Low Sex-Drive Look Like?

In it's simplest form, low libido is,

• lack of interest in sex

• lack of ability to engage in sex

Underneath the main symptoms, many feel

• depression about low sex drive

• guilt because they don't want to let their partners down

• fatigue due to chronic illness

• irritation with yourself

All of these are completely normal.

So, you might ask what is the correlation with Gastroparesis? Well, while there are no official studies out there connecting these two, the nature of Gastroparesis and how libido actually works has some interesting connections. Let's take a look

How Does Libido Work?

What actually determines sex drive, or libido?

The definition states that, "Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotransmitters that act upon the nucleus accumbens (primarily testosterone and dopamine, respectively) regulate libido in humans. Social factors, such as work and family, and internal psychological factors, such as personality and stress, can affect libido. Libido can also be affected by medical conditions, medications, lifestyle and relationship issues, and age."

So, breaking that down, libido is influenced by the production of particular hormones & associated neurotransmitters. Being that Gastroparesis is a nerve issue, there is a high possibility that the damaged nervous system hinders the ability of the hormones making it to the destination to activate that sex drive.

There is the other factor from Gastroparesis, that our bodies are just exhausted and stressed from constantly dealing with the many symptoms and pains. Combine these two things and it's a perfect recipe for low libido.

If you have been down on yourself and questioning why this was happening to you, hopefully this gave you a little peace knowing you aren't alone in feeling this way. Many of those with Gastroparesis are feeling this & searching for answers. Of course, this is not an official answer, but until someone does the research to correlate, this is all we have.

In our next blog, we will talk natural ways to increase your libido and how to address this with your partner so that they are on the same page & understand what you are going through. These two important factors will help relieve some of the stress and guilt you might be feeling. (click here to read part 2)

Until next time,

Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.

Costochondritis and Gastroparesis

Many of us that suffer with gastroparesis also suffer from costochondritis, and we are constantly looking for relief from both.

What is Costochondritis?

First, let's talk a little bit about what we are dealing with here.

Costochondritis is a fancy word for inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage. Unfortunately, there is no known singular cause, but inflammation can be caused from a variety of things. (we'll get into this in a bit)

The pain can feel like:

• stabbing

• ripping

• tenderness

• sharp

• pressure

• worse when you cough

• worse when you take a deep breath

• sometimes worse when you are laying down

This pain typically occurs under a few ribs, closer to your breastbone, but sometimes can radiate further past the breastbone.

(photo cred: Health &)

The Gastroparesis Connection

So, you might be wondering how this connects to Gastroparesis. While there hasn't been any "official studies" on their connection, I speak with lots of people who suffer from both. What I have often seen, and experienced myself, is that when you are going through a "flare" with your GP, your Costochondritis will spike. How so?

Well, when you are flaring, it is usually because you ate/drank something that did not agree with you. It becomes a domino effect. Your digestive system sends up flares, the immune system reacts and sometimes goes into overdrive to attempt to protect the rest of your body from invaders and that can cause inflammation in one or many areas of your body. Enter costochondritis.

How to Get Relief

Okay, so you are in pain, maybe from both GP and Costo, but you need relief NOW.

GP pain relief takes a little longer, and while I would usually rather address the underlying cause of the pain, sometimes the most realistic process is to help relieve the immediate pain and then do the work to help relieve the rest after.

Quick ways to relieve your pain:

• While I typically don't recommend medication, sometimes you have to have the quick fix. Medications like Ibuprofen (Motrin) or Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) are helpful.

• A warm bath

• Switching ice and heat on and off

My more preferred methods are prevention:

• Keeping/Getting your Gastroparesis flares under control

• Limiting pro-inflammatory foods and drinks

• Keeping stress levels low

• Daily stretching & mild physical activity

• Massages

I used to suffer quite often from Costochondritis flares and almost always did they coincide with my Gastroparesis flares. When I was able to get my GP under control, I noticed the less frequent, and now almost never, flares from Costochondritis.

Hopefully, this was helpful if you are suffering from one or both of these conditions.

If you have any questions for me at all, please reach out and I would love to help you start feeling better ASAP. In the meantime, you can grab my free 3-Day Gastroparesis healing guide here.

Until next time,

Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.

Gastroparesis Frequently Asked Questions

On the daily, I get all kinds of questions about Gastroparesis, so I thought it might be a good idea to gather them all together into a Gastroparesis Frequently Asked Questions blog for you to be able to reference anytime. When necessary, I will update the questions, or add a part 2, 3, etc. on.

So, let's get started with some of the basics.

1. What exactly is Gastroparesis?

I have discussed this in another blog, that you can read here. However, quickly, it's a nerve condition that affects the stomach muscles and prevents proper stomach emptying.

2. How do you get tested for Gastroparesis?

It might take a little bit to get the test for GP, because the doctors typically go through a slew of other tests for digestive dysfunction, but if you have ruled out everything and want the test, then advocate for yourself and ask for it. What they do is give you a meal to eat, and then you lay down on a table as a machine watches how you digest and how long. It can take up to 4 hours laying there, depending on what your doctor wants/needs.

3. Is Gastroparesis progressive?

GP can get worse, but that doesn't mean it will and it doesn't happen to all of those who get it. Some say no matter what you do to treat it, it could still get worse, but that depends on the treatment.

4. Will it ever go away?

Technically, it will never go away, however, don't fear. GP can go into remission and stay dormant for the rest of your life, and then it can flare up at any point. It all depends on how far into the condition you are and how hard you are willing to work to turn the corner to getting better.

5. Is Gastroparesis genetic? Can I pass it to my children?

As of right now, it does not look like it's hereditary. However, there is an exception to this, in regards to autoimmune diseases. The AID that runs in families can lead to GP, therefore, making GP genetic. Note that means you are mostly passing down the autoimmune disease.

6. How bad can Gastroparesis get?

I should preface all of this by saying, you don't technically die *from* Gastroparesis, but there have been a few who have died because of the side effects from the condition. Gastroparesis, left untreated, can lead to being on a feeding tube, a pacemaker in your stomach, extreme malnutrition, hair loss, etc. You can avoid all of this by treating it properly.

7. What is the treatment for Gastroparesis?

Building on the last question, there are "technical treatments" given by 99% of doctors out there. I have met very few people who have felt better with any of these treatments.

The current treatment includes a type of prokinetic medication to encourage stomach contractions. These medications are Domperidone or Reglan. Reglan is a dangerous medication that can affect the central nervous system. Domperidone is very difficult to get in the US.

If bad enough, it will lead to a feeding tube or a gastric stimulator (pacemaker) in the stomach.

I do not stand behind any of these "treatments", as they are just shots in the dark. I do have some recommendations to help with your GP symptoms.

These are some of the main, more basic, questions for now. In a later post or in an update to this one, I will answer more of nitty gritty questions that come in!

If you have any questions you would like answered, feel free to reach out to me at info@realpeeljuice.com to get those answered!

3 Smoothie Recipes for Gastroparesis

Finding different recipes for Gastroparesis that work for you can be difficult. If you suffer with GP, you know that not everyone can eat the same thing and sometimes you can't even eat the same thing you were able to eat the week before.

Here are 3 smoothies, that can be adjusted to your needs, that are great for those of us who deal with Gastroparesis.

It will help

• provide needed nutrients

• an easily digestible meal

• takes the stress away from trying to figure out what to eat

Granted, you don't have to have Gastroparesis in order to enjoy these smoothies, as they are delicious and packed with nutrients everyone needs.

Melon Green

Smoothie

• 1 cup mixed melon balls

• 1/2 handful baby spinach

• Juice from 1/2 a lime

• 1 scoop of vanilla protein

Blend and enjoy.

Choc Dream

Smoothie

• 1/2- 1 frozen banana

• 1/4 cup frozen zucchini

• 1/4 cup frozen avocado

• 1 handful baby spinach

• 1 tbsp nut butter of choice (I prefer almond butter or cashew butter)

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1 scoop chocolate protein

• 1 tbsp chocolate magnesium (optional)

• 1 tsp trace minerals (optional)

Blend & enjoy! This smoothie provides lots of great fats that are easy to digest, which normally, Gastroparesis patients have a hard time digesting. Plus, the cacao offers a ton of magnesium, which is great for the muscles.

Berry Blast

Smoothie

• 1 cup mixed berries or just strawberries

• 1/4 handful baby spinach

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 scoop vanilla protein

Blend & enjoy!

BONUS: Easy Green Smoothie

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks

• 1/4 cup frozen zucchini

• 1 handful baby spinach

• Juice from 1 lime

• 1 cup coconut water

• 1 scoop vanilla protein of choice (optional, but highly recommend)

• 1 tsp trace minerals (optional but highly recommend)

Blend and enjoy.

This smoothie is great to provide a TON of greens and the vitamins and minerals needed without it being too hard to digest. I highly recommend the trace minerals because more than likely, you are severely lacking most of the minerals your body needs, and this will provide that in an easy-to-absorb way. Do not overdo the drops, because it will taste like metal.

Now, I know you might be fearful to try them, but give them a go & see how you feel. After all, it's worth a try.

When and Why to do a Juice Cleanse

You might see that I don’t talk much about juice cleanses, so you might think, why would I ever do one.

You also might think that they are just trendy or too sugary and pointless, but I am here to tell you they do have a purpose, when used for the right reasons.

Unfortunately, a lot of companies, “influencers” and others tout cleanses as a great way to lose weight or detox your body completely, and this is just, simply, wrong.

Yes, you will drop weight when you cleanse, but about 80% of it will come back, because you will be eating solid food again. If you go back to poor eating habits, you might gain it all back and then some. Yes, it “detoxes” in a sense, but not in the way its touted.

So, let’s go over the reasons for when & why to cleanse.

1. You are ready to make a change in your health:

   Whether this looks like weight loss journey, reversing diabetes, giving yourself more energy, etc. This is a wonderful reason to do a cleanse. This is a great jumping off point, and will influence you to choose better afterwards.

2. Reduce Malnourishment:

   If you suffer from being malnourished, or you eat a lot of processed foods and don’t realize you might be malnourished, a cleanse can provide a flood of nutrients in an easy to digest manner, so that your body can actually absorb and use them.

3. Rest Your Digestive System:

   Some might say “your digestive system doesn’t need a break” and I can 100% vouch that they are dead wrong. Digesting takes a lot of energy and when you have a slower digestive system, deal with IBS/D, or any other digestive issue, it needs a break to “catch up” sometimes. A cleanse is a great way to allow it to still be nourished but not use even 1/4 of the energy it takes to break down solid food. This will also help with reducing bloating.

These are the main reasons to do a cleanse, and there are other more specific reasons, but for the sake of conversation here, I won’t go into those. However, if you are wondering if a cleanse would be right for you and your situation, I would be happy to chat with you about that and determine if it is or isn’t.

We offer 1-3 day cleanses and each cleanse is made to order.

If you want to check out our cleanse selection, click here

Until next time,

Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.

The Leveler - For Blood Pressure

March Juice Highlight

It only feels right that for March, we highlight a Green Juice!

So, this month’s star juice is The Leveler!

What’s In It?

• Green Apple

• Kale

• Celery

• Parsley

• Lemon

This is definitely one of our more green juices, in that it has very minimal apple and sweetness. However, the lemon and celery bring a really nice brightness and the parsley adds a perfect punch at the end.

What is it Good For?

Helping to manage your blood pressure. And let’s be clear here, that 1 bottle of any juice is not going to change anything. The Leveler, in combination with a good diet, will make the big difference you are looking for.

Let’s highlight a few of the ingredients that are beneficial for blood pressure.

1. Celery: This, mostly water, vegetable has so many benefits. Celery contains a phytochemical called phthalides that helps relax the tissues of the artery walls to increase blood flow and reduce blood pressure.

2. Parsley: The little herb with a big impact. Parsley is high in nitrates that help dilate blood vessels, which improves blood flow and lowers high blood pressure.

3. Kale: This popular leafy green has a number of vitamins that have been found to help lower blood pressure naturally

The other ingredients also play a role, but I wanted to highlight these 3. Overall, The Leveler is like a blood pressure power house juice!

How to Drink The Leveler:

Green juice can be very filling, so here is how I would recommend drinking this juice:

• as a meal for breakfast or dinner

• 2 snacks in your day

If you would like to give The Leveler a try, click here!

Stay tuned for April’s juice highlight.