Daily life with an invisible disease by Guest Blogger Diana Schaffer

Many of the patients with Gastroparesis (GP) or any other form of digestive tract paralysis will tell you that it’s nothing if not unpredictable. Like many, my symptoms tend to cycle up and down, which often means changing plans at the last minute. It means never knowing what will hit you the wrong way, what will decide to not agree with you that day, and bouncing back and forth between the few solid foods that are tolerable and liquids. Many require feeding tubes or IVs to live.

Personally, my symptoms have been putting me in a bit of a slump for the past month or so. Nausea and pain increase means just not eating enough, and that means a 15 lb weight loss in one week for me, and an additional 5 lbs over the following 2 weeks.

Not everyone who goes into a flare has the weight loss though. Twice, I have gained 50 lbs or more, each time, during and after flares. The first time is what confused my doc. The vast majority have tremendous weight loss, not gain. Although it seems to be becoming more common to gain, not lose.