Begining.

I will start off by saying I'm not sure if anyone will ever read this blog, but I believe this to be a large part of not only my sanity, but of my "recovery". I'm 19 years old and I have been "sick" for the past seven years. This is the short, very edited version of my journey thus far.

It started with fibromyalgia. Shortly after my diagnosis I was precribed many different strong medications(think black box warning) -all of which did not work. About six months later I began to have stomach issues. Bloating, belching, loss of hunger, and nausea were the first symptoms I experienced. I was diagnosed with GERD through and upper GI, but the severity of my symptoms were in no way related to a little acid reflux. My mum swiched me to an all organic diet and pulled me off of all the medications. After a little withdraw my pain was gone! Except the stomach problems persisted. I tried getting off of dairy, wheat, and corn to no avail. Fast forward a year or too and I dropped to 90 pounds by my 15th birthday. Only and 8 pound loss from my 5'3" frame. By 16 I was having severe stomach pain and one day the vomitting started. My parents were concearned, as was I, but no doctor could explain this sudden occurence. I tried a natrual doctor, a faith healer, and normal physicians. All were stumped and to what was troubling my system. My stomach started cramping and constipation came too. Just more things to list that were "wrong" with me.
At 16-17 I was admitted twice to one of the best Children's Hospitals in the US (TX) and spent two weeks undergoing tests, biopsies, ect. The called in every possible doctor that could help oversee my case. By this time I was 74 pounds and was losing quite a lot of potsassium. After a few days of IV fluids and Potassium I was good as new from a blookwork standpoint. Each time I would be sent home only to worry about electrolyte replacement. I spent a week in Denver last year for another observation period - this time because so many doctors were telling me I had an eating disorder. So why not go to one of the best places for that in the US? They concluded, as several doctors before me, that I did not have an eating disorder. I was able to weight restore a bit and made it to 89 pounds and my symptoms subsided a bit. Only to have them hit me hard. So hard that by the end of last year I was 68 pounds and my bloodwork was terrible. I almost died - again. Yet even with such a low list of electrolytes, I did not feel anything out of my "ordinary". With potassium nearly at 1 (normal is about 4), I had no cramps, dizzines, fainting, headaches, tiredness, or confussion. I was able to walk, talk, think, etc - even made 3 A's and a B at university! Strange? You bet. They placed a j-tube and I was able to weight restore to 98 pounds until it feel out. My doctor didnt want to put it back in, despite the fact that I was not feeling any better with or without it. Now i'm back to square one! 88 pounds now, vomitting again, and losing weight. The doctors I have seen do not know what to do with me.

They say I have gastroparesis, but something else too. I have already had my gallbladder removed and been tested for pretty much everything under the sun. My story may have been shortish and seems easy, but it hasn't been. Each day is a struggle and I never know what my day is going to be like - or my night. This sickness I have suffered with for so long is so unbelievebly difficult. I can't live a normal life like a "normal" teenager. I have lost all of my teen years being in bed.

That's all for now.