Rocky Days

     Lately GP has been giving me a hard time with my latest flare landed me in the Emergency Room. I can usually push through my daily symptoms to get in enough nutrition to function, but after a few days of not tolerating food or liquids I was so dehydrated I had no choice but to head to the E.R. for fluids and a little Dextrose (a.k.a. sugar water) which had me feeling ten times better. That little sugar rush had me bouncing off the walls! While I was in the hospital I had to make a big decision about my medication, a decision I have been putting off for as long as possible. I had to decide whether I was ready to give Reglan a try.
     Many GP patients have been in the same position and understand what a big decision this can be. There is no cure and very few treatment options for Gastroparesis (many of which are ineffective), so it's easy to go through the safest options fast with little relief. Reglan is not a very favorable treatment option because although it can be effective, it can cause some pretty serious and in some cases permanent side effects. I've read horror stories of people whose lives have been completely changed because of the effects of Reglan. Yet, I've had doctor after doctor suggesting I give it a try. After a little research, I found that yes it can cause some pretty nasty side effects, but short term they are not as likely to occur.
     This still puts me in a difficult position because if the medication does work I could be feeling good for a couple weeks, then feel terrible for the next few weeks while I give my body a break from the Reglan. I guess any break from my symptoms is better that no relief though. Until this last flare I had decided that Reglan was not for me, but when you weigh not being able to eat to using Reglan for just a week to hopefully give my stomach a little jump start, the pros definitely outweigh the cons so I decided to give it a try. A little fluids, I.V. Zofran, Pepcid, and a dose of Reglan later, I was able to drink and eat enough to be discharged. Did I leave at one hundred percent? No. More like fifty percent but it was a huge improvement from the way I (barely) walked in.
     I'm so grateful to have the support of my family and doctors that have done all they can to help me. I'm ready to also acknowledge that to some degree my health is in my own hands. By slowly adding exercise, healthy and nutritious foods, and removing as much stress from my life as I can, I hope to get my health as stable as possible. I saw a quote on Instagram (I can't remember where) that said "The road may be long, but I'll enjoy the walk" that I loved. Whether I like it or not, this is my life at the moment so I'm going to make the best of it=)