13 Aug Being Your Own Health Advocate

Did you know that August is Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders Awareness Month?

That’s quite a mouthful!

I know, it’s not something people always want to talk about, but it is important!

What does it mean to have a FGMD?

“, FGIMDs are disorders of function, motility, visceral hypersensitivity, altered mucosal and immune function, altered gut microbiota, and altered central nervous system processing within the gastrointestinal system, which sometimes causes debilitating pain, nausea, vomiting, early satiety, constipation, diarrhea, and can lead to serious complications such as malnourishment, dehydration, extreme weight loss, and overwhelming fatigue” website michigan.gov

When sitting down to write a post, I thought this is most of what is on my mind currently, as I mentioned I am dealing with some health issues. No fashion today folks, I have been wearing a nightgown the better pair of 2.5 weeks, with the exception of these doc appts!

I have recently had a blood workup to check on my kidneys and liver, along with a CBC panel , which checks white and red blood cells etc. Nothing wrong there.

An Ultrasound was performed on Monday, which showed nothing.

So, now I am scheduled for an Endoscopy next Thursday.  I have already had 2 in my life, so I know what to expect. I just hope for answers.

As a part of EDS, I have GERD and Gastroperesis ( used to be called Colonic Inertia) nice huh?  I have been dealing with slow motility for about 30+ years, and know how hard it can be! It really can disrupt your life if you let it.

But…

There are some things you can do to be your own health advocate-

• If you feel like something is wrong, don’t wait. You know  your body more than anyone. Make an appointment to see your doc.
• Bring a notebook with you, or if your doctor allows himself to be recorded in the appointment, do so. You can go back and review notes, and you might not have taken everything in at the time. This will enable you to review or have your questions answered.
• Do your research! That doesn’t mean believe everything you read on the internet, and I was told, if you look up something on Web MD, it all leads to bad outcomes! So, take note of the facts.
• If you feel you are not being heard or a doctor does not take you seriously, it is time to change doctors. I know we can get comfortable with a certain doc, but if you aren’t being listened to, there will be one out there that will.
• Ask about tests you may need.
• Don’t wait for schedulers to call you, ( unless you know they are ones that do it in a timely manner). I called the scheduler, as waiting for one to call me about my procedure seemed unnecessary  You make the call to get your procedure scheduled, that way it will be off your mind and done.
• With a FGMD, schedule an appointment with a dietician. There are specific foods that can be better absorbed and are tolerated better with these conditions.  Low-fiber Low -fat does help.
• Ask questions! If you are not sure about something your doctor is prescribing, have questions about your condition, or anything else related to your health. Remember you “hired” this doctor for your health
• Know your medications and what they do.
• I usually take my hubby with me for support and in case I miss something . It may not happen now, with the Covid scenerio, but having support at home is important.
• Don’t stop! If you are not happy or functioning at the level you want to be, or your quality of life has gone down, keep persuing what you need to do

So, take care and have a nice weekend!
jess xx

If you are more in the mood for fashion, check out my other posts this week on How to Style Bright Colors and My Lemon Print Sundress.