#me: lactose intolerant + acid reflux

[vydumaj]

I’m currently going through a minor identity crisis after, like, two weeks ago, at the age of 23, realizing I’m lactose intolerant. I drank some hot chocolate, got a really bad stomach ache, and thought to myself “it’s nothing, I always get a stomach ache after drinking hot chocolate”, remembered I got a stomach ache after eating ice cream two days before and then realized…maybe getting a stomach ache every time you drink hot chocolate (regardless of how little) isn’t…normal. it’s been like that for at least half a year, up to like 2-3 years… I guess I should’ve expected this since my stomach is super sensitive and my dad is lactose intolerant and also Thai (84-96% of Thai people are lactose intolerant depending on which study you look at) … at least lactase enzyme pills seem to work for me so I won’t need to give up ice cream lmao

#t says #but…that feels like an odd discovery to make now all of a sudden #covid may have made it worse though…is there anything covid doesn’t fuck up #I also wondered if I may be lactose intolerant like 2 years ago when I was investigating everything wrong with my stomach (I still have no #clue) #but thought I wasn’t since I eat ice cream with what I felt was no problem #since most foods give me minor stomach aches anyway I didn’t think it was noteworthy #lol #random post sorry #I now realize that stuff like me wanting to eat cheese bc I like the taste but generally avoiding it bc I get stomach aches #is probably also related to this #my mom is Swedish and not lactose intolerant #it’s the norm here only 7% of the Swedish adult population is #I grew up drinking milk with everything.until I was 14 I had milk with every meal (then it started making my acid reflux worse) #so I didn’t expect this at all 🥲

[beetlebip]

I really should wear one of those big allergy tag necklaces for kids so I actually remember to ask about allergens when I’m eating out

#ik carrots are such a common filler but. maybe we could replace them with something else #I eat meat alternatives bc red meat gives me bad acid reflux and it’s just generally bad for you #but at what cost. the vegetarian and vegan stuff also makes me sick :l #lactose intolerant but allergic to most dairy alternatives #hell on earth. absolutely

[sanchoyo]

@fuschiaghosts no like at this point I’m willing to consider anything, I can def ask the dr to check for these whenever I finally go! The weird and frustrating part is it’s never like, right after I eat anything and doesn’t seem to be any consistent foods, when it happens it’s always after I’ve slept, and I wake up feeling sick, so idk if that would be bc of any of those… x_x

#telling the dr I wake up sick and they’re always like OHHH ur PREGNANT. nO!!!!! #and it’s not acid reflux (ik that’s a common thing to wake up sick from but I got diagnosed w that as a teen and know how to manage it. and #not to eat before bed/what not to eat) and to an extent I’ve always had weird health stuff regarding my stomach so uhh #when I was like 5 I had to go to a massive children’s hospital and have an operation bc smth was fucked up w my stomach and like I could’ve #died or whatever and I’m wondering if that has long lasting effects. but fuck if I remember what that was called (like whatever was wrong) #then when I was like 10 I had some weird rare bacterial thing in my stomach/intestines and I can’t recall the name of that either but that #dr said that’d ALSO stay in my system and flare up #so I can only assume it might be a horrible little soup of problems in there #I rly don’t trust drs to be able to figure it out competently bc the dr I go to has misdiagnosed me several times 😬 cringe doctor #anyway. yeah no clue what it could be ! lol #sanchoyoreplies #fuschiaghosts #I am also mildly lactose intolerant so I wonder if like. that contributes at all… #tho I didn’t have dairy this time when it happened… #it’s prob not helping that I just ignore that lol #it’s just super annoying not knowing yk . my weird dead anime mom disease. #PLUS anxiety causing me to puke when things are Too Much and the fact a lot of autistic ppl seem to have gut problems???? #who knows!!!

[drjgodo]

Hidden Dairy Allergies?

Dairy Is A Common Food Allergen For Most People Often people are reacting to dairy and don’t even know it. That glass of milk you thought was healthy could actually be setting off a hidden allergy, causing bloating, diarrhea, acid reflux, sinus infections, and even joint pain. Eliminating or reducing dairy can make a huge difference in how you feel. That includes milk, cheese, butter, cream,…

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#acid reflux #allergy relief #Bloating #Chiropractor near me #Dairy #diarrhea #food allergies #Food allergy #joint pain #lactose #lactose allergy #lactose intolerance #milk #milk allergy #sinus infection #Sinusitis #Weight Loss

[doctordragon]

Told my doctor I've been having acid reflux problems and he told me to make dietary changes and basically avoid anything that tastes good.

As a lactose intolerant bitch who regularly consumes dairy I'm sure we all know how well that will go

[isa-ah]

going crazy bc it turns out all of my problems ever were just. celiacs. I'm fuckin allergic to gluten. we thought it was ulcers, or my stomach was fucked up, or lactose intolerance, or an egg allergy, I even thought it might be cancer- I had an endoscopy when I was 14 bc I was constantly throwing up and in severe pain, but they didn't see anything so they said I was lying. but the pain never stopped! I'm 26 and until this year, i was severely swollen, radiating crazy heat, and in indigestion pain so bad it put me in the emergency room at one point bc I thought I was having a heart attack! (not to mention what the swelling was doing to my sciatica, getting so bad that just walking around the apartment was becoming difficult and I couldn't bend over at all without a day or two of pain after).

then one day my mom in law and husband go. hey have you ever considered the issue is actually gluten? maybe we should try eating a meal without any.

and for the first time in living memory, I ate a meal and experienced no indigestion or swelling after. no pain. no throwing up. nothing. bro.

I've only had a few glutenous things in the last few weeks and my clothes are literally falling off of me bc my severe inflammation is gone. my sciatica is barely a foot note. I'm bending and crouching and lifting things no problem. I can eat dairy! with no problem!! no acid reflux, no jackhammer esophagus, no lethargy, no fatigue, and my bodily pain at large has gone from a daily 8-9 to a 2! a 2!! almost nothing!

insane. insane. it's insane. why did no one in my family figure this out at any point. my god

[odinspattern]

Look guys, it isn’t about what is scientifically possible or not.

If I am a robot sure, it opens up questions like why I am not seeing the benefits, and can I download bigger bazoonkas or longer hair, but I’d assume it was an experiment of sorts and move on quickly.

If I am a clone, then that opens up so many other questions. Like. Why did they want a clone, and for what purpose? Organ harvesting?

I got some health issues that are mostly benign all in all but still there, like acid reflux, lactose intolerance, and different vision on both eyes just to name something. Was that on purpose or just bad fucking luck?

And why tell me now? I am in my thirties. Do they need my organs now? Does my family know? Is this goodbye?

And most importantly. There is a person who I am the genetic copy of. A whole-ass person. That is wild. Can I see this person? What are our similarities. Will we get along? Do they resent me? Or accept me?

Ultimately it is the possibility of seeing nature vs nurture in perfect action.

So yeah, personally I am team clone.

#clone vs robot #robot vs clone

[flyonthewallmedstudent]

Helicobacter Pylori

Spicing things up a bit with a Gram Negative Helical/spiral Bacteria

Epidemio:

up to 50% of the population worldwide, but even more in endemic countries/the 3rd world

it can cloud differentials, as it can be asymptomatic unless it caues peptic ulcer disease, in which case the infection may have been decades prior to detection - so you have to interpret serology with a grain of salt (it may not be the culprit of acute infection)

often picked up in early childhood and lingers without treatment for dcades

by contrast, 5% of children in the US have had it, so it may change your clinical decision making depending on where your patient grew up

In australian populations, up to 30% have it, but again, high frequency in older migrants, lower socioeconomic status etc.

Transmission:

faecal oral or even sexual (did not know that one)

increased risk:

lower socioeconomic status/growing up in a developed country

family history of infection and gastric cancer

What it does:

cause ulceration (peptic ulcer disease)

and inflammation or gastritis

due to it's helical shape and flagella, it can penetrate the mucosal lining

Trivia/History:

discovered by Australians in Western Australia in the 1980s

To quote the IM physician, Barry Marshall, in the face of skepticism that a bacteria could survive the stomach's acidic environment: "everyone was against me, but I knew I was right"

After failing to publish and some lab snaffus, he decided to do a Jonas Salk and swallow a broth of Hpylori himself. Of course this last experiment was published in an Australian journal.

At any rate, it is now widely accepted that Hpylori is linked to PUD and gastric cancer and by 2005, the two Australians who found the bacteria received the Nobel prize in medicine

we now know so much more about the pathogen with advancements in microbiology

they also came up with the urease breath test for it

Clinical presentation:

asymptoamtic

symptom onset occurs after gastritis and peptic ulcer disease develop: nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, abdo pain, or at the extreme when the lining has eroded, bleeding/haematemesis

IMage source

Important differentials

coeliac's

Crohn's

nSAID induced gastritis

reflux

lactose intolerance

eosinophilic oesophagitis (sooo rare, usually a/w dysphagia)

Investigations (all with relatively good/high sens and spec)

H pylori antigens in stool

serology (antibodies in serum, urine) --> usually IgG, hence can remain positive for years even post eradication

urease breath test

if a scope was involved due to PUD, then histopathology and culture (reduced sensitivity if treated with PPI in 2/52 prior or Abx 4/52 prior)

actually had no idea they breathed into little bags.

Treatment:

triple therapy - PPI, amoxicillin and clarithromycin for 14 days, in penicillin allergy replace amox with metro (increasing resistance is why metro is not first line in some countries - refer to local guidelines made based on local Abx resistance trends)

In patients younger than 50, it can be cost effective to treat if they have reflux on testing (if there's a high pretest probability - see increased risk groups) given the life time risk of PUD & gastric cancer, can also reduce risk of GIB

balance of risk/benefit: will it significantly improve QOL or will risks of ADRs outweigh the benefits (eg frail, elderly, multiple comorbidities)

when used in those with PUD - improves ulcer healing, recovery and prevents relapse

in simple ulcers, triple therapy is all that is required in more chronic complex ones --> 8/52 of PPI is also recommended to prevent recurring of bleeding etc.

not treating can lead to relapse and complications like bleeding/perforation/cancer risk

Complications

rarely, it can cause gastric adenocarcinoma as a known carcinogen

aka MALT lymphoma - mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue

this resolves with triple therapy (Usually)

consider it in family histories of gastric cancer

life time risk of gastric cancer at 2% and 15-20% risk of peptic ulcer disease

Wish the acronym wasn't MALT. But could be a good way to remember it. MALT, tasty, gastritis and Hpylori.

Follow-up

test for eradication 2 weeks post with stool antigen or urease breath test (serology less effective as the IgGs can remain positive for years) but that's on holding the PPI for 1/52 to prevent a false negative, some countries want both tests

in resistance or relapse there's salvage therapy, usually with bismuth or a quinolone.

Sources:

Wikipaedia - I havent covered pathophysio or it's cellular mechanisms and virulence factors, but there's a good overview in wiki

StatPearls (more paeds focused in this one)

CDC guidelines

Australian Therapeutic guidelines (Paywalll rest above are free)

#medblr #helicobacter pylori #infectious diseases #infectious disease #microbiology

[doyoulike-whatyousee]

Two months ago I could drink a large Diet Coke, have a McDouble, and large fry and still want more. One month ago I could eat a McDouble, medium fry, and medium Diet Coke. Today I can eat half a McDouble, half a medium fry, and a quarter a Diet Coke. What is wrong with me? None of this has been intentional, all “fasting” I’ve done has been because I haven’t felt good enough to eat. I wish I knew what was wrong, my older sister has GERD, and my younger sister, mom, and grandfather have IBS. But none of that sounds like me. I don’t think I experience much acid reflux, I have maybe 2x a year where I have what I assume is heartburn, but that’s always been after a large meal where I ate very fast. Otherwise I don’t think I experience acid reflux. And it’s possible it’s IBS, but I switch between two types or have them both at the same time and from what I’ve heard that’s not a thing. I definitely am lactose intolerant, and I maybe have oral allergy syndrome. But I don’t know what would cause my problems. Most foods make me sick after eating it. But not severely to the point I can’t function except for a few months of the year, usually no more then 3 months at a time with rarely more then 6 months altogether in a year. What comes and goes in severity? I don’t know. Also I have an incredibly difficult time losing weight. I have a full blood panel done 2x a year, I’ve only shown low for thyroid problems once and upon further testing there was nothing. I usually am iron and b12 deficient, but not severely and last time we checked they were normal. So idk what is stopping me from losing weight

[gogetyourbeans]

i have both acid reflux and lactose intolerance what do you want from me

#jumi's stuff

[cgi-heart-eyes]

39

39-my favorite ice cream flavor

hmmmm i’m lactose intolerant and have acid reflux (dairy triggers it for some reason) but cookies n cream slaps. it will put my stomach through hell but it will send me to heaven

[deadmemefrom2012]

April 30th, 2020

Memories that stand out in my mind:

As an elementary school kid, walking the halls after school because my mom was a teacher. Feeling acid rise in my throat outside the bathroom near the principal’s office. Going to my mom and asking her if throwing up in my mouth every once in a while was normal. She gives a distracted yes because I don’t tell her how often it happens.

Being about 9 or 10 in the doctor’s office, finally getting a name for what I’m experiencing: Acid Reflux. I’m so excited to have some bit of information that I tell my friends as soon as I see them next. They seem disinterested and I can’t understand why. A weight is off my shoulders and I feel hopeful that the pain will stop.

I’m thirteen years old in my career and college readiness class. I ask the teacher if I can go get some water. She tells me no, there’s only a few minutes until the bell. With tears in my eyes, I plead with her, but she is set in her decision. After three excruciating minutes, the bell rings and I run to the water fountain to gargle water over and over. Finally, the taste of bile leaves the back of my mouth and the burning sensation starts to recede. The tears of pain that had been building release at last as tears of relief.

I’m still thirteen. I’m laying on the doctor’s examination table as he feels my stomach with cold gloved hands. He thinks the cause may be an ulcer, so he attempts to book me for an endoscopy. All of the specialists nearby have transferred, so for the long months of waiting, I take gigantic pills in an effort to stop the pain. They don’t work, but I keep taking them. Eventually, we drive the four or so hours to Memphis. My mom is with me when I go under for the first time. When I awake, they tell me they saw nothing outwardly abnormal except scar tissue in my throat. We wait and wait just to receive lab reports with no answers.

We see another specialist, who hypothesizes it’s a bacterial infection in my stomach. I have another pill to take and a humiliating stool sample to give, before more waiting for test results with no answers.

At fourteen, my doctor prescribes me anxiety medication. It does wonders for my mental health, but absolutely nothing to the near constant pain. Another cause ruled out and I’ve nearly lost hope.

It’s ninth grade, I’m fourteen years old and walking down the upstairs hallway of the fine arts building with my broadcasting friends. Acid suddenly floods my throat and nasal cavity and I cry out in pain. At the water fountain I gargle over and over, before breathing the water in and blowing it out to maybe stop the burning that’s spread from my nose all the way down to my lungs. My friends stand around me, startled and asking frantically if I’m ok.

Tenth grade, I receive a new medication. It still doesn’t work, and my new doctor doesn’t have any new answers.

The summer after eleventh grade, I’m excitedly waiting to go with my best friend and his family on a trip to see our favorite musician in concert. As we wait to get in the car, my stomach begins to hurt and I feel overheated and nauseous. This is the worst of the symptoms, worse than even breathing in the stomach acid. I can’t move, and my best friend holds me as I try not to cry. Eventually it passes, but the humiliation and helpless feeling stays with me.

Finally, I meet a doctor with new ideas at the beginning of the year. The specialist at the children's hospital tests me for gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance, but both tests come back negative. Still, she suggests that it may be a dairy sensitivity and I agree to slowly stop eating dairy over the next two months. I’m prescribed new medications and receive new hope.

In November of my senior year, on a mission trip in a room all alone in the middle of the night, the same feeling that I got in the summer comes back ten times worse. I’m not completely off dairy, but I avoided it as much as possible during the trip. I take my strongest meds kept in the bag right next to my bed. It doesn’t matter, and I can barely move enough to rest my head on a cool metal chair and call my youth director. He doesn’t pick up, and I end up calling a friend to wake him up. I feel humiliated to have anyone see me so helpless, but there’s nothing I can do. My youth director brings me some over the counter medications to go with my prescriptions and I spend another hour fighting the urge to vomit or pass out before the pain finally ebbs away.

I send off the new year and enter 2020 with one last taste of real ice cream. I regret it almost immediately and am in pain for days afterwards. I think the doctor is definitely right about the dairy sensitivity and I give up milk entirely. The pain doesn’t go away entirely, but it helps somewhat.

In February, I go to my state's Thespian Festival. For the weekend, I eat almost only salads along with the other dairy free and gluten free kids. They told us we would have options to choose from, but we didn’t, and none of us prepared to spend the weekend eating only from the hotel concessions and the meager salad bar. Eventually I can’t take it and order food for whoever nearby needs it. We spend hours talking and eating food that I checked over and over to ensure it was diary free. The pain still doesn’t go away entirely and I still have to swallow down rising bile multiple times a day. My hopelessness turns to rage because why won’t it just stop, please make it stop already, why?

It’s the end of my senior year, only two more days of school. I’m sitting here at four in the morning writing this because for the second time this week I’ve been kept awake by the burning pain in my stomach that has almost become commonplace. I know my grades are suffering, but I can’t focus from the pain and when it stops I’m too tired to focus. It’s only this, my recollections of the pain, that I’ve been able to focus on enough to ignore the current pain. It’s irony, and I feel bitter as I finish this, with tears in my eyes and unfinished assignments open in other tabs. I’m only left with one question:

Why?

#old writing #writing #medical issues #chronic illness #tw vomiting #tw medical #healthcare #undiagnosed chronic illness

[anythingforourmoonysstuff]

12, 25, and 43 for the ask game!

Heyyyyy! once again sorry this is so late but better late than never methinks

Ask game

12. what kind of day is it?

I have no idea what kind of day it was when you sent this but as for today, it is procrastinating doing my essays by watching succession. and you know what? im not even stressed about the essays when im watching it because the show is so fucking good I am so fully immersed!

25. perfume/body spray or lotion?

ok so I do have a collection of perfumes (specifically mens Eau de Parfum) but even though I love them so much I can never seem to use one of them for more than a few months max so I don't really have a signature scent. so I would say that I enjoy them more than lotions because I don't really have much of a skin care routine but I do have this one moisturiser that ive been using for years.

43. what's your take on spicy foods?

oh god ok so the thing about this.... I adore spicy food! Ive been eating it for as long as I can remember! the problem is that I have acid reflux and lizzo recently informed me (through tiktok) that spicy food can create issues with singing for people with acid reflux. I sing so you can see how this would be a problem. I will be choosing to ignore this though because if my lactose intolerant ass can handle me eating lactose literally everyday then my voice will survive :)

#ask game #gonna go find another ask game and this time I will actually answer them today!!

[silkjade]

At least you have more self control than me for canceling that 20$ bubble tea🧍I once bought 3 large ones at once so I don't have to drive 40mins every time. I was suppose to save 2 bottle for later but I couldn't help it and gulped it all down on the same day then eventually threw up from an acid reflux💀 And the next day it's hardcore diarrhea because too much milk, I'm lactose intolerant and can only deal with small amount of milk

driving 40 minutes?? lol that's like my personal circle of hell, the worst I've ever had was walking 40 minutes but that was only when I was out of the country lol omg though you're so wild for that but I respect it

#— 𝓪𝓼𝓴𝓼 #˗ˏˋ ꒰ anon ꒱ ˎˊ˗

[n0resistance]

Complaining makes me sick 

     I’m a human sponge with other people’s emotions especially when they complain. I physically get sick when I lack sleep, don’t eat healthy, work too much, and have negative energy around me. I was told I’m psychosomatic. That my mind affects the way my body feels almost immediately. 

     I unconsciously take on the discomfort of others which has given me migraines. The most debilitating are migraines however it also comes in the form of stomach issues, colds and coughing. 

    My migraine is the absolute worst though because it’s nausea and a headache coming at you at the same time. I worked the night before late and experienced lack of sleep, had a long drive , and then without rest went to work in a very busy bar with too many people to count. So the following day it created the migraine. My diet could’ve been better, I could’ve drank water instead of coffee, and if I rested more I could’ve avoided burnout. 

    Light and sound are the most sensitive to me during migraines and makes my head throb. Unfortunately, it’s a thing where sleep doesn’t help you. You will find yourself going to bed with the migraine and waking up with the migraine 

    Vomiting and crying can relieve it. You make a contraction that produces something for relief. Spikes up the estrogen  levels. When I reached my late 20s my body started to fall apart. Was probably done with all the shit I put it through. The partying, over working, and eating whatever I wanted. Most importantly my surroundings. 

    It looks like I don’t age much and my weight doesn’t fluctuate. However, inside I battle lactose intolerance, acid reflux, gerd, and now these horrible migraines. So the only way to avoid all these issues is to avoid everything, everybody, eat really healthy, and sleep enough. 

     I was always working on a project plus 3 jobs for years. I can barely handle one job without crashing now. People always say that I never complain. They’re fond of my easy going-ness and I’m seen as a chill person. If I were to be the one who was complaining, as much as I wanted and were addicted to it as most people are. I would probably be dead.

    The negativity would exhaust my body of any life.Maybe not outside and not right away but for sure inside. I’ve been used to chaos growing up. There’s a need to let out the trauma of what’s happened. About whatever thing it was, so it doesn’t live in my body and I’ve been learning to regulate emotions. Anger creates cancer in most people’s bodies. 

   When I was growing up I wanted to make sure to be the opposite of angry. Telling myself nothing would bother me. I wouldn’t get angry or fight. I will not be a reactive person but I have just done a lot of absorbing instead of reacting. 

    Luckily I’m very aware that complaining would hurt me, but now that I’m older, even listening to complaining hurts me. Complaining and doing nothing about it, makes the problems grow into problems that are just so monumental.

   I’m finally learning ways to not be a sponge. Headphones to tune out the people. Creating boundaries when you know you can’t do things. Excusing yourself. Writing so you don’t carry it all on your shoulders. Finding things that make you happy. Mine is going out of the city. Eating mostly greens and drinking water. Resting as much as possible. Acting on your life struggles as soon as possible. Moving your body and yoga. 

    Focusing on an activity like drawing, reading, or watching a film. The most important thing I learned are boundaries. Which is an everyday practice. 

     Self awareness is key. I think it’s okay to make mistakes, but it’s not okay to keep making the same mistakes. When it comes to any aspect in life like money, health, friendships, work. Asking what are your goals, and what’s the life you want to lead. For me it’s a healthy life. I want to have a healthy life and pursue art. Love and spend time with my boyfriend and friends. Finally I believe having a more introverted lifestyle can be a good thing. Protecting your energy, time, money and spend it doing what you want to do. 

     If I was this really ambitious person I guess I could ignore any aches and pains and say yes I want to work and make the most money, have an entirely active social life where I’m constantly going out, be a yes person, work on every project thrown my way. But I’ve already done all that.

    I’ve grown out of being that ambitious. Now being healthy and peaceful is the biggest blessing. Being with loved ones once in a while and spending the rest of my time with my partner is well worth it. Even being patient with the art I’m making is a sign of maturity. In the end you want to be happy and that sometimes means being lame and saying no. I’ve learned saying no is a big energy saver. That energy is saved for things that are worth it.

   Every time I say no to going out to a bar I can buy a plane ticket. Saying no to a job can mean more rest. No to a friend is more time with myself. No to working more hours means working on my art. Most importantly saying no to hearing a traumatic story can save me from a lot of internal and external pain. I’m just too empathetic. Sometimes you mess up and let loose. By projecting into the future and putting feeling better first and making the proper choices. I hope to never have to get sick again. 

#howtolove

[discoveringthebible]

Upcoming Sermon Series

Hello, all. It has been a hot minute (more like 6 months) since I have written a single blog. My intention was never to go this far between blogs, but here we are. In my spare time, which lately hasn’t been very much, I am working on a sermon series called, “My Testimony.” It incorporates my testimony, with key scriptures that have shaped my life and my call into ministry. 

The first sermon in the series is called, “Rhoticism, Lambdacism, Dyslexia and Stammering.” I understand that is a mouthful. The primary Scripture passage is Exodus 3:1-4:17. This sermon is primarily about my growing up with speech and language problems, something that was similar to Moses. The second sermon in the series is called, “My Call into Deaf Ministry” and the key Scripture is Acts 9:1-18. In middle school, I was called into ministry, and I had an experience similar to Saul, except I didn’t go blind, I went Deaf. The third, and last installment in this series is called, “Invisible Illness and Ministry” and the main passage is 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. 

For those who know me, I am not shy about my life with chronic illnesses. By far, in my ministry experience, ministry isn’t the hardest part, it’s fighting my body to be able to use it and to things that I feel God has called me to. Paul (who was originally named Saul) suffered from a chronic illness that affected his life and his ministry and he talks about it. And I want to share my experiences with it as well.

The last couple of weeks have been the hardest in years in regards to my chronic and invisible illnesses. I suffer from the following: 

- Fibromyalgia (Diagnosed January 2015) this is a severe chronic pain condition that can include debilitating flareups that can leave me bedridden in pain. Lady Gaga did a documentary a couple years ago about her fight with Fibromyalgia. It can be pain in your nerves, muscles or joints. In some cases, like mine, I get pain in all three areas. There are over 200 known symptoms to Fibromyalgia, and everyone who suffers with it has different symptoms. 

-Situational Anxiety (Diagnosed Sept 2009). This is a condition where certain situations cause me added anxiety that can be debilitating. The trouble is, over the years I have noticed that situations change. Some things that once bothered me, no longer bother me, but I am getting new anxiety over conditions that used to never bother me. 

-Chronic Depression (Diagnosed Sept 2009) This was the first time I had problems with depression and unfortunately, it has been an issue in my life, especially since my Fibromyalgia diagnosis, as I have not been able to live my life as I used to be able to live before that diagnosis. 

-Asthma (Diagnosed in 2000). I was diagnosed with asthma when teachers noticed some signs when I was in 4th and 5th grade. Living in an area in the United States that does not have good, clean air, makes every breath more complicated than it needs to be. Certain activities, such as jogging, bike riding and walking, prove difficult. I must carry 2 inhalers, my regular, daily medication and an emergency inhaler if I have an asthma attack. 

-Extreme GERD (Diagnosed in the fall of 1999) This was originally misdiagnosed as lactose intolerance by my doctor. GERD is known by several things including excessive heartburn. In my case, my acid reflux actually caused my asthma, so when I have problems with my heartburn, I will also have problems with my asthma and vise versa. 

Chronic Migraines (Diagnosed in April 2021). I started developing migraines, and they came frequently and often. Before the medication I currently take, more than 2 weeks of every month, I suffered with migraines. I was diagnosed after having a 16 day migraine, of which I spent 3 days in the hospital. 

Spina Bifida Occulta (Born with in 1988, but diagnosed with in 2007). I was born a twin and a premature, and as a result we both suffer with a mild form of spina bifida. In our case, our spines grew like they should have, but they did not fuse at the bottom as it should have, making our spines, especially our lower spines, very weak and prone to injury. I had to have emergency spinal surgery in January of 2022. 

I am certainly grateful that I live in a time and a place where I have access to medication to help with these problems. None of these issues will go away, they are chronic or lifelong. But with the proper medication, I function as a decent human being. Not everyone has access to life saving and life giving medication to help them live.  

I am also very grateful for people who still believe in my call to ministry, while I suffer with these invisible illnesses. I am also grateful to God who has been with me through all the tears, fears and uncertainties that these illnesses have caused me over the years. I would love to not suffer with them, but I also know that the Church in general has not been very good at ministering to people with invisible illnesses, people with speech issues or for the Deaf/HoH communities. I want to be able to minister in places that I can and hopefully be an example for others to get involved. 

When I finish my sermon series, I will share it here. Hopefully I will be able to get it finished soon, however, I am also been in the process of packing, and anticipating a move.

Peace and Blessings, friends

<3 Cody