Posted 5/20/2020 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
Gastroparesis is another possibility. It's neurological, like other types of dysautonomia (such as POTS), but basically makes the digestive system stall. I've had it when things have been really bad, and it's tough to swallow, like my body forgets how, doesn't produce saliva when I chew, and everything just wants to come right back up. Definitely have reflux at these times. Some of this might not apply for Blakeley, but I'll tell you what I tried for it, in case it helps:
- Eat the thing that sounds best, and make it salty. (For me, this was rice noodles, then I added olives to the noodles, then olive oil, then steamed cauliflower, then kale....) One bite at a time is fine. I had smoothies sometimes as well, but they were more of a chore to choke down (pea protein powder, coconut milk, banana, ginger).
- Let the body fast for a few days when it's telling you it doesn't have the energy to deal with digestion, but make sure you continue with hydration and electrolytes.
- Digestive enzymes, digestive bitters.
- Aloe juice, licorice (DGL), slippery elm, marshmallow.
- Staying upright (propped up).
- No carbonation in beverages, only water to drink.
- Vagus nerve stimulation, including humming and breath work.
- Stress management (meditation, guided visualization, etc.)
- Not ingesting anything (including water) within a few hours of bedtime.
- Acupressure points for digestion and nausea. Ear massage.
- Acupuncture helped enormously. There were weeks that the only full meal I ate was after an acupuncture session! That might not be an option right now, but looking up the acupressure points might be a decent substitute.
The weight gain issue does make me think about SIBO, candida, or something gnarly going on in her microbiome. It's not body mass that she's gaining so fast - that's not possible - so you must be right that it's candida or some other form of bloating or dysbiosis. I don't have experience with candida, but I was able to address SIBO fairly fast using black walnut, wormwood, olive leaf, berberine, and artemisinin, plus probiotics at a different time of day. Not sure I'd dive into that regimen, though, without knowing what was the issue, since those herbs can be intense.
Has she had stool testing done to look for levels of pathogenic bacteria, candida, inflammatory markers, etc.? It can be expensive but might provide insight.
Again, I'm so sorry that she's dealing with yet another awful thing. As for which infection is involved, it's really hard to say. SIBO, candida, reflux, and gastroparesis all occur with tick-borne diseases as well as post-viral syndromes, chronic fatigue syndrome, from intense stress and trauma, and from unknown causes. It's tempting to try to figure out a specific infectious cause and tackle it, but so many symptoms are hard to pinpoint! It sounds like she has a good diet, a supportive mom, and is trying sensible things. Wishing you all the very best, and swift relief!