When Eating Isn’t Easy: A Story of Gastroparesis and Hope

By Cristin Weir for Ravoke.com

You wake up one morning and begin throwing up. You wonder, *What did I eat?* Maybe someone at work had a stomach bug. You expect it to pass in a day or two. But a week later, you are still throwing up. And then again. And again.

Finally, you go to the doctor. They suggest a referral to a gastroenterologist. That is when you hear the word that changes everything.

What Is Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis means stomach paralysis. In this rare condition, the stomach muscles slow down or stop moving food into the small intestine. Instead of emptying in a few hours, food lingers causing nausea, vomiting, bloating, and pain.

For some people the cause is idiopathic, which means no one knows why. That is my story. For others, diabetes is the leading culprit, and the numbers are rising fast.

At first most cases of gastroparesis were thought to be idiopathic. Today doctors are seeing something new. Diabetes is emerging as the greatest cause of gastroparesis in many settings.

High blood sugar damages nerves especially the vagus nerve which controls how the stomach moves food. Over time this nerve damage slows the stomach sometimes to a complete stop.

The statistics are sobering. Studies show that among people living with diabetes especially those with long disease duration or poor blood sugar control as many as one in three may experience gastroparesis symptoms. A large meta analysis estimates that nearly ten percent of all people with diabetes may eventually develop gastroparesis.

This surge is happening for several reasons. Diabetes itself is far more common now than ever before. People are living longer with diabetes which means more years of nerve damage. And improved diagnostics mean more people are finally being recognized after years of symptoms.

Living With It: Treatments & Trials

There is no cure but there are treatments. Each one is a balancing act.

Medications can sometimes help the stomach contract but often bring side effects. Gastric pacemakers are implanted in severe cases to send electrical signals to the stomach muscles. Diet becomes a central strategy. Small meals low fat low fiber sometimes even liquid nutrition when nothing else will go down.
For people with diabetes related gastroparesis blood sugar control adds another layer of complexity. Food that lingers in the stomach can make blood sugar swing unpredictably.

For those of us with idiopathic gastroparesis the cause remains a mystery but the struggle is the same. Every day becomes an exercise in adaptation.

The Emotional Weight

The physical toll of gastroparesis is heavy but the emotional weight is sometimes even harder.

Our culture is built on food and drink. Holidays, birthdays, weddings, dates, even business meetings all revolve around eating. When you cannot participate you do not just lose food. You lose connection.

You become the person sipping broth while everyone else is laughing over dinner. You begin to grieve not only your health but also your place at the table. It is no surprise that depression is common among people with gastroparesis. The illness does not just starve the body. It starves the spirit.

My Turning Point

For me the diagnosis came in 2021. It changed everything. How I ate. How I socialized. How I saw myself.

But the most enlightening realization was this. So much of life in our culture is built around food and alcohol. When those are taken away you have to reimagine what joy and connection look like.

I stopped defining my life by what I could no longer consume and started focusing on what I could still create share and live for.

Top Clinics & Centers for Gastroparesis Care

If you are seeking specialized care it helps to know the clinics that are nationally recognized for expertise in gastroparesis and motility disorders.

Here are three of the top clinics in the United States with Johns Hopkins listed at the top:

Johns Hopkins Motility and Neurogastroenterology Center (Baltimore, Maryland): Often considered among the very best in the US for gastroparesis and other motility disorders. They offer gastric pacing and novel therapies and are deeply involved in research and innovation.

Mayo Clinic (Rochester MN; also Arizona & Florida campuses): One of the most experienced motility disorder practices in the country. They conduct advanced diagnostics and treat a large volume of gastroparesis cases.

Cleveland Clinic (Ohio and other locations): Known for endoscopic therapy for gastroparesis, surgical options, and coordinated care. They offer innovative minimally invasive procedures.

Looking Forward

The story of gastroparesis is changing. It is no longer seen only as a rare and unexplained disease. It is now closely tied to the rise of diabetes and increasingly linked to autoimmune conditions.

That means awareness matters more than ever. Prevention matters. Research matters. And so do the voices of those who live with it every day.

Closing Reflection

Gastroparesis takes away simple pleasures many people take for granted. But it also reveals something deeper. That strength does not come from what we eat. It comes from what we endure and what we continue to imagine.

Food may fuel the body. But hope fuels the soul. And that, no disease can take away.

About the Author

Cristin Weir is a nationally certified forensic interviewer and trauma informed writer who has lived with idiopathic gastroparesis since 2021. Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience she advocates for awareness, research, and resilience in the face of chronic illness. She brings both empathy and advocacy into every story she tells.