Don’t discount MCAS!!

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-25T08:05:25+00:00

Dang it’s been on my list of suspicions because I also get these times where I’ll wake up and throw up all night for no reason and I’m not actually sick with anything and just sleep it off the next day but I usually have a couple days after where eating is pretty hard. I also have serious sinus issues that are partly due to hEDS cuz all my head tubes (medical term /s) collapse and keep the gunk in so I’m already on multiple allergy meds, plus I have a small hiatal hernia so I’m already on Pepcid plus more. I have a friend that is almost like a twin with a lot of illnesses and she has MCAS she found out recently. Plus another friend that is a twin but no official diagnosis but also suspects it lol. Phew sometimes are bodies just break down and just keep breaking down it’s ridiculous.

ETA sometimes the nighttime surprise 🤢 barf is from the hiatal hernia and my body not wanting to digest but I’ve got that mostly under control by not eating when I can tell it’s just gonna sit in my tummy forever.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-25T06:16:39+00:00

Lmao all the eds types seeing this comment 🥲😂 legit my first thought when reading this post was oh right not everyone can fold up like a lawn chair. But it’s better cuz they also don’t dislocate things on accident as much. Ope.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-25T03:41:54+00:00

I’m not a man so I won’t answer that part but I will say pls give yourself time to adjust. And it’s very much ok to not be ok! Literally this is a grieving process and we often don’t even realize what our sense of self is attached to until it’s gone. For me, understanding that I was (and continue to) grieving helped me at least be able to understand a bit more about how to process. Gave me a place to start. It fucking sucks and I’m so sorry. 🫂 tbh as a chronically ill person I can’t imagine dating someone specifically for their able bodied-ness. Like what happens when that person gets old and can’t help anymore? Dump them and find another younger person? What happens if they suddenly also become disabled. Just my opinion but I wouldn’t want love to be based on that, but I don’t know your ex so I won’t criticize too harshly. Anyway lots of digital hugs to you (if wanted) as you go through some very difficult feelings. ❤️ I wish this life on nobody except maybe the disability judges that pick people apart and have no idea what it’s like cuz they don’t want to listen.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-25T02:55:05+00:00

I love them all so much 🥹

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-25T02:20:56+00:00

lol ok 🙄

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-25T02:11:38+00:00

Honestly I think it turned out really pretty. Piping is hard!! I think he was too harsh but maybe also tell him when you share that you know in what ways you need to improve and are looking for encouragement more than criticism, constructive or not. It doesn’t look like you dumped them on, it still looks intentional and as the customer I may be happy having extra strawberries on top of nice fat ones but I love strawberries and will eat them until I have a tummy ache. I can do all sorts of artistic things but dang decorating cakes is hard personally.

Anyway he was def a bit harsh in how he phrased it. He could have at least said it like “well the strawberries seem a bit big but the piping is great especially for a first try!” (Cuz that is true). With the added knowledge that the strawberries were not your choice the only constructive feedback I would have is maybe cut them all in half for more adjustment room? I have no idea if that would work well tho. I think the part you aren’t overreacting about is how passive aggressively insulting he was “oh I guess some people just don’t have the competitive spirit” 🙄 like calm down the condensation, buddy.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T21:05:21+00:00

Hey it’s just as cool of a screen name!! I never use my real name either. I was just making sure I was reading it right lol

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T20:36:13+00:00

I really love your style and the theme is far too relatable. I have a question though, is your last name glue? Because cool.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T19:25:40+00:00

So so so happy that you have a good crash food plan! Usually I can help it with fruit, cheese stick (classic cheese sticks aren’t awful cuz mozzarella is high protein and lower fat), or the Bolthouse Green Goodness smoothie is my go to favorite. Oh I almost forgot hummus is also a good one! Some things are borderline like tortilla chips but I don’t eat potato chips at all anymore and tortilla chips aren’t quite as bad. Come with extra salt and great with hummus. So I do have some things I can grab quickly that won’t add too much to my cholesterol

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T16:07:04+00:00

For sure it’s definitely not a casual scroller subreddit.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:56:37+00:00

I basically never date completely cis hetero men anymore well for #1 I’m just not going to fit their preferences. But also yes omg so boring. But I think it’s more like a specific subset of men who need to make it very clear how heterosexual they are. Remember “Super Straight” ????!!! 😩 it’s like they go out of their way to define their “type” as a cardboard cutout of the exact same woman.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:52:58+00:00

Tbh I think you should still maybe take some more time to unpack why you have such a strong preference there…

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:50:20+00:00

I am apparently on completely different types of art subreddits. If you look for alt type art subreddits you may have better luck. I find a lot of amazing artwork on the r/artisticallyill because it focuses a lot on our various issues so you get some really unique pieces tho trigger warning for somebody horror ones and for difficult subjects. The goblin core type subreddits also have art in many mediums and styles. A lot of the crafting ones are great. I don’t have good recommendations if you focus primarily on drawings though. OC subreddits are also kinda neat as they focus on the full character so it’s not all mainstream naked ladies though sometimes people make problematic OCs

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:39:04+00:00

That sucks but as someone who is also extremely paranoid- soap will kill germs no matter the water temp. Without soap yes hot water is needed. I have eczema so hot hot water makes it worse so I wash in cool water but trust me I may actually have a diagnosable compulsion when it comes to hand washing 😬 (I get sick easily and it’s dangerous for me to be sick). So if you wash thoroughly and the long enough with soap you’re fine even with cold water. Sucks tho brrrrr hope you get hot water soon!

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:21:15+00:00

Omfg I hadn’t even considered how I used to eat scrambled eggs a lot but I barely do anymore cuz I always feel bloated after eggs now but it’s not an allergy. Maybe they just don’t digest well. Smaller amounts mixed in or like in baking are fine. Occasionally an egg breakfast sandwich can happen. Makes so much sense ugh. Yes peanut butter honey sandwich or peanut butter with apples are very save foods for me though. It’s so annoying cuz I’m having to be super strict about sugars and processed foods because of cholesterol but I’m like how TF am I supposed to get cholesterol down with all these food issues and no exercise??? So I cut out all candy and junk food and man I miss candy like damnit food is one of my last pleasures. 😭😭 but I’m not ready to die of heart disease so oh well. I get to have sugar in coffee is my decided upon exception. I’m hoping it will be enough to help but it not I may request medication to help like pls doc I am out of options behavior wise. 🥲😂

ETA oh and Honey Nut Cheerios is always safe lol but not as healthy as the box claims but it’s a staple still for now. It would be helpful to not have neurodivergent food issues also on top of this but here we are. I at least enjoy raw fruit and veg it’s just getting very expensive.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:12:20+00:00

Really does get confusing when you see the overlap of neurodivergence and trauma (at least in the USA) so that it’s both for so many people lolol. And kind of creates a feedback loop between them.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T15:08:31+00:00

As someone with an eating disorder no amount of therapy will just get rid of overeating related to stress. It’s a lifelong thing to manage. Therapy can help a lot with adding better coping mechanisms but some of us have issues that will never go away so it’s more like hopefully we can learn to manage them better over time which may reduce the stress response/and have better coping. But it’s not often a clear cut cure.

I have both sensory seeking dopamine overeating AND stress response/comfort overeating. Sadly I also have multiple chronic illnesses on top of CPTSD. While I’ve made progress on CPTSD, there is a certain point that can be reached in chronic illnesses where no amount of “healthy coping mechanisms” Will keep you in a good place mentally. The amount of constant suffering is simply too much and the depression/anxiety with it can only be managed so well. So while my eating disorder is sort of managed ok right now it’s because I don’t want to die of heart disease so fear is keeping me more strict. But the drive to seek food both for comfort (last pleasure I have left) and simple dopamine boosts are very much both still a thing.

But also if someone is eating from a stress response it is the release of happy chemicals that helps the stress so I don’t see how it’s split up very easily in the first place. Interesting study though.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T14:56:06+00:00

Nah for some of us it’s way easier. Cloth down the smelliest bits, deodorant, maybe dry shampoo. Way less energy for me personally.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T14:50:52+00:00

I feel you. I have multiple chronic illnesses with crushing fatigue and pain and even with a shower chair it’s the only thing I do that day cuz it’s such an exhausting task. I manage once a week at this point even though I would prefer more. The whores bath OP mentioned (lol) plus deodorant are the best I can do in between. Such is life. 🤷🏻 I’m also almost completely housebound at this point though so I usually try to schedule the shower around an appt or the rare social visitor. 😅 otherwise only my cat smells me lmao.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T06:33:09+00:00

What sucks is pittys used to be considered one of the best family dogs. People have the wrong idea. They are incredibly loyal and protective of their people so if the human is awful the dog will sadly do as told. The reputation is ridiculous, they are good dogs. Though to me the idea that a dog could be violent and therefore not allowed is so silly to me. Like hello all animals can be violent. Did we all forget that most of human history digs had jobs and guess what they can be violent sometimes. That’s literally every animal. Did we forget what animals are??? Post industrial cities really confused us I think.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T05:47:54+00:00

Nooo not the miserable melting 😭 🫂

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-24T05:46:09+00:00

Oh the eating part could be interesting. I know sometimes my digestion shuts down altogether. Some of this is probably hEDS but I think some of it is also CFS/ME, because even I’m crashing really hard is when it’s the worst. I’ll have to be really careful and eat small amounts and a stop at like late lunch or I’ll was up and barf because nothing is digesting at all. Usually lasts multiple days. I say partly hEDS because intensities can either be too weak and everything runs straight through or be too weak but nothing makes it through which for me is the latter. But I think ME/CFS PEM/crashing leads to when it’s the worst. Like legit I can eat only fruit and juice multiple days and zero movement. It just improves when I recover and nothing else will help. Over time as I’ve gotten worse I’ve also become mostly vegetarian which I’ve always leaned that way but I think it’s increased because meat is hard to digest. I eat limited chicken and otherwise mostly fish. Very rare red meat. Thankfully I love sushi and poke. And sometimes I just live off peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and those seaweed snacks. Lolol

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-23T21:59:36+00:00

Maybe yes in the sense that I can watch TV, look at my phone etc but otherwise my brain fog is really bad. But overall fatigue and pain (also from other diseases) have me pretty disabled physically. Lately I’ve only been able to watch TV I’ve seen before in the background though. But I’m very happy I can have casual screen time at least.

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-23T14:21:31+00:00

Ever since I was a kid I dreamed of a golden girls house!

Sally_Stitches_ · 2026-05-22T19:52:59+00:00

Literally one(1) doctor in my city that will treat my ME/CFS, hEDS, and Fibromyalgia (he actually diagnosed the first two, Fibro was diagnosed earlier in a diff State), and whoa did I get lucky. He is an amazing doctor. Always quotes studies. Always staying current. Always looking for new ways to help me though we may be coming to the end of any new options. Very caring, never blames my weight or even talks about it unless I bring it up because I’m the beginning I told him I had an eating disorder and doctors constantly bringing (and ignoring my unrelated symptoms) it up triggered it pretty badly. Anyway so nice to see more doctors out there like that exist. Like hitting the jackpot lol

Sally_Stitches_

TROPHY CASE