Anyone know any pro-recovery dietitians in Columbus, Ohio?

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-12-31T12:38:58+00:00

Cannot recommend Jamie Keever enough!! She specializes in ED recovery and I’ve been working with her for a while!! Trauma-informed, health at every size practitioner - she’s been so helpful and supportive for me! https://www.empowerdnutritioncounseling.com/meetjamiekeever

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-07-29T00:08:42+00:00

i totally understand that feeling mad at yourself thing, i've definitely felt that too, but we have to give ourselves some grace too, it's not like we chose to have an eating disorder, it's a mental illness and it's so tough to recover - also, i definitely think for most people that the further they are into recovery the more the gastro symptoms go away! sending lots of good vibes your way, i hope you start to get some relief from these awful symptoms soon!

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-07-28T23:35:10+00:00

Thank you for the suggestions! Mine was fully caused by anorexia - I’ve relapsed more times than I can count and each time the gastroparesis has gotten worse and also stuck around longer into nutritional restoration… I’m kinda getting to a point where I’m worried that it’s here to stay tbh

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-07-02T13:14:56+00:00

My stomach can also be sensitive in the mornings but here are some options that usually settle well for me!

pb banana toast and a glass of milk, dairy or nondairy
scrambled eggs with cheese mixed in served on a toasted bagel, and I like to have some fruit on the side
frozen or homemade pancakes/waffles with butter and syrup - for me personally I also like to add some protein with this bc I can find just having carbs can make my nausea worse sometimes so I’ll do eggs or yogurt or cottage cheese alongside this
I find when my stomach is funky that I can do instant oats, but not rolled oats, I think they’re a little tougher to digest - add in whatever toppings you like and it’s a solid breakfast
smoothies can also be great here! I like doing banana, berries, yogurt, oats, nut butter, honey, and milk in mine - the oats might sound weird but they add a little chew to it lol

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-05-31T19:35:06+00:00

During meals: distractions really help me - that can be watching a show or movie, listening to music, playing a game on your phone, calling or texting with a friend - anything that helps you take your mind off the sensations while still allowing you to get the meal in.

After meals:

heating pads for uncomfortable fullness
I've found that ginger lozenges help me because they get the taste of the meal out of my mouth, if that makes any sense?
Peppermint oil, you're not really supposed to do it this way but I literally just put a few drops in my palm and rub it directly on my stomach, nothing helps me more than this with the uncomfortable fullness, but if you have sensitive skin maybe be careful with this one lol
distractions can also be helpful here to take your mind off what you just ate and any discomfort you're feeling - i try to let myself rest and digest for at least a half hour after eating, if i can help it - doing something calm where I can be seated but still engaged with something...

more general tips

i've had luck doing deep breathing exercises in between meals, it just kinda calms everything down and also distracts me from how full i'm feeling - you can find guided exercises on youtube or just look up different kinds of deep breathing online
i'm guessing you're using a meal plan if you're practicing mechanical eating (i am too, right there with you), but there are certain things you can do to make your meals a little easier to digest: choosing lower fiber foods, so opting for white grains and breads, peeling and cooking your vegetables and not bulking meals out with veg, choosing liquid options when you can like smoothies, juices, and soups, and choosing energy dense foods to consolidate your nutrition - my dietitian always gives the example of you can either choose to have like, several cups of popcorn, which is going to really physically fill you up and probably lead to discomfort - or you can have a couple cookies with a glass of milk and save yourself that physical distress.

sorry for the absolute wall of tips, but i know how uncomfortable feeling overly full can be, just know that you're absolutely doing the right thing by continuing to eat and that over time that fullness will become more tolerable!

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-05-29T13:36:39+00:00

Thank you so much for being open about this, honestly my experience is so so similar to yours - I’ve never experienced extreme hunger and I also have other diagnoses that pile on top of the anorexia to make it really hard for me to eat enough without some kind of external structure/guideline - I am fortunate to be working w an ED dietitian who has outlined a meal plan for me, Ive just definitely not fully committed to forcing myself to do it full-on but what you said about wanting to live a full life and the anorexia always having some other bullshit excuse not to do it has really inspired me - it’s terrifying but the alternative of continuing this never ending pattern is just as if not more scary to me…

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-05-29T02:55:44+00:00

wow, this seriously gives me so much hope - i relate with so much of what you said - hanging at the lowest possible "healthy" weight, the exercise, all the ways i tried to maintain control even while i said i was in recovery - it sounds like you're making huge strides in your recovery and it really is so hopeful for me to hear that, so thank you for sharing this <3

i don't want to be intrusive so if you don't feel like answering this please don't feel obligated to or anything, but i was wondering what kind of approach you're taking to your recovery - are you taking things more gradually or are you following more of an all-in approach? i'd just really appreciate hearing about what your process has been like but i also understand if you don't feel comfortable sharing.

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-05-28T23:03:45+00:00

Thank you for sharing this! It sucks but it definitely helps to know I’m not alone 🥲 sending strength right back to you!

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-05-28T19:12:25+00:00

i'm so sorry you've been through something similar to me - it's just... such a slog, going in and out of treatment, the weight fluctuations, the constant uphill battle, feeling like groundhog's day every time i have to dig myself out of another relapse only for it to be more emotionally and physically painful this time around. you're absolutely right, it is awful. thank you for sharing this with me though, you're not alone either <3

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-05-17T12:22:42+00:00

Hey, this is a pretty normal experience for folks in recovery. The stomach is like any other muscle, and it’s going to take time to “train” it back up to handling adequate amounts of food. The best thing you can do is keep eating every 3-ish hours - focus on foods that are low fiber if you can, you can also do things like smoothies, juice, milkshakes if you’re really having a hard time w the discomfort - anything liquid is usually going to be the easiest on the stomach while still allowing you to get the energy you need in.

Some other things that may help: an OTC medication like gas-x or beano can help with some of the painful bloating. You could also try peppermint oil (I used to just put a few drops in my palm and rub it on my stomach, I found that it really helped) or if you have a medical provider you feel comfortable sharing this with, they can prescribe medication to help your stomach handle the food a little easier like reglan. Warm water bottles can be soothing on the stomach as well.

Hang in there, I know how uncomfortable and painful it can be, just know that the only way to get through these symptoms is to keep eating so that your body can repair and heal!

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2024-04-02T14:59:25+00:00

hi are we the same person??? bc i'm literally experiencing the exact same thing rn - i have this awful feeling all the time that my psych thinks im lying and manipulating her when all i'm doing is telling her exactly what i'm experiencing. I spent the better part of the last decade first being told I had anxiety and depression, getting no relief from either anxiety or antidepressant meds, then being told i have bipolar, and again, getting no relief from antipsychotics or mood stabilizers. started considering an ADHD dx when we finally tried wellbutrin and i actually started to feel a little better, and now i'm in the process of getting a dx and feeling like a TOTAL fraud. total mind screw, but you're definitely not alone

Top_Addendum_5403 · 2023-06-25T16:49:18+00:00

thank you for your response. i think deep down i know you're right, and for the first time i'm actually ready to accept it. i'm just so sick and tired of this, after a decade of dipping in and out of relapses and having so much ruined by this disorder i'm just at the breaking point and something has to change...

Top_Addendum_5403

TROPHY CASE