For the past few months, I’ve been struggling with intestinal dysbiosis. It means that there’s an imbalance in your gut flora. I developed this condition from a number of different things – a parasite infection and it’s anti-parasite medicines, food poisoning abroad and antibiotics. I’m not entirely sure which one really did it.
Some days are ok. Many days are miserable. On these days, everything I eat gives me intense abdominal pain, and I can’t focus on work or design or really anything. It stops me from traveling for work, eating out, being comfortable in a variety of social situations.
Most of my energy now has been focused on which foods and probiotics I should be taking to get better. Every day is an experiment. I learned that grapefruit and avocados makes me feel worse but chia-millet bread and eggs are ok. I no longer eat anything containing wheat, milk, onions, and a plethora of other foods. Eating one wrong thing will undo all the right things that I previously ate that day. I get scared when I have to go somewhere that doesn’t have the foods I need.
Quite honestly, I’m scared all the time.
My parents ask me whether my stomach has improved every time I talk to them on the phone. My answer is always “not really.”
I don’t want to give up. If you know anyone who’s gotten better from dybiosis, tell me their story. I need to get better.
The Design Ocean 