What It Really Means When I Tell You ‘I’m Tired’

Since I have gastroparesis, my stomach doesn’t work to digest food like other people’s stomachs. That being said, I miss out on a lot of important calories from the food I can’t eat because I’m unable to eat a sufficient amount to sustain me. I depend on a feeding tube to supplement as many calories as I can and maintain my weight, but sometimes even that isn’t enough.

Because I’m not getting enough calories most of the time, my body is working in overdrive to keep itself running. So I get tired. And I mean really tired.

To someone who doesn’t have gastroparesis, being tired may mean they feel a little sleepy or their back is aching. Maybe their feet hurt or they didn’t sleep well the night before.

For me, it’s different. If I say “I’m tired,” I’ve probably already pushed myself past my breaking point.

For me, being tired means I have absolutely nothing left in my tank, and I can’t keep acting like everything’s OK.

Being tired means I’m probably lightheaded and ready to collapse into bed to try to gain some energy back. Remember, my body is working harder to function like normal, but it’s struggling without the necessary calories.

Being tired doesn’t mean I’m sleepy. It most likely means I’m struggling just to carry on a conversation.

To me, being tired means my engine has “overheated” in a way, and I need to give it a chance to recover.

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