Over the past five years I have really struggled with weight and injuries. I have been to all sorts of doctors concerned about my issues, but no one has had an answer for me–then I stumbled onto a condition referred to as chronic inflammation. Getting older is hard–you never know if what’s going on with your body or what is causing it. It’s hard to know if it is age related, injury or medical issues that are causing your problems and you put your hope into doctors to help you discover what is. In 2017 I tore my gastrocnemius muscle (calf) by bending over in my seat to reach the ground. Yes, I TORE it! I was in a boot for two months and on crutches for a couple of weeks. No big deal it happens to everyone right? Then once I got out of my boot three months later I hurt my back. I mean my husband took me screaming to the emergency room to see what was causing my pain. Doctors never figured out what caused my pain, but it took me a good five months to recuperate from whatever happened. Then just a couple of months later I injured my rotator cuff. It took me months of physical therapy to get to where it didn’t hurt to use my arm. Too top it off I had a total hysterectomy last May. In between these injuries and my surgery I suffered from three rounds of COVID as well. I never considered that chronic inflammation could be the cause of all my issues, but looking back I can see how.
After much research I have discovered that chronic inflammation could really be the cause of my weight gain. No big deal we all gain weight, but if you have compressed disc in you back then you can’t afford to gain 30 pounds in less than a month. Usually I can work off the weight that I put on, but other than when I was diagnosed with hashimoto disease did I ever put on 30 pounds of unexplained weight. I am a very active mom of three and I never slow down so it has been a hard adjustment for me. Recently I have changed my diet–I am trying to eat cleaner and less carbohydrates. I am really hoping this is what has caused my weight gain.
What are the symptoms of chronic inflammation?
- fatigue
- body pain
- depression or anxiety
- gastrointestinal complications (diarrhea or constipation)
- weight gain
- weight loss
- persistent infections
Does this sound familiar to you? I fall under all of these except for weight loss. Inflammation is the body’s process of fighting off infections, injuries, and toxins in an attempt to heal itself. So I have come to the conclusion that my body did not have enough time in between injuries for my cells to go back to normal. Instead I believe it sent them into a constant state of releasing antibodies and proteins to the infected areas, as well as increased blood flow to the damaged area. In the case of acute inflammation–like getting a paper cut–the whole process usually lasts for a few hours or a few days.
Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers, leaving the body in a constant state of alert. Throughout this time I have had numerous blood tests ran that did show inflammation, but it was never addressed because the results were not too alarming. So in an attempt to heal my body myself I am taking a different approach to getting healthy. I plan to share my journey with you so that you too can heal your body in this post I am sharing unedited photographs my husband (terrible photographer) took of me. The first picture was taken after I healed from tearing my gastrocnemius muscle to give you an idea of how much 30 pounds looks on my 5’5 frame shown in the second picture. The last is an additional ten pounds so a total of 40.
If you have suffered from this please share how you achieved your goals.
