@chronicallyferalco: As I continue through this journey, I'm going to share some of the things I'm learning about the conditions that keep showing up along the way. I'm not an expert. A lot of these are things I had never even heard of until they became part of my own story. I'm sharing what I learn because if I didn't know about them before, maybe someone else doesn't either. One of the newest additions to my medical vocabulary is superior mesenteric artery syndrome. So... what exactly is it? Superior mesenteric artery syndrome happens when the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, becomes compressed between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. Normally, there is a cushion of fatty tissue between these structures that helps keep enough space for the duodenum. When that fat pad becomes reduced, the space can become narrower and the duodenum can be compressed. That compression can make it difficult for food and digestive contents to move through normally. It can cause symptoms such as: • abdominal pain • nausea and vomiting • feeling full very quickly • bloating • indigestion • difficulty eating • weight loss and malnutrition And this is where things can become especially complicated. For some people, significant weight loss can contribute to the loss of that protective fat pad, which can increase compression. The resulting difficulty eating and getting enough nutrition can then contribute to further weight and nutritional loss. It can become a really difficult cycle. On recent imaging, they found SMAS, so I knew going into the hospital that nutrition was going to be a major part of what we were addressing. I knew I was being admitted to start TPN because I wasn't getting enough nutrition. What I didn't fully understand was just how serious the nutritional consequences had become. It wasn't until I was reading through my 24 pages of discharge notes after starting TPN that I came across terms like severe fat loss, muscle wasting, and severe muscle atrophy. Seeing those words in black and white hit differently. Apparently, I had been much sicker than I realized. I'm still learning what all of this means for me, and I'll share more as I understand it myself. If you've never heard of superior mesenteric artery syndrome either, I hope this helped make a complicated condition a little easier to understand. I'm sharing my personal experience for educational purposes only — this is not medical advice. If you have concerns about symptoms, please talk with your care team. #chronicillness #dysautonomia #superiormesentericarterysyndrome #dynamicdisability #ehlersdanlossyndrome

Chronically Feral Collective

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Wednesday 09 September 2026 14:01:15 GMT