I’ve just been diagnosed with GP! What happens now?
G-PACT receives many calls and emails on just this very topic.
When that happens, the caller or sender is frantic with this diagnosis and their doctors may not be well informed. Sadly, this is true more times than not.
But when a person reaches out to G-PACT, be it for venting, resources, or whatever, we LISTEN to what they are and are not saying. We go over the resources that are found on our site, we share the list of registered dietitians, doctors, or special cards to access bathrooms and such. We listen and tell them to breathe—that they are not alone, that there is HOPE!
We help them- and very often that means just a voice on the phone saying it will be okay. We look at the website together, we talk about our FB page, and we provide that helpful link to what they have and what they can find to help.
New diagnoses are scary, no matter what you have been told you have. But when you have such a specialized condition, it becomes scarier.
Overall, there were about 70,000 people with gastroparesis out of the 44 million people based on the electronic medical records, and the diagnosis was confirmed by the tests in only about 14 percent of those with a record of gastroparesis. Overall, these data suggest a calculated prevalence of 0.16 percent. (Source: UpToDate.)
It's a highly specific disease, with a limited number of people who have it. So, knowing there is a resource out there for people, such as https://g-pact.org/, provides a feeling of control and that provides an ever-so-needed feeling of HOPE!
Knowledge is power and our visitors and patients need that power to self-advocate and learn about this illness. To know we can help provide that power is amazing. But it takes resources and money to provide that. If you want or are able to help us help others, visit https://G-PACT.org/donate.
YOU can help others and provide hope! We appreciate your support!