07/01/2026
Today, I want to help raise awareness about Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS), a rare and often misunderstood condition that has profoundly impacted every aspect of my life.
SMAS occurs when the third portion of the small intestine (duodenum) becomes compressed between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta. This compression can make it difficult or even impossible for food to pass through the digestive tract, causing severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, early fullness, bloating, weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration. For some people, SMAS can be managed conservatively. For others, including me, it is life altering.
Because SMAS is a rare disease, awareness is critical. The more people who recognize the signs and symptoms, the greater the chance that someone else will not have to spend years searching for answers.
Like many people living with SMAS, I spent a decade searching for answers. I underwent test after test after test, countless medical appointments, emergency room visits, and hospital admissions before finally learning what was causing my symptoms.
Most recently, I was admitted to LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, Virginia, only two days after being discharged from my local hospital. I was still unable to eat and was in excruciating pain. My condition became so severe that I required a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line so I could receive total parenteral nutrition (TPN). I was no longer able to get the nutrition my body needed through eating, making intravenous nutrition my only option at that time. Unfortunately, my PICC line had to be removed after I developed two blood clots, creating yet another setback in an already difficult journey.
On August 3, I am scheduled to undergo the Alvear-Fowlkes Procedure at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery with Dr. Jason Fowlkes. This is a highly specialized and very invasive surgery designed to correct the underlying cause of SMAS rather than simply bypass it. Dr. Fowlkes is one of only a handful of surgeons in the United States who performs this procedure, and patients travel from across the country and around the world to seek his expertise. I expect to be hospitalized for at least a week.
There is currently no cure for SMAS. While surgery offers hope for many patients, every case is different. Recovery can be long and painful, and for some patients, additional nutritional support or medical interventions may still be necessary during recovery. Even so, many of us choose to move forward because we hope to regain the quality of life that this disease has taken from us.
Living with SMAS affects every part of life. It is not simply stomach pain. It impacts nutrition, physical health, emotional well being, family life, work, and the ability to participate in everyday activities that most people take for granted, including enjoying a meal.
This post is for everyone affected by SMAS, including patients, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and researchers. Greater awareness can lead to earlier recognition, faster diagnoses, better treatment options, and greater understanding of what those living with rare diseases face every day.
I never imagined I would be sharing such a personal part of my life publicly, but if my journey helps even one person receive a diagnosis sooner, or helps one healthcare provider recognize the signs of SMAS, then sharing my story will have been worth it.
Please consider sharing my story. Greater awareness can lead to earlier recognition, faster diagnoses, and better outcomes for those living with SMAS. If sharing my journey helps even one person receive answers sooner than I did, every challenge along the way will have been worth it.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing unexplained abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, difficulty eating, or unexplained weight loss, please do not ignore those symptoms. Continue to advocate for yourself and seek answers. Sometimes the rarest diagnoses are the ones that are most often overlooked.
