Influencer With Stomach Paralysis Reacts to Rumors Condition Is From GLP-1

TikToker Shayla Talei is setting the record straight about her stomach condition.

The influencer, 31, who has been diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and gastroparesis, shut down mistaken beliefs that her health struggles are due to taking a GLP-1 weight loss medication.

"I've never been on one," she told People in an article published on Thursday, April 16. "I just lost a lot of weight because of the condition. … There's just so many ways that you can get it, and it's nothing that I did to myself."

Talei said she often sees theories online about her condition in the comments sections, many of which ask whether she's resorted to using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs (GLP-1RAs) that have an increased risk of gastroparesis, according a May 2024 study published by the Cleveland Clinic.

Talei has been open about the symptoms she faced before doctors confirmed she had gastroparesis, a.k.a. "stomach paralysis," revealing she was often unable to eat due to the discomfort she had, which caused her to lose more than 100 pounds in just eight months. At times, she could only consume three bites of food in an entire day.

The content creator experienced extreme bloating, nausea and vomiting when eating, while drinking water felt "like glass shards" in her stomach.

Talei's doctors tried tube feeding and other methods to ensure that she was getting enough food in her system before resorting to total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in July 2025, which goes through a central vein that stops near her heart. "There's a ton of risks," she told People, noting it was a last resort.

This method provides "carbohydrates, proteins, fats, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals into the bloodstream," according to Nutrishare.

Talei said she's grateful to have income via social media after closing down her salon last spring due to her escalating health issues.

"For me, right now, social media is really the only thing I can do," Talei shared. "I would say I'm a 90-year-old woman in a 31-year-old's body because I get tired so quickly."

Talei has continued to spread awareness about her condition, recently posting a video in which she explained how she showers with a central line.

"There were days when I felt so lost, but the strength I found in this community carried me," the mom of two wrote about her journey on Thursday. "I'm beyond grateful for each of you who has been with me. We're in this together."

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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 3:11 PM.