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4 years ago I started expeirincing constipation, diahrea, abdominal pain, nuasea, vomiting, and dry heaves. I was diagnosed with IBS. At least 1 if not more of the symptoms I experienced on a daily basis. after struggling for 3.5 years a new GI Dr. found I had a lazy gallbladder. Once removed my bowel movements became normal, but was still experiencing nuasea and abdominal pain on a daily basis.
That is when I was reffered to a pain management specialist. What she told me is that she thought my gallbladder was the root of all of my problems, and that for the first year my adrenals tried to combat my symptoms. At around a year your adrenals begin to atrophy due to overuse, and your brain takes over in trying to relieve/deal with pain. Like alcohol and many addictive substances, your brain chemically changes. And it takes around a month to change the chemicals in your brain back to what they should be.
In layman terms, my brain's chemical makeup was expecting pain, so it was creating pain. Because my brain was creating pain, the chemical makeup would not change. Typical pain medications change your brain chemically over a longer period of time, so that would not work. Now I am not advocating the use of XXXXX, but this is the direction my Dr. choose becuase it does not have the chemical affect on your brain as other pain medications. And after 3 months my symptoms are remarkably better. I know how difficult chronic illnesses are and 3 years ago I would have liked to have been able to ask my Dr. about the brain's involvement on chronic illnesses. Hang in there all, and don't give up. Suffering is no way to live, and there is treatment plan out there that can help you. It took me 4 years to find a way to cope, my hope is that forums like this can cut those years down to weeks or months through information and knowing what to ask your doctor.
Post Edited By Moderator (Ides) : 3/2/2012 5:55:02 PM (GMT-7)