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Hi everyone,
I have been doing some research (pardon me, Diana, if you’ve already mentioned this) on the vagus nerve. One of the members here mentioned gallbladder issues. This motivated me to look more into our digestive issues and their relation to vagus nerve function (or lack thereof).
Did everyone know that cutting the vagus nerve (vagotomy) used to be a treatment for stomach ulcers as well as GERD? The procedure reduced gastric secretion/acid production. This was done much more frequently before H. Pylori (the bacteria most commonly found to cause ulcers) was discovered. I now understand why my gallbladder pain (still undx, but I KNOW it’s gallbladder pain) makes me so dizzy. When I push down on my swollen and irritated gallbladder, I’m further irritating and stimulating my vagus nerve causing blood pressure fluctuations (thus dizziness), etc.
I believe this is a HUGE PART of our gastrointestinal issues.
I just wanted to post this because once again, it shows how this nerve really can affect EVERYTHING. Now, of course, we have H2 blockers for treatment, but I thought this was something interesting enough to share (sorry if it’s already been shared!).
Jen
Sidenote: I did read that some people who had their gallbladders removed wondered if their vagus nerve had been damaged during surgery because they ended up with gastroparesis afterwards. This is so unsettling because this is a risk we may need to take if gallbladder attacks and pain become unbearable. Most doctors say vagus nerve damage was probably not the cause of their GP, but who listens to doctors anymore? (Sorry D 😉 )
Jen,
I am one who ended up having my gall bladder removed (2/2010). It was not because of stones, but just that it was dead/atrophied/scarred/etc. My ejection fraction was a mere 8%.Then, about 6 months after my gall bladder was removed, the pain was back. Huh? I don’t have a gall bladder anymore, so what could it be? It took another 18 months to get a DX. My bile duct was also going bad! Well, more specifically, the Sphincter of Oddi was malfunctioning. It is what opens and closes to let bile into the small intestine. Mine was causing abnormally high pressure in the bile duct (this took a special pressure test, manometry)that was causing my pain. I had to travel to another state to have the test done as it is rare enough it is only done a few places in the US. The treatment is to cut open this opening to keep it open.
It took me longer to heal/recover than “normal”, but that is always true with me (and probably everyone else here, right?), but finally about a month after the surgery I was pain free in my upper right quadrant for the first time in years!
All that to get to my own little vagel nerve theory, and that is that if the nerve is not able to send and receive signals correctly I believe this is what lead to my gall bladder just kind of dying an early death and then also my bile duct malfunctioning in a way that caused those high painful pressures in it.
It is too late for me, at least as far as my gall bladder is concerned, but I would have loved to have had my vagal nerve decompressed and the ctyokines treated FIRST before resorting to surgery, to see if the gall bladder might come back from the dead if the signals were returned to normal.
Hope that made some kind of sense. =)
This is such a great topic. I put together the vagus nerve involvement about a week after the doctors told me my gall bladder ejection fractions were down to 18%. No gall stones, though. I was having LOWER right quadrant pain (and ruled out ovarian cancer first). The doctor said to have the gall bladder removed. I asked why. “If there are no stones, but it is not working properly, that sounds neurological, doesn’t it?” (I tried to be nice). The pain turned out to be my ileocecal valve (this was AFTER I figured out about the vagus nerve connection for us!). Do you know what shocked me? The G.I. surgeon recommended I never have abdominal surgery unless it was life-threatening, because when they go in and remove organs, they pay no attention to the vagus nerve! This is why so many people have gastroparesis after abdominal surgery. We already fight gastroparesis if our vagus nerve is affected. The vagus nerve goes EVERYWHERE in our abdomens, but I am still surprised they don’t try to salvage at least some of it. Yikes….:ohh:
Hi,
I too figured that whatever was wrong with me had something to do with my vagus nerve, as many of the symptoms I was suffering from, following my head and neck injury in 2002, had some connection to that nerve. I figured this out way back in 2003, when I mentioned it to a Neuro-surgeon (whom I had asked to see for a second opinion, after my Neurologist told me to ‘go home and forget about my symptoms and I’d get better’!!!) Nearly 10 years down the line and I’m a total bodily wreck, so much so that my children’s pet name for me is either ‘wheelz’ or ‘in-valid’!!)Anyway, this Neuro-surgeon simply dismissed it, saying that you have a vagus nerve at the left and the right and if one was not working properly the other would compensate for it. He was adamant, so he sent me down the road with a treatment plan of twice a week physiotherapy sessions at £30 a time – which made me worse! In my mind, I obviously disproved that theory but he wasn’t willing to investigate it, to find out why – so I hit yet another ‘brick wall’ in trying to obtain effective treatment!!
I’ve felt all along that the vagus nerve still held a clue but couldn’t get to the bottom of it. How thankful I was, when I discovered The Driscoll Theory, especially the part regarding Vagus Nerve Compression by an enlarged jugular vein – and when I went and checked my MRI scans to compare with Dr Diana’s examples, what did I find – yeay!!! – I had an enlarged jugular vein! After reading The Driscoll Theory MANY things are making sense. THANK YOU DR D!
Barbara
(UK)Hi,
I too figured that whatever was wrong with me had something to do with my vagus nerve, as many of the symptoms I was suffering from, following my head and neck injury in 2002, had some connection to that nerve. I figured this out way back in 2003, when I mentioned it to a Neuro-surgeon (whom I had asked to see for a second opinion, after my Neurologist told me to ‘go home and forget about my symptoms and I’d get better’!!!) Nearly 10 years down the line and I’m a total bodily wreck, so much so that my children’s pet name for me is either ‘wheelz’ or ‘in-valid’!!)Anyway, this Neuro-surgeon simply dismissed it, saying that you have a vagus nerve at the left and the right and if one was not working properly the other would compensate for it. He was adamant, so he sent me down the road with a treatment plan of twice a week physiotherapy sessions at £30 a time – which made me worse! In my mind, I obviously disproved that theory but he wasn’t willing to investigate it, to find out why – so I hit yet another ‘brick wall’ in trying to obtain effective treatment!!
I’ve felt all along that the vagus nerve still held a clue but couldn’t get to the bottom of it. How thankful I was, when I discovered The Driscoll Theory, especially the part regarding Vagus Nerve Compression by an enlarged jugular vein – and when I went and checked my MRI scans to compare with Dr Diana’s examples, what did I find – yeay!!! – I had an enlarged jugular vein! After reading The Driscoll Theory MANY things are making sense. THANK YOU DR D!
Barbara
(UK)You are such a smartie, Barbara!! I will be collecting MRI’s/ MRV’s and fMRI’s for a study soon. Can you hang onto those images? Strength in numbers and publishing!! I’d love to see you as part of the study. Isn’t it amazing what we can do over the internet these days? 🙂 Diana
Thank you, it takes one to know one, as they say! I think there are many of us that are ‘smarties’, it seems to go with the condition. My POTS specialist here in the UK, Professor Mathias, commented on the fact that he’d noticed many POTS sufferers were of high intelligence (and I know your theory has us noted as ‘over-achievers’, which is probably how it manifests).
I’ll be only too glad to share my Radiology for the furtherance of this cause, anything to try to put an end to all this needless suffering – by so MANY!! Would you want me to select particular views, or would you prefer to have the whole set sent (or brought!) on discs.
If I can do anything else to help, just say.
Barbara
(UK)Thank you, it takes one to know one, as they say! I think there are many of us that are ‘smarties’, it seems to go with the condition. My POTS specialist here in the UK, Professor Mathias, commented on the fact that he’d noticed many POTS sufferers were of high intelligence (and I know your theory has us noted as ‘over-achievers’, which is probably how it manifests).
I’ll be only too glad to share my Radiology for the furtherance of this cause, anything to try to put an end to all this needless suffering – by so MANY!! Would you want me to select particular views, or would you prefer to have the whole set sent (or brought!) on discs.
If I can do anything else to help, just say.
Barbara
(UK)Yes, you DO know me well! I DO have a theory about our intelligence and creativity… Anywho, until the details are worked out, can you hang onto the disc? I’ll likely bring in a neurologist as a co-author, and depending on what he prefers, the whole disc may be preferable. But as you could tell from Part 2 of The Driscoll Theory, just the right still image can be exactly what we need! Thanks, Barbara. 🙂
Hi Diana,
I can send you copies of the set of discs, no problem (although be warned – I do seem to have accumulated quite a few!) . . . just let me know when.When can we expect your next info release?
Can’t wait to see which Neuro you’re gonna get on board . . . (think I might know already!)
Keep up the good work,
Barbara
(uk)Hi Diana,
I can send you copies of the set of discs, no problem (although be warned – I do seem to have accumulated quite a few!) . . . just let me know when.When can we expect your next info release?
Can’t wait to see which Neuro you’re gonna get on board . . . (think I might know already!)
Keep up the good work,
Barbara
(uk)Hi Barb, yes, the discs are soooo time consuming. I’ll pull together some “sample images” I need and maybe ask a volunteer to help me pull these images off of the discs, if you don’t know how. Sound good? Everything is waiting on this publication. The neuro is amazing, and an expert in hydrocephalus and venous stenosis. He is actually closer to your area than mine! Excited? I am! :)Thanks for your patience. Big hug…
Are these problems hard to notice on MRI’s? I ask because Stryder has several problems that we have known are going on in his brain and some have been fixed with seizure meds. The final say on the disc says no problem, but when we we at the Mayo, they pulled up a still that showed white matter and it was clear in the pic. Also cyst like things on the base of his skull. I have not doen very much research on the MRIs and EDS connection, just wondering if I should. I am so lost on how to help him.
Are these problems hard to notice on MRI’s? I ask because Stryder has several problems that we have known are going on in his brain and some have been fixed with seizure meds. The final say on the disc says no problem, but when we we at the Mayo, they pulled up a still that showed white matter and it was clear in the pic. Also cyst like things on the base of his skull. I have not doen very much research on the MRIs and EDS connection, just wondering if I should. I am so lost on how to help him.
Hi, this is “new science” and as such physicians (including, and I may say “especially”) radiologists have never looked for this phenomenon before. I’ve had many PATIENTS contact me with a few shots from their MRV’s that seemed to match what they saw in The Driscoll Theory. Yup! THEY saw it! When I lectured at ISNVD, the doctors knew exactly what I meant and knew then what to look for. As I mentioned in videos and talks (and in Part 2), no one ever thought to look at what enlarged VEINS could do to our vagus nerve (before now!). So, the doctor needs to understand what they’re looking for (the images in Part 2 will help, oh, the paperback is available now, too.) ALWAYS get copies of your images (the RAW data). I will set up some way for us to gather the pertinent images along with our symptoms for publication, OK? I do believe that all EDS/POTS patients need MRI’s AND MRV’s. I think it is essential to do so to get the entire picture. Sound good?
Are these problems hard to notice on MRI’s? I ask because Stryder has several problems that we have known are going on in his brain and some have been fixed with seizure meds. The final say on the disc says no problem, but when we we at the Mayo, they pulled up a still that showed white matter and it was clear in the pic. Also cyst like things on the base of his skull. I have not doen very much research on the MRIs and EDS connection, just wondering if I should. I am so lost on how to help him.
Hi, this is “new science” and as such physicians (including, and I may say “especially”) radiologists have never looked for this phenomenon before. I’ve had many PATIENTS contact me with a few shots from their MRV’s that seemed to match what they saw in The Driscoll Theory. Yup! THEY saw it! When I lectured at ISNVD, the doctors knew exactly what I meant and knew then what to look for. As I mentioned in videos and talks (and in Part 2), no one ever thought to look at what enlarged VEINS could do to our vagus nerve (before now!). So, the doctor needs to understand what they’re looking for (the images in Part 2 will help, oh, the paperback is available now, too.) ALWAYS get copies of your images (the RAW data). I will set up some way for us to gather the pertinent images along with our symptoms for publication, OK? I do believe that all EDS/POTS patients need MRI’s AND MRV’s. I think it is essential to do so to get the entire picture. Sound good?
I am on my way to purchase the paperback now 🙂 been waiting LOL.
I have CD’s of my images and the neurologist will send copies to anyone I need as well. I looked at his MRI and I’m just not good at them and can’t see anything- oh I do remember there was one thing on there that looked abnormal, but they said that he may have moved and dismissed it. They were looking for something specific like tumors though if I remember right. We have another appointment with Neurology at Doernbechers Childrens Hospital coming up, so we may get a newer MRI done at that time. They are just waiting to find the right DR.there because he is such an abnormal case.Do you have a link to your paper back– I have been looing nad searching every day 🙂 I so need it haha!!!!
Do you have a link to your paper back– I have been looing nad searching every day 🙂 I so need it haha!!!!
Yes! I’m hoping my technology department (that would be my hubby) will be able to get it on the home page of my website soon. Meanwhile, you can go to Prettyill.com and click on “Store”. Or just go directly here: http://prettyill.com/store The first item is the paperback. 🙂 Diana
Hi Diana,
I can send you copies of the set of discs, no problem (although be warned – I do seem to have accumulated quite a few!) . . . just let me know when.When can we expect your next info release?
Can’t wait to see which Neuro you’re gonna get on board . . . (think I might know already!)
Keep up the good work,
Barbara
(uk)Hi Barb, yes, the discs are soooo time consuming. I’ll pull together some “sample images” I need and maybe ask a volunteer to help me pull these images off of the discs, if you don’t know how. Sound good? Everything is waiting on this publication. The neuro is amazing, and an expert in hydrocephalus and venous stenosis. He is actually closer to your area than mine! Excited? I am! :)Thanks for your patience. Big hug…
Hi Dr Diana,
Yes I’ve no problem identifying the anatomical areas. I seem to know more about the brain and spine, than I do about anything else these day! LOL!!
Regards
Barbara
(UK)
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