[medicalmanta]

Hi everyone, I haven't posted here much in a while but I was looking for some advice. About 5 years ago I suddenly got a very bad 'stomach flu', I'm not sure what actually went wrong, but I don't ever feel I have recovered. I have had alternating symptoms of vomiting or IBS like symptoms. I've seen 2 GI specialists at Kaiser who have tried various antibiotics and tests, always coming out normal. I saw another doc out side of Kaiser who looks for bacterial overgrowths, something that he thinks is sometimes misdiagnosed as IBS/Crones. I started smoking about 3 years ago socially and eventually realized that it helped with my appetite and nausea and sometimes other symptoms. I have not had a colonoscopy although I'm pretty sure what Crones is not my problem (despite my last name being pronounced the same, something all the docs seem to find funny...). Unfortunately mmj only helps the problem to an extent. I really am fed up with conventional medicine (especially Kaiser) and invasive tests and medications which at best don't help and at worst make me worse. I had heard from some people that they got a help from IBS through acupuncture and was wondering if anyone here has any experience with that. Thanks in advance.

[M_AD1234]

I have tried acupuncture before for my intense back pain. It was very therapeutic. I would highly recommend trying it. I went for a year, and helped me to cope with my pain more than anything else. Stopped going because well thats how the government is on alternative medicines, if it's not addressing the actual pain then it won't be paid for. My life would be perfect if I could medicate and have acupuncture done to me for my ailments.

[Ivy]

Originally Posted by medicalmanta

Hi everyone, I haven't posted here much in a while but I was looking for some advice. About 5 years ago I suddenly got a very bad 'stomach flu', I'm not sure what actually went wrong, but I don't ever feel I have recovered. I have had alternating symptoms of vomiting or IBS like symptoms. I've seen 2 GI specialists at Kaiser who have tried various antibiotics and tests, always coming out normal. I saw another doc out side of Kaiser who looks for bacterial overgrowths, something that he thinks is sometimes misdiagnosed as IBS/Crones. I started smoking about 3 years ago socially and eventually realized that it helped with my appetite and nausea and sometimes other symptoms. I have not had a colonoscopy although I'm pretty sure what Crones is not my problem (despite my last name being pronounced the same, something all the docs seem to find funny...). Unfortunately mmj only helps the problem to an extent. I really am fed up with conventional medicine (especially Kaiser) and invasive tests and medications which at best don't help and at worst make me worse. I had heard from some people that they got a help from IBS through acupuncture and was wondering if anyone here has any experience with that. Thanks in advance.

I have been involved with the massage business for over 15 years now. I know and work with acupuncturists. Yes, it will most defiantly help you. I hope I explain this okay. It helps open blockages....allowing better circulation. With better circulation there is a good chance that you will experience your symptoms at the least diminish. I know that Kaiser does contract out to acupuncturists, have you approached them? Kaiser, even with it's bad reps, does have a somewhat open mind toward alternative treatments.

From an Eastern outlook Acupuncture allows our life force, our energy, our chi, to flow better. Western modalities tend to treat *symtoms*...patients seem to have the same recurring ailments return whether in a few months or years.

I might even suggest you trying a good massage therapist, one that specializes in therapeutic work. Have them work on your abdominal area, that alone will bring better blood flow....and may help.

Good luck.

[Absynthe]

I had a very bad run in, with Acupuncture. For some reason, it just didn't do anything they said it would - and when they said it could stop one of my Migraine's cold, I gave them a chance. I wound up on the floor screaming bloody murder, in front of all the patients, and them wanting to get me the hell out of there!

All I can think of, is perhaps they were using the wrong needles with me, for all my different types of pain. The needles they used were disposable, like 1/4", and they added heat. Unfortunate for them, they didn't know I was heat sensitive, though I begged and pleaded them to not add that. Well, that was what pushed me over the edge, and into full blown hallucinatory auras, then Migraine from hell!

All I can say, the Chiro never offered that option with their Acupuncturist again, and I only took one bottle of the pills they had. Still wondering if dessicated Adrenal Gland does anything.

My stomach and intestines were on fire for nearly 6 hours last night, and it's the worst attack yet! Every time the doctor runs blood panels, I'm fine. All I know, is they wonder if its IBS or Crone's disease. All I know is that anxiety fires it up, and I've seen a friend with Crone's disease - and yeah, it sure felt like what I saw her go through, last night!

I lost my health insurance, over my chronic pain now, and a month unable to work...it's humiliating.

[medicalmanta]

Thanks all for your comments thus far! Ivy your post was especially helpful because it answered the question I didn't really ask. Each time I get involved in a new 'treatment' and have it fail it is very emotionally draining. I had a little bit of a hard time understanding how acupuncture could help something so internal, and your description helped that :).
Absynthe, I'm sorry you had such a negative experience, that sounds awful. Was the 6 hour flare up directly after the acupuncture, or was that just on your current status?
At this point I basically have the options of trying medication (as in a prescription drug, not mmj...well in addition to of course :p) or acupuncture (or something similar). Frankly I'm not too interested in medication unless it is my absolute last resort. If anyone else has any info they would like to share especially pertaining to GI problems I'd love to hear it.

[endlesssky]

hi there, i have degenerated disk decease and severe Neroropghty a neve decease , that kills my neve endings well my pain DR sent me to a rehab place to help with pain mangemant and medical doe's not pay for Acupunture!! the DR got so frustrated because nothing was helping at all , what he did was make worse! so as a last resort he used Acupunture, when he stuck me in the right shoulder near my neck, after i asked him not too, he did anyway and i yelled he stuck in father and heated pain shot down my right side and the day it was tingling all over only to get worse in time, i told him what he did and he told me it was my neve deceaes, and laughed that it could be Acupunture that hurt me!! now i can;t feel my hands and havethe muscels derterating that i have no strenght and no sqweeze power, i have also had 4 endoscopy to find out that i had IBS, what a joke, it was Addisons decease. i was misdiganosed for years and put on the wrong meds that covered it all up!! now i went into Adrenal faliure and Addisonian attack that put 's me in the hospital, i have to be carefull, my blood sugar drops fast that it makes me throw up and i have to eat sugar tabs to bring it up which makes me sick to my tummy bad, i chase my sugar every night and yesterday we were were just driveing around and when i left my sugar was 300 real high too high, but we left better high than low right now, well by the time i got to town it hada fast drop down to 89 in about 15 minutes i was ina bad way and was eating sugar tabs and drinking pespi , i brought it up to 117, but i do this every day and i had give glucugon shots to bring me back,.. now i am sick everyday and with liver failure and cirrhous , only mmj helps with my tummy and it brings down my sugar when it to high, my primary DR looked into to make sure it would not hurt me at all, he loves me, he was happy that i had really reseached it well and found that i was doing no harm but helping alotwith vomiting and stomach problems, so he was ok with it, which is good because we debated about before and it's nice to find out he checked it out. wow a good DR who reads charts. well good luck with your Acupunture, it hurt me and i will never let them stick me again, but remeber i had a prexiting injury in my neck, where i broke some bones when i was 21, but he wouln'dt listen. . well hope you feel better Endlesssky :slaugh:

[Absynthe]

Flare up was due to the Acupuncture, unfortunately. They followed it up immediately with Chiropractic care, and I went further under the pain envelope.

I will say, his referral to an Athletic Orthopedic Surgeon is what finally led to my diagnosis. Proper meds and with physical therapy, I had the first relief in a year, at that time.

Unfortunately, I desperately need a major Anti-inflammatory, that insurance has refused to pay for: Celebrex. That breaks down in the small intestine, instead of the stomach.

Let me explain: Celebrex removes the majority of my other drugs! With it, I only need: Topamax, Soma and Vicodin daily! But without it, I fall apart, and they give me a plethera of drugs, over 20 per day. Celebrex also works with my Migraines.

Thus far, MMJ seems to have a similar effect as Celebrex, but not as anti-inflammatory at the level I've been taking (6 flowers a day). I'm just learning what it can do for me.