Gastroperisis from Gallbladder Removal or Head/Neck Trauma?

Since my gallbladder was removed, I have felt like my stomach is stapled.  I feel full after just a few bites, I have a hard time swallowing water/liquids, and I have referred pain to my back every time I eat.  I went back to the surgeon a couple weeks after the surgery and she did a test to see if I had a bile leak.  I did not so she sent me on my way telling me it was phantom gallbladder attacks that would/might eventually go away.  I wasn't her problem any more. 

I bought that theory for a while until I re-read a comment from one of my blog posts.  This person recommended that I look into problems with the Vagus nerve.  So I did and that brought me to a possible diagnosis of Gastroperisis.  Basically, the stomach doesn't contract to digest the food.  It is paralyzed.  I read the associated symptoms and decided that this IS what is going on with me, not phantom gallbladder.  I made an appointment with my GI doctor and he said that sometimes after the gallbladder is removed the bile cannot move through the system fast enough and backs up into the stomach causing this condition.  He prescribed a medication that will take up to one month to work but said it should help.  If this doesn't help then it may be that I have damage to the Vagus nerve which probably won't be reversible.  The damage to this nerve could have been done during the gallbladder surgery.  I think it might also have been damaged when my neck was hurt in 2011, but the symptoms are just more significant/apparent now that I'm not having other symptoms from my diseased gallbladder.

In the meantime, I'm back on the narcotics because I have to eat and eating causes me excruciating pain.  I found that very small meals with no bulk (raw vegetables, fruit, whole wheat), no dairy, and no fat is tolerated the best. Yum, right?  I've been drinking Ensure's twice a day to help get the vitamins and nutrition I need. 

I've lost a total of 45 pounds since my head/face pain started in January, 2012.  I lost 20 of those pounds during the year of 2012 and have lost 25 more pounds in the last 6 months. I'm continuing to lose 2-3 pounds per week because I can't eat.  This isn't a problem yet, because I am overweight and can stand to lose about 30 more pounds, so this may be a blessing in disguise.  I just need to make sure that I get enough nutrition.

Herniated Discs in the Cervical Spine

After my gallbladder was removed, I noticed that my arms were falling asleep when I layed on my back.  I'm normally a side-sleeper but while the incisions were healing I had to lay on my back.  I mentioned my arms falling asleep to my chiropractor and he ordered an MRI of my cervical spine.  I have two herniated discs in my neck.  This could be causing a lot of my problems with "right sided" pain, head and neck pain, and back pain.  My chiropractor wants to do a regimin of decompression therapy along with some exercises and traction-like poses with a support device.  He says that the decompression will allow the discs to rejuvinate with fluid and move the herniation back into the center, thus "healing" the situation.  I was very excited until he told me the program would cost $5500. Of which I was promptly approved for credit through Care Credit.  While I want to be "healed", I'm skeptical of the treatment program and cost.  He reassured me that there would be before and after x-rays, etc. and that he guarantees improvement.  I just can't afford another monthly payment.  I already owe way more than I can afford in doctor bills.

I asked my primary care physician about all of this and she suggested that I talk with my pain management doctor about it.  I did, and he recommends an epidural steriod injection into the discs.  At least this is covered by insurance.  I'm not clear on what to expect from this treatment and I know results vary from patient to patient so I'm going to go ahead and give it a try to see if I can get any relief from any of my symptoms.  At least this is a "firm" diagnosis that has specific treatments which may lead to surgery.  I have a feeling that I have other herniated discs along my spine that no doctor has considered.  I guess I'll just start on my neck and see what happens from there. 

Wouldn't it be great if I actually got to feeling well enough to go back to work?  Who knows.  I'll keep you posted.