I began having severe chronic spinal/shoulder pain in late 2005, so when in December 2011 I began having severe bilateral (meaning both sides) shooting pains in and around my gut region, I just sucked it up. I'm no sissy when it comes to pain, I told myself, I've been through worse, this too shall pass, etc...
One of my favorite "meals" when too tired to cook, is to make a big bowl of popcorn. When I say a big bowl, I mean a huge commercial sized metal bowl. It is filling without leaving you bloated or feeling stuffed.
Additionally, I had a severe year long pain flare up start in November of 2010 that had me well beyond sick and tired of going to the doctors; so like the "tough guy" that I can be, I shut up and sucked it up. Until...
Ignoring these pains did not make them go away, eating only exacerbated the pain so I'd eat just a bite or two to assuage my hunger.
After 2-3 weeks of these gut pains, their frequency began to increase as well as their intensity, so I finally caved and called the doctor. I got in to see her the Friday going into Christmas weekend.
Her name is Maureen Hamilton and she was at Scott & White in Cedar Park, TX. Not sure if she still is with them but she is a PHENOMENAL provider and person! (See box on bottom right to know why I've not returned.)
I explained my symptoms and what I'd been eating, she said that it sounded like diverticulitis and that for the next 48 hours I was "to eat or drink nothing that you can't see through."
I said "So no cookies?" to which she said no. I then said "Salad? What about a nice salad for dinner, it'll be full of carrots and cucumbers and I'll skip the cheese!" She repeated "Clear liquid only."
I kept pushing the issue because it was Christmas and who the heck wants to be a restricted eater any day of the year, let alone on major holidays?!
Thank God she finally relented!
She said I could drink chicken broth.
Woo hoo, yep that was my reaction too. Actually, truth be told, mine included a swear word between woo and hoo that rhymes with muckin' because I had not yet read the Bible to be incentivized to quit. Fortunately she isn't uppity about swearing since she knew it was to her and not at her. (Huge difference.)
She could tell that I wasn't real keen on taking her advice. (Not sure what gave me away.) So she launched into a rarely seen serious side that involved a blunt dissertation on diverticulitis at its finest!
She explained about the diverticula, that are these little sacs in the colon, and how the popcorn kernels were the likely culprit, got stuck, created inflammation, pain, blah, blah, blah.
She ended it with "Look, it's the holiday weekend so if you have problems you will have to go to the emergency room and you don't want this to get that bad. If you don't heed my warnings you can end up with poop in your stomach and that can be fatal due to the bacteria."
She had me at "poop in your stomach". Ewww. Who would eat cookies after that? Not me said I.
The moral of the story is that if you too are a chronic pain sufferer who gets bad pain in this or any area, please call your doctor because sucking it up is definitely not smart when it can lead to new (gross) and possibly fatal, consequences.
I mean seriously, can you imagine the comments at my wake? "I always suspected that she was full of crap, this proves it!" I am so never giving anyone that satisfaction...
Okay, I know, I've lightened up a serious subject but I believe that there are three ways to make someone remember something. Be tactful, impactful or funny; you will find all three done separately and together, on Spinal Trap because I am me!
Fast forward to 2014. Once again, I got all of the symptoms of diverticulitis. This time I knew what to do and did it.
When I saw a dr. I said "I just recently had a bout of diverticulitis for the second time in the last few years and never had it prior to chronic pain, obesity and constipation. I have a theory that constipation is predisposing me to it; is that probable?" He got a look of surprise and respect on his face as he replied "Absolutely."
One more reason to try and go natural
whenever possible and not take
constipation causing pain pills!
You see, when the diverticulitis happened again in 2014, I wasn't even on pain pills as the rule for over 2 years by that point.
What that tells me is that the damage done
FROM over 6 years of being on
codeine based pain pills,
had left behind a permanent predisposition
to this new SERIOUS health challenge
that I never had in my life, prior to living
with a disabling injuries and chronic pain.
Even if you are fortunate to not have
the numerous, quality of life ruining
side effects of which I speak here,
from your codeine (or other pain pills)
that does NOT mean that your body
isn't also going to pay a price in
NEW DAMAGE at some point,
as a result of long term pain pill usage!
Chronic pain people, PLEASE realize that I know of what I speak and I can't promote strongly enough that you need to make every (safe for you) effort possible to reduce and/or replace your prescription pain pills, muscle relaxers, anti-anxiety meds, etc...with herbs, prayers, music meditation, ice packs, epsom salt soaks, massage therapy, etc...
I still have to turn to my prescriptions at times,
but to use them as the exception and not the rule
is an immeasurable health victory that gives me
a peace of mind that I NEVER had when on
multiple mind and mood altering prescriptions!
(The medical term for that roller coaster ride from hell is "emotional lability".)
ONLY YOU can get yourself back 2 good
by making this choice!
Talk to your doctors about starting the herbs
that I speak of on my HERBS home page
that I started while still on my numerous Rx's
of pain pills, muscle relaxers, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, anti-inflammatories, etc...
and develop a plan that is safe and sensible
for your specific health status.
It is the only way to get your quality of life
back 2 good despite still living with chronic pain.
After over 5 years of codeine based pain pills causing this issue, I finally refused to take them anymore and was fortunate to meet pain management doc, Dr. Matt Schocket of Capitol Pain Institute in Austin, Texas.
When I told him that the constipation as well as the cloudy headedness, dizziness and nausea of codeine were no longer something I could or would tolerate, he immediately prescribed Nucynta 50mg.
Nucynta is the absolute best pain pill that I've taken that gives me NONE of these hideous side effects yet manages pain very well! Please see my Nucynta page under the Rx tab for more details or click its link:
Permit me to reiterate, that if and when you suffer any pains outside of your normal pain zones, please, please, please, call your doctor immediately and report your symptoms so that they can help you to avoid further unnecessary health complications.
And as importantly, again, if you too live with chronic constipation as a result of your pain pills, DO NOT ACCEPT THIS!
Talk to your dr. about Nucynta as it does NOT have that same horribly unhealthy side effect like every other pain pill I've ever been given! (You still won't go as much as you normally did prior to pain pills, but you will at least go!)
After all, chronic pain is more than enough for one lifetime and as you know, there is nothing funny about that! (Or about poop in your stomach!)