Hi, in 2020 I had acdf 3 fusion surgery. I’ve written on blogs here for sometime but my concern is this as well. Since surgery my bowels stopped. Last September I was scheduled for total colectomy but canceled because it just makes no sense to me. Of course the doctor will say could be anesthesia related but rare and doesn’t think his surgery did it. I don’t care how or why, maybe a simple coincidence, but help me. I believe through all my research the vagus nerve is involved but to what capacity, I don’t know and it’s very hard to diagnose. I’m on third gastroenterologist and Wednesday I’m seeing a neurosurgeon who took my surgeons place at Beth Israel in Boston. It appears my doctor at age 57 has decided to not practice any longer. I just want help. I’ve explained in blogs I’ve done naturalpathic docs, acupuncture, PT, pelvic floor PT, colonic hydrotherapy and Visceral massage. All listed were not covered by insurance but I’m not giving up. I’ve had stool testing and food sensitivities testing. I think right now the visceral massage might help. She targets the nerve starting with cranium, it’s in there. Then I open my mouth and in the back she works that area, then neck and so on. She follows nerve from cranium to anus. My Gastro was on board with this and pelvic floor. I’ve been doing pelvic floor for over a year going weekly for months, stopping and going back when I can tell I need it.
I’ve had so many tests but two that were never done was the Smart Pill and endoscopy. My acdf surgery can cause swallowing issues later on and it did so while having that test, she did the balloon procedure and has helped a lot. I did Smart Pill and passed it Friday. It took 76 hours to pass so obviously I have a motility problem. Results this Wednesday with doc. I keep bringing up this nerve but no doctor seems to grasp at the possibility. Everyone has said, tuff to diagnose. I had a friend get Botox for urine leakage and that helped with that but does not last. Maybe find someone trained in visceral massage and see if it does anything. Also, u-tube, jump starting vagus nerve. Their is so much you can do for free. One simple thing is chew chew chew your food forever it stimulates the nerve but so many other things do as well. Best of luck. It’s been a very long road for me. Two years on June 11 and still no answers except remove my colon…..Joanne