Mayo Pain Rehab Clinic and Eating Disorders

@jeanniem, that's a good question. I'll look into this for you. @rwinney may also have some input.
Jeannie, is this for an adult dealing with both pain and an eating disorder?

Adult whose pain may have inadvertently caused an eating disorder. Full GI workup is happening now, locally.

@jeanniem My Mayo PRC classmate was working a plan to gain weight, and another classmate was working a plan to lose weight. I don't know their specific disorders, as we do not discuss pain behaviors in class, but the extensive cognitive behavioral therapy, occupational and physical therapy, plus nutrition classes, and more , lead me to believe PRC is qualified to help both pain and an eating disorder.

I recommend proceeding with your referral. PRC's team is very helpul and accommodating. Good luck and please let me know if you have any questions.

Here is a link to PRC:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/pain-rehabilitation-center/sections/overview/ovc-20481691

Jeannie, I agree with @rwinney. The Pain Rehab Center focuses on rehab and not on the diagnosis that led to chronic pain. You may wish to call Mayo Clinic to learn more. Great question!

@jeanniem Hello Jeannie. Your question last week intrigued me. I read your bio and topics of your discussions. I was reminded of myself...all over the map, false diagnoses along the way, and long history of a whole lot of "stuff".

I wanted you to know that you are not alone in this journey. If I can be a supportive ear, or offer any of my experiences, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Thank you. It has been a frustrating Journey. I feel like I've seen so many medical professionals and they often don't agree. I know this is a separate issue but, even today, I got some DNA testing done and the results suggested that I minimize radiation exposure because of a variation of my BRCA gene that's supposedly puts me in a higher risk category of radiation increasing my risk for breast cancer. The report I received recommended that I consider doing MRIs for Diagnostic testing instead of mammograms but then my gynecologist office called today and said that it doesn't make my risk high enough for insurance to cover an MRI and that I should be fine just doing mammograms. It's just another example of medical professionals telling you one thing and then different medical professionals tell him you another. It is crazy making! And it really has reduced my trust in Western medicine, in general.

I totally understand. I'm sorry for such confusions and chaos in your world. It's frustrating. As a patient who is invested in their health and their body, it is very difficult to decipher how far we go in our medical search for answers to everything little thing that we are in fear of and want to rule out. This cycle alone ramps up our central nervous system and accesses our pathways to create more pain and symptoms.

I'm no medical professional or doctor, but from my experience I have gone to doctors because of concerns, and asked them to do their job. Each specialist has their lane and as long as we are in their presence, they have a job to do. Sometimes that job digs up a valuable diagnosis, sometimes it opens a can of unnecessary worms. It's very important to rule out serious medical diagnosis, however, in the case of Central Sensitization, it becomes a rat race of getting nowhere. Once I made my self discovery of Central Sensitization I was so relieved to finally understand that there was a much bigger picture controlling the chaos.

My life has truly changed since attending Mayo PRC and learning how to quiet the storm. I only see my medically necessary doctors and take my medically necessary meds. My calendar no longer is filled with appointment after appointment. No longer am I spinning my wheels and caught up in the crazy cycle of "ologists". I feel free, finally. Although I still live in daily chronic pain and symptoms, I have a better handle on who I am and what I have. PRC taught me valuable life tools that will prepare me for the next real medical issue, if and when it comes. I mean, we don't ask for perfection, we just want calmness and to understand the why behind the what.

My best to you. I hope your storm quiets soon. Would you let me know how your GI tests turn out?

I realize I commented on this thread without reading which thread it was. I actually asked the eating disorder question for a client. My pain issues are annoying but not at that level. I don't have any significant GI issues, myself. I think we finally realized that my pain comes almost exclusively from sensory motor neuropathy. The neurologists (Mayo and local) say that there is something going on outside of neuropathy but I don't know if we will ever nail down what that is. The most recent specialist I was sent to believes there may be inflammation in a couple of tiny joints underneath my ankle. They can test this Theory by doing an x-ray guided injection. I had gotten the DNA testing because one doctor said I had charcot-marie-tooth and another doctor said I did not. The DNA test clarified that I do not have markers for charcot-marie-tooth but it drew my attention to the radiation sensitivity. The conversation then becomes is it worth the radiation that would come from the injections to determine if the inflammation is coming from inside the joints. This all happened this week so it is fresh in my mind. I have looked at the central sensitization that you mentioned and wondered if that is part of my story. My pain is largely localized to my left foot and ankle though, outside of my generic nerve pain. The generic nerve pain doesn't bother me much because I know what it is. It is crazy how much of a difference it makes to feel like you have some control and understanding regarding the pain. But, I have not lost 40 pounds in the last few months nor do I have a diagnosed eating disorder or complex GI issue. 🙂 sorry for the mislead. I should have read which post you were commenting on. 🙂