VNS and stomach pains?

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edepew151

edepew151

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Has anybody had severe abdominal pain after getting a VNS?

For about 3 months now, I've been having this terrible pain in my abdomen. It has gotten to the point that I've been to the ER twice just for pain killers (a big deal for me, because I have a crazy-high pain tolerance). At first the doctors thought it was my gall bladder, so they removed it, but the pain just continued to get worse. I have been to the doctors' for several tests and they are lost, but the last doctor did make the suggestion that my VNS could be causing the pain. My stimulator has been turned off for about 2 years, but he said that just having it touching the nerve could be causing my pains. He told me to talk to me Neurologist, but she doesn't do VNS (I've moved since getting mine) so I'm asking you guys for now. Anybody had anything like this or heard of it happening? I have had my implant for almost 4 years; does it really take this long to start messing with you?
 
I don't know anything about VNS, so cannot help you there but a couple of questions for you: any other symptoms besides the pain? What medications are you taking and have they changed recently? Has the VNS "shifted" position at all that might cause it to stimulate nerves it shouldn't be (I would imagine some kind of scan would tell the doctors this)? I imagine doctors looked for a hernia of some kind . . . right? Sometimes only an ultrasound will pick this up, and it takes a careful exam to find them as occasionally they "hide". When taking out your gall bladder did the surgeon do an exploratory exam as well - that would have helped rule out a lot of things, presumably hernia included.
 
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I've had my VNS for 6 years and have never had a problem with it. It has been on the whole time I've had it, it's never been turned off.

Can you ask your neuro if there is anyone in your area that deals with VNS and you could talk to them about it?
 
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