Chiropractic Patients Association
On the 13th June, I experienced a sudden change in my digestive system. During the previous 4 months, I had suffered two short bouts of something similar but had no history of indigestion and I “kept regular” by taking plenty of roughage, fruit and veg. Suddenly I had to deal with a chronic combination of diarrhea or constipation, bloating, shocking wind and painful spasms.
The following week I had an appointment with my chiropractor for my bi-monthly maintenance and check-up of an area in my back which occasionally causes pain. I asked him if the reason for the symptoms could have been a fall in my garden the previous day. I had rushed out to put washing on the line and slipped, both feet shooting up with me landing on my lower spine. I had ached all over for a day but did not feel any specific pain in my back. The chiropractor checked out the vulnerable part of my back and said it was fine.
I then went to my GP who was very sympathetic and said the symptoms did not fit any pattern with which she was familiar. She too discounted any connection with the fall. She said she doubted that it was anything really serious but could rule nothing out. She sent me for an “urgent’ scan for which I had to wait a month. During that period, I discovered, the hard way, that I could only drink liquids (soups, bread and smoothies) if I wanted to avoid the symptoms completely and I lost half a stone in no time. I also felt that everything in the abdomen was “loose” and took to wearing a support. It did go through my mind that Mum had had a twisted gut problem. I felt normal if I ate nothing too solid but had all the symptoms when I dared to eat a full meal. The food just did not go through normally.
On a particularly bad day, I went back to the doctor in some distress as I was now thinking that I might not be able to return to part-time work or look after the grandchildren twice a week. I also looked and felt 103! (actually 63). The doctor arranged a hospital admission that day but tests and an x-ray showed nothing irregular and, as I had not eaten for a while, the symptoms had worn off and they sent me home with the promise of a barium enema in another month’s time.
My doctor gave me pills, Motillium, and 4 per day helped food to get moving through the system. I twice tried to cut them out but the symptoms returned. Meanwhile I had the scan which showed everything normal but did not include an investigation of the large bowel. I was still snacking, as an accumulation food brought on bad stomach spasms every 5 minutes for about two hours. Eventually I had the barium x-ray and that showed that I could be prone to diverticulitis – but no more than most people over 50. That was, however the official diagnosis for the symptoms I experienced.
And so – it was time for my next visit to the chiropractor. I told him what had happened since the previous visit and he said it looked as though I could have damaged my lower back in the fall, causing the symptoms. He treated the area. That night, I had the worst attack yet BUT after a few days, I began to reduce the pills as I felt completely normal – and have remained so since – and have been able to resume previous eating habits with no medication necessary and with no ill effects. I had two more treatments just to ensure recovery. It is hard to believe that the cure could be so simple.
I am grateful that my GP appreciated how difficult the symptoms were for me to cope with and for the examinations to find out what was wrong but I regret spending two months with that pain and uncertainty when, in hindsight, my freak accident could have been treated earlier by my chiropractor. My concern now is that I may have a weakness in that area and that the condition could recur. However, I feel extremely grateful and am very happy to be functioning normally again.
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