Vagus nerve and indigestion as noted by Tod

[Mei Mei]

Hi All!

A few months back Tod was wondering if the surgery we all have had has any connection to indigestion.   He had said it starts up in the skull and wanders down to the belly area.   He brought this up with his doctor and the doc said he would look into it.     I then brought it up with Maureen Moriarity my wonderful nurse practitioner in Neurology at Georgetown on my last visit and she replied of course and that everybody already knows that!!!   I will ask her on my next visit in Feb. how long it takes to come back because I've had three neck surgeries and have been suffering from horrible indigestion since 1988 after my cervical laminectomy.   
I remember my ENT in Philadelphia noting that I had signs of indigestion on my vocal cords way back then and I hadn't felt it.  He prescribed Zantac.   My allergist switched me to Prilosec but on a visit to the ER in Dec the doctor said that Zantac works on an acute situation but Prilosec save a couple of weeks to get going.   Over the years I've had increasing problems with indigestion.    I just don't want to be taking pills all of my life and Maureen cut out a lot of them because she and the Neurologist said my combination of meds was putting me at risk for Seretonin Syndrome which could end me up in the ICU.    I'm so glad I met them.    My Primary Care never paid attention to this combination.   Glad I changed primary care physician.

Happy New Year All!
Mei Mei

[Tod]

Mei Mei, I am glad to see more agreement on this topic. I was talking about the situation with my PCP this morning when I saw him for other reasons. The relationship had not occurred to him, but he did recall that once upon a time (1950s-60s) surgeons sometimes severed the vagus nerve to treat ulcers - which of course does not work. Plus long-term side effects of this approach (which was also used to assist wight-loss) results in anemia/B12 deficiencies.

There is more to it than indigestion as an issue - the vagus is involved in a number of digestive functions, so folks with lots of involvement/trauma of the vagus might suffer a variety of ailments. Maybe. After all, I am not a doctor.

-Tod

[Mei Mei]

Well, you would have been a good one.   You are good at anything you do.    I don't know why Maureen said;   everyone knows that.   It's common knowledge now.

Keep on your thinking cap.   You're doing great, my friend.
Mei Mei