Abdominal-Pain Books

Where do I start. When I got this book the first part I read was the acknowledgement. OMG!!, this book was written for me. I imeadiatly contacted Karen Steward and have struck up a friendship with her. I am so thankful she wrote this book. It has help me and my family tremendously. Anybody or any one who knows anybody with ARD you HAVE to get this book for yourself and them. This book provided be hope and clairity regarding my condition. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Mrs. Steward shares and intimate view of faith, love, and tribulation as her family navigates a health care system that fails to listen or understand her daughters debilitating illness. This story spans a painful fourteen year search for answers in an often rushed or hostile health care system. In this system women are quickly labeled depressed or hysterical if diagnoses are not easily found and patients easily cured. This nightmare journey of multiple physician visits, painful tests, and ineffective treatments eventually takes Karen and her daughter Melissa to Germany. At last the elusive cause of much suffering was determined to be multiple adhesions and effective surgical care was provided, thus returning quality of life to a bright young woman and her family.

The story of Melissa's victory over pain and illness and her mother's determination to not give up are certainly inspirational. This book not only sheds light on a medical condition that is often not considered on list of differential diagnoses, but also sheds light on a fractured and rushed health care system. The descriptions in this book of various physicians visits range from hysterical to infuriating. Mrs. Steward's impressions of physicians from the patient's point of view are so insightful and well written that I believe all physicians should be required to read this book. In the words of Robert Burns "Oh what a powerful gift to give us, to see ourselves as others see us."

It is my hope that this book will bring awareness of ARD to both patients and health care providers as well as remind us all to treat others with the same respect and kindness that we would like to be treated with.

Powerful, enlightening, inspiring! This mother's completely committed journey to find relief and the answers to her daughter's suffering is nothing short of awesome. In doing so she has given, in her book, the help and the hope so desperately needed by those also suffering from adhesions. Help for those who may not even know, until now, what they are suffering from and the hope to know that their pain can come to an end.

This is one of the most informative and well written books I have picked up in a long time. She knows her topic, she has lived it! The heart and sole that is poured into the book comes through very clear. If you know nothing of the disease you will be well informed when you finish the read. It is not boring and info packed it is info packed and interesting. Edna Summers

As I read this book, I was reminded of being a teenager with a blood pressure of 180/110 and a resting heart rate of 130 beats per minute. My mother and I consulted with a top cardiologist who couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and wanted to put me on tranquilizers. When my mother and I refused the medicine, he called her in and read her the riot act. This was particularly challenging because the cardiologist was one of my father's best gardening service customers. After shopping around with my mother to 12 more doctors, I finally found one who did the obvious and gave me a test to see if I had an overactive thyroid . . . which I did. Within a few days, I was better with medicine to slow down the thyroid production. Without my mother's obstinate pursuit of a proper diagnosis and cure, I probably wouldn't be alive today.

The same is true for Karen Steward and her daughter, Melissa. Unfortunately, Melissa was suffering from complications brought about by adhesions (where one organ is attached to another so they cannot move freely), a condition for which there is no simple blood test as there is for an overactive thyroid. These two brave women suffered through what my mom and I did for fourteen years rather than fourteen weeks, as was the case for me. I feel sorry for them.

Today, the better medical schools (such as the University of Massachusetts) teach physicians to listen to patients and take what they say seriously. The Stewards mostly found physicians who believed that teenage girls and women usually lie about their conditions . . . and just need something to bring down the swelling (cortisone-based steroids and to calm their nerves (antidepressants).

Research in the internet eventually led Ms. Steward to realize that her daughter could have adhesions. Even with that realization and recommendations from enthusiastic patients who suffered from adhesions, the Stewards found two dishonest physicians who operated on Melissa before finding one who was honest and had the right methods to help her . . . in Germany, far from their home in Texas.

If you have adhesion-related ills, you should read this book. If you have mysterious pains in your abdomen and pelvis, are nauseous a lot, have constipation, and have been told that your bowels are narrowed, you should be checked out by a professional who knows this area. The Stewards had success with Dr. Kruschinski, using a method for keeping surgery from causing new adhesions (surgery is the number one cause of adhesions). You can read information about Dr. Kruschinski and words of advice from him at the ends of the book. You'll also see vivid color photographs of what adhesions look like.

In young women where there have been no surgeries, adhesions can also occur due to endometriosis (growths like the lining of the uterus outside of the uterus). In Ms. Steward's case, she was prone to cysts that grew and dissolved. Each time that happened, there was a risk that adhesions would occur. But each physician they consulted said that there was no chance that Ms. Steward could have her symptoms based endometriosis. Right.

Undoubtedly due to concerns about libel suits, the physicians who did a poor job are described with pseudonyms. I would hope someone would open an investigation into those physicians. Several of them need to have their licenses yanked.

The book also points out the poor way that churches, Christians, friends, and neighbors can behave in dealing with someone suffering from a chronic illness. Even if you or your family doesn't have this problem, you can learn a lot about how to be a better person by seeing how the Stewards reacted to poorly considered words and behavior among those they considered friends and fellow Christians.

The Stewards kept going, in part, based on their faith in God. This book is testimony to the kinds of suffering that can be part of God's plan, just as it was with Job.

Bravo, Ms. Steward! You are a good mom and a good Christian.

I checked out every endometriosis book that my library had, this was by far the best. If I could only choose one book to buy before surgery, or right after being diagnosed, this is the one. I appreciated that the author is a well known expert and not just a fellow Endometriosis sufferer.

Excellent resource for women and girls!! Detailed and easy to understand. Dr. Lyons is truly the expert on Endometriosis.

After four doctors attempted to convince me to have a hysterectomy for endometriosis, I traveled to Atlanta to consult with Dr. Lyons. He was the first doctor to take my condition seriously, and through skilled surgery and medical assistance, has changed my life.

great for students and general surgery residents to lear pediatric surgery from a case based approach.

If you'd like a quick, easy reading book to review before taking pediatric surgery written or oral boards, Larry Moss has just the book for you. Concise, authoritative, well written, and at times dryly humorous... thanks to Baird's contributions! A must have.

Tom Inge
Pediatric Surgeon
Cincinnati Childrens Hospital

Celiac Disease is difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to live with. This book should give hope and encouragement to anyone with Gluten Intolerance. I have recommended it to our local support group as it is well researched and very well written.
Thanks Sylvia - Great job!

CELIAC DISEASE: A GUIDE TO LIVING WITH GLUTEN INTOLERANCE is the only book on the topic co-authored by a nurse, dietitian and clinical pharmacist, and provides an excellent guide to living a wheat-free, gluten-free lifestyle. From symptoms and diagnosis to managing daily life and complications, Celiac Disease comes complete with recipes and nutritional ideas and also includes management tips for all ages, adult to child. An excellent health library addition; especially for collections emphasizing allergies and dietary control.

This paperback book is excellent....It may well be unavailable other than through Amazon.com since it is several years old. However, it has information in it that is timeless.......I value this book.....Thank you...Dr. J.

This is an excellent book. There is a more current book by
Dr. Raphael Kellman MD of the Kellman Center in NY.
The Taylor book espouses the value of reducing stress as a
condition precedent to managing gut reactions. He cites the
Bernstein test involving acid drips in the esophagus to measure
pain triggers. In addition, lab tests can distinguish between
gut disease and gut reactions. Brisk walks help as a stimulant
to the intestines. Celiac disease may be managed by reducing
gluten and increasing fiber in the diet. At times, surgery may be
needed to cope; such as, cholectomy removal of a portion of the
colon. This book is an excellent purchase for the personal
library as is Dr. Kellman's more up-to-date work. Both works
should be in your alternative and conventional medicinal
library.

Something happens to a parent when their child gets sick. Normal life vanishes and Mom or Dad have only one goal - restoring their child to health. When the illness drags on, or medical personnel can't make a diagnosis, normal life becomes a distant memory.

Kay Day faced this situation, to a much greater degree than many parents, but with a happier ending than some families get. She shares her story, with detail, humor, and the background of not only her own family history, but also the familiar hassles and concerns of a family move. I identified with the Day family's experiences and learned from the medical research the author did.

My favorite part of the book is the contribution of the patient's older sister, describing the impact of her sister's illness on her life and the conflicting emotions she experienced during that time. It was a forthright revelation that reminded me strongly of my feelings towards my younger siblings, a long time ago.

This is a great read, for young people and their loving parents.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends KILLING EARL as an interesting & sometimes humorous memoir of a terrible time in a family's life when their 12-year-old daughter suffers severe abdominal pain. It gives practical advice about navigating today's medical establishment, as well as useful Internet links & tips for patient advocates.

The courage of both mother & daughter, who refused to give in to defeat, is the backbone of the book. It should bring encouragement to everyone who suffers from "undiagnosable" pain. Rebecca's "mystery illness" affects over 86,000 American children every year. Up to date information about treatment for such cases is given. If it saves even one child from enduring the year of horror & agony that Rebecca & her family lived through, KILLING EARL was well worth writing.

This is an exellent piece of work, still of major importance for understanding recurrent abdominal pain in childhood.

Many tells that Cope's is the best on subject but I read many books on acute abdomen and this is another story.

This book contained a tremendous amount of useful information for me. I enjoyed reading each part of it and did not put it down until I finished it. I have a very good GI doctor that I trust. But, I could never imagine, I could have got that much accurate and scientific information in a very simple format even in 10 or more visit to my doctor's office. Thanks a lot for putting together this helpful guide.

This book came in great condition and was a decent price. I got it with in the allotted time.