I’ve had a very similar story with respect to a ‘healthy’ gallbladder that’s been a problem for years. Three ultrasounds and physical therapy later, it’s not my gallbladder. IBS is my life now that MAV is chronic. It had been, too, when my PCOS was diagnosed. I had it under control for years before MAV progressed up to chronic.
I’m certain my MAV is a genetically derived chemical disorder in the brain and affects endocrinology, or the other way around. I have other issues (PCOS related) that track with this. Genetics causes problems with the ways my proteins are formed that cascade into other chemical and physical issues. Am I genetically predisposed to diabetes? No, but a genetic error means my proteins in the cell walls are bent funny and won’t let insulin in. My brain keeps getting the signal that I need to transport glucose into the cells via insulin, so my pancreas just keeps pushing out insulin to get it into the cells. Eventually the pancreas wears out and I end up diabetic. I didn’t start there. I end there. PCOS is often co-morbid with a lot of my issues (endometriosis, TMJD, systemic inflammation and a tendency to create way too much scar tissue).
There are lots of ways a few genetic defects that translate to weird protein formations can cause systemic issues. I have no problem believing some issues in chemistry or electrical functioning in the brainstem can cause diverse, seemingly uncorrelated systemic problems. I’ve read a lot of studies that suggest migraine starts in the brainstem. Certainly that’s true for me given my propensity for brainstem aura and its cascading effects on the visual, auditory, olfactory, and sensory cortexes while its causing dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, confusion, speech impediments and ultimately pain. Who knows whether the genesis of that starts in some gut imbalance that translates into the brain or if it’s brainstem alone. It’s all endocrinology to me.
PCOS has global issues that are similar to MAV, except MAV doesn’t lead directly to diabetes and heart disease. Both have increased stroke risk, though the mechanisms may be different. Those three disease categories together (caused by increased triglycerides, increased blood lipids, increased glucose, and/or increased blood pressure) are all metabolic and are diagnostic of Metabolic Syndrome. PCOS is a direct cause of Metabolic Syndrome. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a correlation between the three (MAV, PCOS, and Metabolic Syndrome), probably all with similar genetic or epigenetic issues and located on the X chromosome. PCOS and Metabolic Syndrome go hand in hand, and I know of a lot of MAV women who also have PCOS. (Which is why I eat a diet that has me running on ketones and not glucose. It’s an end run around the problem that also happens to really lessen my MAV issues - possibly because Dr. Stanton is right about the role of glucose in CSF homeostasis and neuronal chemistry in the K/Na gates.)
MAV is a complex problem. Nearly every symptom I have can be tracked back to the brainstem, though the brainstem issues could be a result of faulty endocrinology. The brainstem is a primitive part of the brain that’s in charge of autonomic functions. The autonomic systems cascade out of whack and start messing with the higher brain functions and all sorts of hell breaks loose.
It’s a lot like America today. Don’t put a primitive in charge of the Executive Branch unless you enjoy a shit show.