15-year-old girl
I’m 15 years old.
Main location of pain: Just the stomach, around the navel.
I went to non-medical practitioners, was in hospitals, etc... Nothing helped! I’ve had this abdominal pain for five years. During this period you of course try many things and speculate a lot. But they did ascertain one thing: “It was not physical”. Of course I was glad that nothing was wrong physically, though the actual problem was not solved.
My family didn’t doubt for one second that I had pain, simply because nothing could be confirmed. My family ALWAYS supported me! However, I can’t remember the beginning of the abdominal pain at all anymore...
My friends can deal well with the situation. Since I don’t have the pain constantly, they don’t always think of it. But they know how bad I felt/feel and accept it when the pain hinders me. Many doctors were clueless and always said: “You have to live with it”, since they didn’t find anything with orthodox medicine. But it was clear to me that I didn’t want to live that way, and I didn’t! In school the teachers sometimes reacted helpfully and with understanding and excused me, if I wasn’t well (wasn’t too often).
For me personally the time in Datteln wasn’t so easy at first. You felt so deserted and alone. But also, even though I wouldn’t have believed it, you make friends really quickly and meet nice people. Also, the friendly nurses make the settling-in period easier for you. The psychologists are super nice and after a week the time flies like on a flight. It’s not at all “hospital-like”, which makes the situation easier for you.
After the time in Datteln I was able to apply all of the therapy to my daily life, since daily life in Datteln was similarly organized.
My family and above all I think my abdominal pain is 60% to 70% better. Every time I get abdominal pain I try to use the distraction techniques. Und as strange as it might sound at first – I assure you, it works!!!
Since even apart from my attacks of abdominal pain I was always very nervous and upset, the techniques really helped me to calm down and relax in spite of the pain. If I sometimes have abdominal pain now, I sit down and concentrate and the pain goes away more quickly each time and isn’t so bad anymore.
I think the talks with the psychologists really helped me. They explained to me how my body reacts to pain in general and showed me with the help of biofeedback how much I can regulate my pain.
I’m glad that I got involved with the therapy in Datteln! My pain comes less often now and its severity is much less. Every time I have abdominal pain I get better at controlling it. So I would advise anyone to take this step! It’s worth it, I guarantee it! I promise that all my friends from the clinic have this opinion.
A good recovery to all!