Mylin’s Angry Pancreas

05/06/2026

Today we started week #1 of our 3rd round of IB STIM. Some people only need one round and are good, some people get it done every 6th months. Due to the extent of pain caused by the atrophying pancreas and everything that comes with that, Mylin is on more of the every 6 month track. While it doesn’t take Mylin’s pain away 100%, the last two treatments have given a reprieve from the intensity of the pain. A lower pain level, is a slightly easier lived life. The benefits usually kick in for Mylin around week 5. We’ll drive just under two hours (as long as there isn’t traffic) each way, and will do this for 4 weeks of treatment and the a few weeks later for a check up. We returned to the clinic exactly a week to the date that we get it done every week for those four weeks. Then by the end of the fifth day, the battery is done and that’s what the kit is for that’s shown at the end. I have a small flashlight and tweezers to take it off as well as a biohazard bag since it does have the little needles at the end of the electrodes. They also send me with extra tape and sticky pads in case it becomes unstuck to Mylin’s skin. I can reapply it.

IB Stim is a non-surgical, non-invasive pain treatment specifically for abdominal pain. FDA approved for children 8 to 18. The device has four little electrode tentacles that are attached at various places around the ear to directly target and release electric pulses to the brain pathways dealing with pain. Sometimes when a person has chronic pain, the brain likes to guess what’s coming next and so when it starts to feel pain, it can ramp pain up higher than it needs to be, so this helps to reset that nervous system and reduce even take away pain. (Think of it like your pain can be stuck on high or even beyond button is just stuck on and this helps it to re-regulate.)