Hi - I had my gallbladder removed 15 years ago. About 1 week after the surgery I was in such pain and completely miserable that I had to go back to the hospital. Turns out the surgeon let a stone get loose and it was lodged in my bile duct. Great - they removed that via ERCP & then cut my bile duct so that any future stones could just "pass." I was good for about 10 years and then bam I was hit with the pain again as if I still had the gallbladder. I had a fever and was completely miserable. It was back to the hospital. At that time the GI doctor prescribed and antibiotic and bed rest. I felt better for like 6 months and then the pain came on again. I decided I couldn't live like this and went to another GI doc (who happens to be head of the dept at this hospital and came highly recommended).
At this time he told me - I think you have "Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction" So in he goes with an ERCP and manometer reading and sure enough my pancreatic duct had been spasming so that has now been cut.
Well 4 years later the pain is back again. It would come & go sometimes lasting 5 minutes, sometimes lasting much longer. I kept taking Tums to try to make it go away and sometimes it seemed like it helped and sometimes it didn't. I had an MRCP which showed everything as normal and an ERCP which also showed nothing. Great. Then in October, 2010 the pain came on so strong and after 4 hours I decided to go the hospital - I was so miserable. They gave me an iv pain killer which was great and did labs. My liver enzymes were through the roof. The ultrasound & CT scans showed that my bile duct was dilated but didn't show any stones or anything. They determined I had cholangitis and put me on antibiotics (one of which made me sicker so I stopped taking it).
Well just this past week - the pain came back. It was minor at first coming & going in a few minutes but on Wednesday after 30 minutes or so I decided it's time to go back to the ER. I am not happy about this fact - however when dr. did the ERCP this time he found 2 gallstones in my common bile duct. I hate to say it but I'm glad he finally found something - at least now I don't feel like I'm going crazy.
I am afraid to eat now for fear of the pain coming back. I know I have to eat - so I'm trying to eat light and mostly fresh food and low fat/low carb. It's hard with 2 growing boys in the house but I don't think I have many more options.
Doctor did put me on urodiol which we hope will keep my body from creating more stones in the future - of course there are no guarantees.
The most frustrating part is that I didn't really eat that unhealthy to begin with. And that my husband has had about enough of my trips to the hospital, and to be honest I have as well. So I'm praying this new medicine helps - even if I have to be on it long term.
I'm 42 years old and can't imagine living with the fear of the pain hitting at any random time.
People don't understand how the body produces gallstones when you don't have a gallbladder. I've explained it more times than I can count. This is something the doctor's don't tell you when you go to get your gallbladder out - they can come back. It sucks. I feel for anyone with biliary colic seriously.
Now I'm home resting as I have to go back to work tomorrow - I feel wrung out but will somehow manage - as what other choice do I have??
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Hi - I had my gallbladder removed 15 years ago. About 1 week after the surgery I was in such pain and completely miserable that I had to go back to the hospital. Turns out the surgeon let a stone get loose and it was lodged in my bile duct. Great - they removed that via ERCP & then cut my bile duct so that any future stones could just "pass." I was good for about 10 years and then bam I was hit with the pain again as if I still had the gallbladder. I had a fever and was completely miserable. It was back to the hospital. At that time the GI doctor prescribed and antibiotic and bed rest. I felt better for like 6 months and then the pain came on again. I decided I couldn't live like this and went to another GI doc (who happens to be head of the dept at this hospital and came highly recommended).
At this time he told me - I think you have "Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction" So in he goes with an ERCP and manometer reading and sure enough my pancreatic duct had been spasming so that has now been cut.
Well 4 years later the pain is back again. It would come & go sometimes lasting 5 minutes, sometimes lasting much longer. I kept taking Tums to try to make it go away and sometimes it seemed like it helped and sometimes it didn't. I had an MRCP which showed everything as normal and an ERCP which also showed nothing. Great. Then in October, 2010 the pain came on so strong and after 4 hours I decided to go the hospital - I was so miserable. They gave me an iv pain killer which was great and did labs. My liver enzymes were through the roof. The ultrasound & CT scans showed that my bile duct was dilated but didn't show any stones or anything. They determined I had cholangitis and put me on antibiotics (one of which made me sicker so I stopped taking it).
Well just this past week - the pain came back. It was minor at first coming & going in a few minutes but on Wednesday after 30 minutes or so I decided it's time to go back to the ER. I am not happy about this fact - however when dr. did the ERCP this time he found 2 gallstones in my common bile duct. I hate to say it but I'm glad he finally found something - at least now I don't feel like I'm going crazy.
I am afraid to eat now for fear of the pain coming back. I know I have to eat - so I'm trying to eat light and mostly fresh food and low fat/low carb. It's hard with 2 growing boys in the house but I don't think I have many more options.
Doctor did put me on urodiol which we hope will keep my body from creating more stones in the future - of course there are no guarantees.
The most frustrating part is that I didn't really eat that unhealthy to begin with. And that my husband has had about enough of my trips to the hospital, and to be honest I have as well. So I'm praying this new medicine helps - even if I have to be on it long term.
I'm 42 years old and can't imagine living with the fear of the pain hitting at any random time.
People don't understand how the body produces gallstones when you don't have a gallbladder. I've explained it more times than I can count. This is something the doctor's don't tell you when you go to get your gallbladder out - they can come back. It sucks. I feel for anyone with biliary colic seriously.
Now I'm home resting as I have to go back to work tomorrow - I feel wrung out but will somehow manage - as what other choice do I have??
March 13, 2011 - 6:41amThis Comment
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