Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
Do I have a gallbladder problem?
Answered by
Kevin Pho, MD - Internal Medicine
Kevin, M.D.
Boston - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
 |
Do I have a gallbladder problem?
by catbur, Oct 01, 2003 12:00AM
I'm 33 years old, 125 lbs, have three children (8, 5, 20 months). I don't have any abdominal pain. Feel healthy, normal. However, once or twice a week I get sick to my stomach. I do great all day, it only happens after I go to bed. I usually don't realize I'm going to wake up sick until I wake up, usually 1 to 2 hours after I go to sleep. I wake up with a sick rumbling in my stomach. I go to the bathroom but nothing happens for about 10 to 15 minutes. I just sit there but I get nauseous(I never vomit), I break out in a dripping sweat until a finally use the restroom. One time it happened so quickly that I broke out in hives. The hives went away quickly after I used the restroom and cooled down, also took an antihistamine. As soon as I use the restroom (diarrhea) I feel perfectly fine and sleep like a baby the rest of the night. This has been happening on and off for over a year now. I have been watching what I eat but occasionally it will happen if I'm not careful. I do go a week or two without it happening, then sometimes once or twice a week it will happen. I notice if I eat fatty foods like artichoke dip, pizza, fried chicken is a killer, it happens. It's strange though because sometimes I can eat cheese dip or pizza and it won't happen. If it's from the fatty foods I'm eating, why isn't it happening every time? What could be causing this trouble? I do have bright red blood on my TP occasionally but it's always after I've had to strain a little. I've also had a baby about 20 months ago so I know everyonce in a while I have a hemorrhoid flare-up. I'm mainly concerned about getting sick at night. Any thoughts you have on this problem would be appreciated.
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Pho, MD, Oct 02, 2003 12:00AM
, Oct 02, 2003 12:00AM
There are various possibilities. In any case, I suggest that you undergo some sort of endoscopy.
Blood on the TP is most likely hemorroids in your age group, but this combined with diarrhea and hives (? flushing) can be a sign of some rare diseases.
One that comes to mind would be carcinoid syndrome, which is associated with flushing and watery diarrhea. A test to measure 24-hour urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HIAA) is the most useful test to evaluated for this.
Other thoughts would include fat malabsortpion which can be evaluated by a fecal fat test, or chronic pancreatitis which can be evaluated by a CT scan and pancreatic enzymes.
I would first start with an endoscopy and discuss these other tests with your personal physician.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
Blood on the TP is most likely hemorroids in your age group, but this combined with diarrhea and hives (? flushing) can be a sign of some rare diseases.
One that comes to mind would be carcinoid syndrome, which is associated with flushing and watery diarrhea. A test to measure 24-hour urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HIAA) is the most useful test to evaluated for this.
Other thoughts would include fat malabsortpion which can be evaluated by a fecal fat test, or chronic pancreatitis which can be evaluated by a CT scan and pancreatic enzymes.
I would first start with an endoscopy and discuss these other tests with your personal physician.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
The worst news is that I first had a major attack from this a year ago (when I had insurance, now unemployed since springtime) and I had to call the rescue squad and go to the emergency room (a major attack for me is when the pain puts you on the ground and blacking out). The doctor at the hospital done a chest x-ray of the heart and lungs and told me it was probably just muscle strain and take a couple of aspirins a day!
I've now had to more major attacks in the last month and minor ones since last year. So, I decided to go to the doctor that removed my appendix to check me out. He said I felt tender in the area and had me get an ultrasound of the gall bladder. The tests came back with no stones, but the tech that done the ultrasound said it showed thick walls. The doctor could not figure anything out from the test and told me to take Taggamet, it could be an ulcer, and gave me a phamplet on acid reflex desease, I think, and told me to look over it and see if that is the problem!
Then I decided to go to another doctor, and the doctor looked at the ultrasound and noticed the gall's thick walls and gave me medicine (belladonna/phenobarb) which has been helping me cope with the daily pain and had me get the HIDA scan. I would like to say thanks for Family Urgent Care for their good doctors and staff.
Of course, I've spent about $1000 out of my pocket so far and can't afford surgery (I'm going to try the local health dept. for help), but I'm glad we seem to finally know the problem.
I will keep in touch when I get the surgery done.
Please, listen to the doctors, above, and go see your doctor just to be sure there is nothing serious going on. They gave you lots of other ideas for what may be happening and we'll hope that's the answer. :)
BTW, the cancer WAS stage IV. Gone for 8 years now!!