Bile Duct Stricture

[beebug]

I have a sever bile duct stricture confirmed on by an ERCp on Aug. 16th.  The doctor put me on Donnatal which I take 3 times a day because he was not able to inject dye into the bile duct to see what was going on.  I am still in pain.  If this medicine is doing nothing to relax the bile duct, what is the next option? Please help!

[SICK OF BEING IN PAIN]

Hi  My experiecne with this, I had severe upper abdominal pain for over 6 mos, also had by gallbladder out 2 yrs ago, I had 1 ERCP which they found a stricture, never really helped pain, then I had schinter of odd procedure where they measure pressure in duct and look for blockages, they found such a tight stricture couldn't get pressure reading, put stents in for 1 week , meanwhile I the 20%  got pancreatitis after surg was inpt on npo for 4 days, when healed from that still had same pain, then had Lap which they found adhesions from gb surg 2 yrs ago, still had same pain, Gastro wants to repeat ERCP to check if the duct closed, since it never helped the first 2 times, no way am i doing it again.

[JaimeK]

Hello!
  I had the same exact procedure as you (cutting pancreatic and bile duct).  I'm just curious if it completely cured you or do you still have symptoms?   I had my ERCP's in May and I felt great for about a month.  However, now I have symptoms if I eat anything fatty at all and it almost seems worse now than when it was before the procedure.  I had a stent placed for 2 weeks  and now, the only thing I can think of is that the scar tissue actually healed over the duct(s) which would keep the digestive enzymes getting through.   Anyway, I'm just curious if you're cured!  
Thanks!
Jaime

[beebug]

Well, my doctors are disagreeing on what is wrong with me.  One thinks I have scar tissue in my bile duct and the other thinks  I have gallbladder stump syndrome.  Now I don't know what to do.  Has anyone out there had gallbladder stump syndrome? If so, I would like to hear from you.

Wools, glad to hear your son is doing so good!

[Wools]

My son, age 24 suffered from PSC which narrows all the bile ducts in the liver. He also had a dominant stricture at the base of the liver. After a severe case of pancreatitus from the ERCP, a stent was placed through the stricture.  This stent was accessed from just below the rib cage. This was preferred due to the previous pancreatitus created from the ERCP. The stent allowed the bile to drain internally. He was also put on actigal to help thin the bile so it could drain easier.  The stent was left in for 6 months. The PSC had damaged his liver so badly that he was put on a list for a new liver.  The stent required many trips to the radiology department because it would get clogged and need new tubing. This is very common for patients with PSC.  The stent needed to be flushed 3 times a day with
saline. The stent was a lifesaver......He received a new liver one year ago and is feeling wonderful and back in college.

[TazLady]

Yes, I had my GB removed 2 years before having any of this other work done.  It is not known whether I had pancreatitis before I had my GB removed or after having the GB removed.  Meaning that the possible removal of my GB (and the screw up in the operating room while performing it) may have caused my Chronic Pancreatitis.

Good luck to you,
TazLady

[beebug]

Thanks for your comments.  I have done enough research on this to know that this shouldn't go on.  My return appt. isn't until Sept. 9th, but I am calling the doctor's office tomorrow to let them know how much pain I have been in today. Di you have your gall bladder out prior to these problems?  It seems that this may be a complication of cholecystectomy.

[TazLady]

Hi,

I have been where you are now.  What they did to me was do several ERCP's spaced several weeks apart.  The surgeon cut my duct and cleaned it out and finally was able to place a stent.  My surgeon only leaves a stent in for 2 weeks, but I have heard that it can be left in longer.  I have had my oddi sphincter cut too as it was too tight and also my pancreatic duct cut.

There is a way to do this no matter how tight the stricture is.  What he gave you is to try to relax the duct so he can get in there.  When do you go back and see him next?  And did he tell you that if this is left for to long, the complication of a pancreatic attack can occur?  Beleive me when I tell you that you DO NOT WANT this to happen.

TazLady

[beebug]

Thanks Wilson. But would it be impossible to place a stent if the bile duct is so very tight?  I am sure that is the source of my pain.  The Donnatal I am on is a antispasmodic with phenabarbitol.  My pain is getting worse instead of better.

[Wilson]

Sometimes during an ERCP if they find a stricture they'll place a stent in the duct to allow the bile to flow again. That might be the next step for you.