Mildly Enlarged Spleen but normal blood tests...Please help..Scared..

Hi, I am a 35 yr old woman weighing 273lbs at 5'6" tall. I recently went to the drs due to a chronic dull pain (about 1yr)in my lower right quadrant. My MD palpated abdomen,but didnt find anything abnormally enlarged. She ran a comprehensive blood screen which showed all values as normal.

She then had me go for an abdominal ultrasound which revealed, gall bladder, liver, kidneys and pancreas to be normal in appearance. The only thing noted was a "mildly enlarged spleen". I have been referred to a suregon. I am very scared after reading on the internet about what causes a spleen to enlarge. I have recently had a mild cold, ( about 2 weeks ago) which caused me to have a cold sore, but no fever that I noticed. I also just started taking birth control pills this month (orthocycelen). I do have a heart murmur that I have had for about 10 years. No evidence of mitral disease on repeated ECG's

I am currently having upper right quadrant pain that is mild and seems to come in waves, I am assuming this is an irritated gall bladder, as I have a high fat diet.

Also, I have no other symptoms, other than I tend to bruise some, not a lot, but what I would classify as easier than most. I have always been that way, not just recently.
Please advise if any of you have any idea what this might be..it looks like it will be a week or so before I can get an appointment.. Any ideas as to why I would be referred to a surgeon and not an internist..even though there are both in my area? Im concerned that my dr may have seen a splenic cyst she isnt telling me about.

Thanks for your time!
Beth

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Surgeon has kindly addressed the issue regarding the spleen and I agree with his assessment.

If you are continuing to have right upper quadrant pain despite an unremarkable gall bladder on ultrasound, you may want to inquire about a HIDA scan with CCK stimulation.  This can evaluate the gall bladder function.  If low, it can certainly cause gallstone-like pain.

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.

[surgeon]

I doubt very much that a surgeon would want to do anything about a mildly enlarged spleen without knowing why it was enlarged, or seeing that there was a specific problem caused by it, or causing it. If your liver tests and blood counts are normal, it's very possible the enlargement means nothing. It also matters some how enlarged it really is; the ultrasound may not be the best way to be sure. CT scan may be more accurate, and would get a better look at the surrounding structures as well. So far, from what information you provided, there's no reason to suspect a serious problem. It seems to me that seeing the surgeon is premature, unless there's indeed some info we don't know.

[momtotwinsplus1]

Hi, and thanks for taking the time to comment...I called the dr's office this morning and they said the spleen is 12cm in size and there was no evidence of cysts or lesions. They are referring me to this surgeon who apparantly does a lot of colonoscopies..I guess that means they are worried about the colon now..will it ever end?!
Thanks again!

[surgeon]

I would not consider 12 cm enlargement of any significance

[Empreinte]

I would be very, very careful with what you are doing and
about what you are hearing.
Remember, unfortuantly there are Surgeon's that just love
to operate.
I had my Gall Bladder removed - was told at the time by my
GI Doc (not anymore) that if I wasn't admitted immediately -
from his office that day directly to the hospital and have
an immediate operation that I was surely going to die.  
He told my Husband that my Gallbladder was ready to pop and
that this was sooooooooooooo serious.
Well, they called in a very good surgeon who immediately
DID do the surgery but came back and told us that there was
absolutely nothing wrong with my Gallbladder and what a waste
of an operation.  
I don't know whose films he was looking at, but he said that
surely were not mine.
Get a second, third, fourth, opinion and go somewhere else.
I agree with this Surgeon, here on line.  Listen.
Complications, infections, etc... are enough to scare the hell
out of you - especially, if they occurred and then you found
out that you did not even need the surgery after all.
Some of these Guys are very greedy and money hungry and
could care less if they are putting you in a possible harm's
way when NO ONE should have surgery if not needed.
Don't let them 'scare' you - you aren't dying or anything and
this can wait until YOU are absolutely sure that what is being
told to you is indicated.
Be Smart.
Empreinte

[Empreinte]

Just noticed that your original question was what -
Nov. 15?
What has happened since then?
You didn't have the surgery, did you?  I hope not.                                                                                                        
E back and let us know what occurred with your situation.                                                                                                                              
Empreinte

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