SOD/sphincterotomy

[JaimeK]

Hello!
  I had a sphincterotomy last May on both gallbladder and pancreatic ducts.  Symptoms went away for about a month but have now returned.  Has anyone gone through a 2nd sphincterotomy and if so, did it work the 2nd time around?  I'm just thinking if it's really worth going through the pancreatitis and bleeding I went through the first time around.  
My Dr. suggested doing it again but I keep thinking why do it if it's not going to work the 2nd time anyway?
Thanks!

[MAVA]

Can you tell me how are OSD symptoms, I think this is going to be my problem. thank you

[lychick]

I had my spinchterotomy in May 2002 and also had pancreatitis. I don't think I will go through with anymore procedures unless I become jaundiced, have an acute pancreatic attack or it is absolutely necessary. I too have had a bad week, only eating starches. I have decided I am going to a pain clinic. Everything I eat causes varying amounts of pain, particulaly large meals.

[Lor]

I am thinking of doing it again. I can't imagine it would be as bad the second time. I'm thinking the second time would just be to go in and re-cut? I'd like to get on with my life and finish my family. Having this might not be such a good idea during a pregnancy. I can't do it until after the new year. There is just too much going on. This week has been an uncomfortable one. I get these every so often - then they go away and I'm fine again. Do you have problems if you eat too much at a meal? I get a stomach ache after, so I've been real careful. I do have problems with the fatty foods.

[JaimeK]

Hello!
  It sounds like we're in the same boat.  I believe mine is scar tissue as well.  The muscle was very thick and I had bleeding from the place of the cut for 3 days after the procedure.  My Dr. placed a stent in the pancreatic duct and left it in for 2 weeks.  It's funny how you said how great you felt following the ERCP.  I just told my Dr. the same thing last week.  So, I'm still debating like you are.  The pancreatitis is something I NEVER want to experience again.  Never in my life have I felt such excrutiating pain.  Then again, I have to figure out if I can deal with the symptoms forever.  I'm on a low-fat diet because it seems that almost every time I try to venture away from the low fat stuff, I have problems.  But, in the month following the procedure, I was eating everything I wanted.
Sooooooo, I think I'm going to hold off for awhile just because my work schedule right now is insane and a pancreatitis attack would keep me away for many days.  As long as my liver enzymes remain normal, I'm just going to try and stick to the low-fat diet and hopefully be OK.  If my liver enzymes go up or if I can't stand the symptoms, I'll probably schedule my ERCP.  
So, do you think you'll do it again?   I just keep thinking to myself if it's really worth it all if it doesn't work the 2nd time anyway.  But, then again, life is full of risks!!
Let me know what you're thinking!
Thanks for writing!
Jaime:)

[Lor]

I believe I have the same thing going on with me. I had my ERCPw/menometry done in April. I did end up with pancreatitis from the procedure. However the results the sphincterotomy gave me were unbelievable. I hadn't felt that good in a year and a half. Sadly in the last couple of months my symptoms have returned. Although, I can honestly say no where near what they were before. I'm struggling with the decision to go through it again. In a way I say yes lets get it fixed now. I think it is just scar tissue that is causing the problem. My other thought is: am I ready to have the pancreatitis again or should I just wait until it gets more severe. I'm wondering if you have to have a sphincterotomy done again - would they just go in and do it or would they read the pressure again? Which really was the cause for the pancreatitis. Is a stent placement an option? I've asked about the actigal and have been told it would not help with the SOD.

[MabelAnn]

I had the sphincterotomy in Feb of 2001, about 6 months later the same pain came back. I had such a bad reaction to the first ERCP, that I was reluctant to have a second one. My Gastroenterologist put me on Actigal and the pain went away. I was taking 2 per day initially, and lowered it myself to one per day because it can have some affect on the Liver. After a few weeks, I slowly began to have symptoms again, so went back to 2 per day. I have been taking it consistently for 1 year now and my blood work is always ok. You might ask your physician about Actigal and see if it is appropriate for you. It is supposed to thin the bile that passes through the duct.

Good luck, let us know how you're doing.