Gallbladder or something else

I have been suffering for over a year of nasuea, with pain in my URQ usually the pain feels like it is directly under my right breast and is an intense pain, and when not intense is a dull ache, I can't sleep at night because the nasuea is so bad, I don't have vomiting. The nasuea has become almost constant and the pain started with weeks between attacks to now almost daily. I can't really tell a difference between what I eat.  I have had an ultra sound that showed nothig and I had HIDA scan and it came back with an infraction rate of 86% my Dr wants me to come in for more tests, because she still suspects gallbladder, but could it really be my gallbladder since the HIDA scan and ultra sound were normal?

[Banned1]

I'm really sorry that you are suffering.  I'm not a doctor and I know next to nothing about this stuff but I'm learning through my own illness.  Your symptoms could be SO many things including gallstones, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction, Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth, pancreatitis, etc.  I apologize for the length of this post but I really want to help you.  I would ask my primary care physician to refer me to a Gastroenterologist.  With nausea and pain so severe, you probably want to get in as soon as possible.

The HIDA is great in indicating whether your gallbladder is functioning well.  At 86%, it sounds like it's ejecting as it should.  Since the ultrasound didn't indicate any stones or blockages, that's a good thing, too.  There are some less invasive tests such as the Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and MRCP-S (Secretin) which can image the whole thing including pancreas and ductal system.  The EUS does require sedation and is similar to an upper endoscopy.  Once you have a Gastroenterologist, they might be willing to try an EUS or MRCP-S to determine what is causing your symptoms.   Right now, EPISOD studies are being conducted in the United States which might be a way to get to the bottom of your symptoms without the cost if you qualify.

Doing your own research can only help.  Check out the "First Principles of Gastroenterology", http://gastroresource.com/GITextbook/en/Default.htm.  I would take special note of the biliary system, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction and pancreatitis.

Are you taking Metamucil or a similar daily fibre product?  This is a great help for MANY people with abdominal pain.   It does not make you go, it makes you regular by adding fibre to the watery stools, making them firm.  

Many people with abdominal pain have great success with digestive enzymes and pancreatic enzymes.  This is something you can talk to your primary Doc about.  I'm told that they won't do any harm so really - unless you have side effects - there's not a downside to trying them.  Your Doc might even have samples.  This is something you can do now and it reduces the amount of work the pancreas has to do which will reduce any damage if damage is occuring to the pancreas.

A low-fat, high fibre diet can make a big difference to people with gallbladder problems.  Eliminating fried foods from your diet and starting with bland foods, you may get to a point where you have no pain.  Then you can add new items to see how you feel.

It helps to keep a journal or a blog and your welcome to read mine if you want but I write a lot (can you tell).  :)  It's a great way to review your situation objectively and identify patterns in your foods, symptoms, medications, bowel habits and pain level.  Hindsight is 20/20 and keeping a log might help you look at things more objectively over the longer term.  Also, when you do go into Emergency, you can say, this has been the pattern...

You are not alone!  Try to stay positive and reach out for support when you need it.  Talk to your Doctor, family, friends, co-workers, church or social service volunteers or anyone you feel safe with.  

I belong to a support group [SODP] that is wonderful.  To find it, search the web for Yahoo! groups.  Once you have the page where you can search the Yahoo! groups, search or "sphincter".  There are about five of them.  Only two of them are really worth joining.  Michele's [Sphincterofoddi_pancreatitis] is by far the best as she is a registered nurse and an uncommonly kind, empathetic and supportive woman.  Maddi's [sphincterofoddi-pancreatitis1] is wonderful, too.  Just put in a request to join and within a day or two, they'll let you know that you've been accepted.  Hopefully, if you join, you'll say "Hi" to me there?

When you do find answers, it would be wonderful if you could let us know the root cause(s) and how you got rid of your pain.  It gives people on this site hope to hear success stories.

Take care of yourself.  Good luck and Godspeed.  All the best,

Sam

[Jessie76]

Your situation sounds very familiar.  I am going to make it a quick reply. I had all the tests (2 ultrasounds, 1 CT, EGD, HIDA, lots of bloodwork) everything was coming back normal although my DR kept suspecting my gallbladder.  The only things showing up were gastritis, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, and my pancreas was enlarged.  Well, long story short, after all these tests with nothing showing anything I saw my urologist thinking one of my kidney stones could be lodged causing some problems (I have kidney stone disease) well, he examined me and listened to my problems and when he pushed on my gallbladder I winced, he sent me to a surgeon saying sometimes the tests don't show...well, the surgeon thought the same and my HIDA was considered low at 31%, so I chose to go ahead with the surgery & had my gallbladder removed.  I am only  4 days past the surgery so I cannot tell you if I am cured, but I will tell you this, my surgeon said my gallbladder was a mess and he couldn't believe it didn't show on the tests. He said it was inflammed and was full of scar tissue.  He was shocked I was not having more problems than I was.  Like I said, I don't know if I am cured or not, but I do know I had all the symptoms but the tests were showing normal and my gallbladder was bad.  The only thing I wish is that I had checked into if I could have had some type of laproscopic surgery to look at the gallbladder before choosing to remove it, but in my case it was coming out either way.

I hope this helps you, I was thinking I was crazy because nothing seemed to be wrong, sometimes we have to rely on what we are feeling and not just what the high dollar tests are showing.

Good luck to you

Jessie

[Banned1]

Hi Jessie:

I'm so glad you had the surgery and are alive to tell about it.  Could you please post next week just to see how you are feeling?

Good luck and Godspeed!

Sam

[wb1976]

Well as a follow up, I went to see my PCP today and she is internal meds and she said that she truely believes that it is my gallbladder, because the HIDA reporduced my pain and naseau, and since I had the HIDA I have had the pain almost constantly and haven't eaten very much in days now. She is sending me to see the surgeon...my appt is Friday so now will see if he wants to do the surgery or more tests or what....

[Banned1]

I'm so glad your doctor's are on it.  I'm sure you'll be feeling wonderful once your gallbladder is removed.  Good luck and Godspeed!

All the best,

Sam

[wb1976]

Well I will give an update....I had surgery 10 days ago and I am so glad I did....I am still in a little pain from the surgery itself, but eating whatever I want with no pain or naseau...I go for my follow up appt in 3 days....