HEARTBURN AND TROUBLE SWALLOWING

[mr.lucky66]

IA few of us are still having problems that were thought eo be GB disease. The surgeon I saw yesterday didn't think removing my GB would help me and could make me worse. That is he didn't rule out GB problems but didn't think it would help. I seen from recent posts, some who have had the surgery and were worse. Some one on a previous post mentioned promlems related to GB, trouble swallowing and heartburn. My girlfriend thinks I have problems swallowing (post mastication) when I done a meal and what my esopgegas or throat does. Can this have any relationship to my symtoms. R. mid side pain at 3 am that can spread to the chest? thanks

[mr.lucky66]

Thanks so much. "underlying spasms in the biliary", I will check into it more. I don't regulary take narcotics only those times when this pain in my right side starts killing me at 4am and then only for a day or 2. I have good cholesterol (140's) but do have gall stones showing. The surgeon said he didn't think taking out my GB would help and maybe make it worse. He didn't think my symptoms matched classic GB symtoms, ie. where the pain originates. It seems like the search for an answer may be getting me some good info. that may lead me to an answer to these horrid attacks that have plauged me at least 7-9 times in the last year . They have put me in the ER 7 of those times and I've been treated 2 0r 3 times as a heart attack patient which didn't prove anyting except I have a good heart. thanks so much .

[CalGal]

oops, hit the wrong button.............as I was saying, the pain you're experiencing could reflect and underlying biliary spasm instead of direct GB problems. I don't know if you're takiing meds - PPIs - for what you described as heartburn, but some people find that that PPIs can effect the functioning of their GBs, causing problems that can seem like GB problems. If you are taking PPIs and have been on the awhile, you might want to talk to your doc about a possible GB/PPI tie-in.

Have you been following a low-fat diet? That can sometimes be of help.

[CalGal]

I noted you said elsewhere that you took narcotics for pain. If you are having 'underlying' spasms in the biliary system, and not true problems with your gallbladder, taking narcotic pain relievers is contraindicated. Many raise the pressure at the sphincter and within the biliary leading to more pain. Yes, the pain may be dulled for awhile because of the action at the central nervous system, but when the pain relievers wear off you may be in worse shape than you were before.

Have you discussed the possibility with your doc that you may be having biliary spasms? I'm asking assuming that you've had an ultrasound that did not show the presence of any stones/sludge/inflammation or wall thickening, and that you don't have high cholesterol problems that might indicate that even if they can't 'see' sludge, it might be there because of your cholesterol numbers.

Right sided pain that spreads to the back and chest is typically indicative of gallbladder problems, but it could also reflect underlying biliary

[HoneyBunches1]

My sister has GERD, and her only symptom was a feeling of a lump in the back of her throat.