Left Hepatic Duct Narrowing - Worried

[Soccermom]

Hi all, I finally heard from my gastro. Doc today, with I had not.  So much for feeling better. He said that he WANTS me to get an ERCR because my MRI showed a "narrowing of the left Hepatic Duct" has anyone else ever experienced this?  I don't want to do it, I have been feeling good.. any suggestions...
I am pretty shaken by this call, any words of wisdom are welcome. Also, my TIBC? was high and my cholesterol was high still. Thank you.

[seashoretracks]

I'm sorry for this news you got.  I was glad also that you have been feeling better.  Are you talking about an ERCP test or is the ERCR something different?  Also, I'm not familiar with the duct names - is this a duct in the liver?

If you are talking about an ERCP, as I mentioned in an earlier post, my friend did it and said it was not a problem for her.

Please keep us posted and know that we are thinking of you.

[Soccermom]

Hi, Thank you for the response. Sorry, I was a little upset when posted yes it's an ERCP and the duct is in the liver.  
Funny thing is,the pain I am experiencing is in the RUQ and the "narrowing" that showed up is in the "left hepatic duct"???.. One big problem w/me an an ERCP that I just found out is they use Contrast Medium for the test and I am severly allergic to it. I was feeling great before the Dr. called, I think most of my problem is STRESS....

[seashoretracks]

I know that feeling... hang in there

funny how it says it is the left, but your pain is on the right.  If they do an ERCP, what do they plan to do to fix the narrowing?

[Soccermom]

I don't know.  I don't know if a narrowing of a hepatic duct CAN be fixed... what the causes are. Anyone else know.

What I thought was a little insensitive was that my Doctor left the message stating that my MRI was abnormal and he wanted to schedule an ERCP on my voicemail at work... talk about an unproductive day, I felt my entire body start to shake and all the blood rush to my face immediatly.   When I called back, he was not in. I told the nurse that I preferred NOT to have the ERCP and that I had been feeling better (before I got his call).  Good news was a tested Neg. for Hepatitus (hepatitis) but high Cholesterol and High TIBC.

Have not heard back...I am so scared..

[Addie]

I feel your anquish and anxiety.  I also got the same type phone call last week on my recorder.  The CT abdomen showed the hepatic duct to be enlarged.  They scheduled me immediatley for an MRCP and MRI/MRA of the abdomen.  I had all this on Monday and still no word on the results. We are entitled to be fearful of the unknown.  Doctors do not seem to realize this.

Good Luck to you.

[seashoretracks]

I understand you being scared...

I hope you hear from him soon.  I hope there is another contrast material they can use for the ERCP that you can tolerate.  How did you find out you were allergic to it and what happened?

Let me know what he says.

Please know I am thinking of you and praying for you today.

[Soccermom]

Good luck let me know the outcome. What symptoms are you experiencing? (if any). Wonder what the difference is between "enlarged" and "narrowing" medical terminology is awful.  They just expect us to KNOW what they are talking about and then they tell us "don't worry" yea right....

[Soccermom]

I don't, I don't want the ERCP. During my first appointment with the doctor his exact words to me were "it's probably SOD,the treatment is ERCP but I would not recommend this procedure because of the possibility of complications"

That gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling... I want to be around when my 11 year old daughter has her own children so I can sit back and laugh!!  It's hard not to act upset around her and I am a single mom so I have no one to really "vent" to who understands but this forum....

I found out that I was allergic to IV Contrast when I had a IVP 3 years ago. As soon as they injected the contrast into the IV my sinuses clogged up, and then I started wheezing and coughing. I never so so many people rush into a room in my life.. Now everytime I go to the hospital they put a big red band on my arm "ALLERGY TO IV CONTRAST".  I will take all the prayers I can get! thank you..

[seashoretracks]

I will pray for you.  Let us know when the ERCP is scheduled.  I may not be online from this afternoon until Monday.

I am wondering.  (This is a general question, not about you specifically) If doctors think the ERCP is so risky, then why don't they just do laproscropic surgery instead?  I realize that surgery should be taken seriously, but I wonder if they go in that way to look and fix ducts, then will it also have the same risk of pancreatitis?  I tried to post this question to the board, but it said it had reached the limit of questions.  I'm not ready to rush into surgery, but I think I will ask my Dr. that question.  I'm wondering if the dye is the problem, and it doesn't matter if you do it the ERCP way or in surgery.

Also, I went to Borland-groover.com and it looks like they have a way to help reduce the risk of the ERCP.  Don't know if anyone else is doing this or not.  lor probably knows more about that.  I think the regular ERCP is not as risky as the ERCP with manometry.  That web site has very useful information.

I hope you can find someone to talk with, it's hard coping with this by yourself.  I know, I have been pretty stressed about all this.  First the gallbladder thing last fall and now all this in the spring.  It's so disappointing when you hear how everyone is fine once their gallbladder is out, then you have the surgery and have problems.  Even though I know the gallbladder needed to come out and I'm glad that part is overwith.

[Addie]

My symptoms are right upper quadrant pain that radiates in the upper back.  It is not a sharp keel over type pain but an annoying pain with at times burning feeling also.  This pain also can radiate to the middle upper abdomen.  I belch all the time and at times, I feel nauseated.

Years ago, I did have an ERCP but must of had the simpler one as I suffered no ill effects.  I just remember what a Gastro doc said to me last year, "I quit doing ERCP's because my patients were coming down with pancreatitis".  Now, I do not know if this gastro doc was doing something wrong or if they only do the ERCP with Mammonetry (sp) and not the simpler one.  I did not ask as I
was not feeling bad like I am now.  This doc only mentioned this to me last year as I told him I had an ERCP done years ago.

Reading up on ERCP's etc. etc and MRCP's etc. etc. I feel both of these usages depends on the patient's history and symptoms.

If my MRCP/MRI/MRA comes back questionable as it did on the recent CT scan, I will ask if I can have the option of a microscopic laproscope. I will also question about the different kinds of ERCP's.  

I do know that I do have a Sphincture of Oddi problem that I have been living with for years....but now I have added symptoms.

Since, I did not receive any results as of yet, I must now wait until my appointment with this gastro doc next friday as this doc is attending a medical convention and a few days of vacation.  Hubby will go with me.  

We all have to hang in there and wish for the best for all of us.

[aniee1]

Please write to me Soccermom. I am having the same exact symptoms as you do. The doctors in my home town can't figure all this out so they are sending me to Emory University in Atlanta. One doctor thinks it's SOD and my gastro just dismissed it as IBS. I cannot digest any food with fat in it anymore. I bloat severely and the pain is constant in my right quandrant below my rib cage and the pain radiates to the back. Last month I went to ER , severely vomiting and they did nothing except give me two shots for pain and one for nausea. Two weeks ago I woke from a sound sleep with severe spasms in the location of the common bile duct. It was so severe that the two toes on my right foot curled down and they are still numb.  All my tests so far have been negative.....blood work, ct scan , ultrasound.My gallbladder was removed years ago. I don't think the doctor believe me. I should go in there after I eat a couple of slices of pizza , doubled over in pain and see if they believe me when my belly looks 9 months pregnant!  I am so frustrated.......It's bad enough not being able to eat and always in pain but to be looked at by the docs as though you're a nut case......is too much for me right now. I'm also having sugar drops and night sweats. My fasting sugar was 134 and when my sugar drops it goes to the low 40's. I asked my gastro yesterday about this and he said "Oh well, I guess that is just the way your body is"! Can you believe this. And I asked for help with my diet. And he said "oh, just eat anything you want, it won't matter"  Then I asked to be referred to a doctor that can help me and had some knowledge of SOD, since he didn't seem to know what I was talking about.  Please write me at ma_at_beach***@****

[Addie]

I too had my gallbladder out many years ago.  I also bloat like I am 9 months pregnant.

I thought it was my lungs last month and the pulmonologist tapped on the swollen belly and said I was full of air/gas.  Gads, it sounded like someone was beating on a drum.

Still waiting for my results of the MRCP.