Pain on right side

Woke up after 2 hours with what seemed like severe gas cramp or like a Charlie horse on my right side from under my rib all the way to pubic bone and from navel around my side. Been having nausea when I eat for over 4 months. Had EGD, CT, and ultrasound, but not showing much. Gallbladder showed no stones, pancreas was enlarged. Everything I read points to gallbladder should I push for HIDA scan?

[Banned1]

Hi Jessie:

I'm really sorry that you are suffering.  I absolutely understand.  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 gallbladder, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction, pancreatitis, etc.

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.

The HIDA Scan will show your gallbladder's ejection fraction rate (EJF).  Anything over 35%  EJF is considered to be working well.  A few other less invasive tests such as the Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and MRCP-S (Secretin) can image the whole thing including pancreas and ductal system.  If you like the GI you are seeing, s/he might be willing to try an EUS or MRCP-S

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

Many people have great success with digestive enzymes and pancreatic enzymes.  This is something you can talk to your 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 with an enlarged pancreas, it might be a great idea.

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

[Banned1]

Hi again, Jessie:

Medicenet.com describes the symptoms of Small Bowel Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO or SBBO) as:

"The symptoms of SIBO include:

*excess gas,
*abdominal bloating and distension,
*diarrhea, and
*abdominal pain.

A small number of patients with SIBO have chronic constipation rather than diarrhea. When the overgrowth is severe and prolonged, the bacteria may interfere with the digestion and/or absorption of food and deficiencies of vitamins and minerals may develop. Weight loss also may occur. Patients with SIBO sometimes also report symptoms that are unrelated to the gastrointestinal tract, symptoms such as body aches or fatigue. The symptoms of SIBO tend to be chronic. A typical patient with SIBO can experience symptoms that fluctuate in intensity over months, years, or even decades before the diagnosis is made."

The full article can be viewed at: http://www.medicinenet.com/small_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowth/article.htm.

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Sam