RUQ pain after gall bladder removal

[Michelle1229]

I had my gallbladder removed in July 2008 and have been in and out of the hospital since. I have a pretty constant pain or discomfort. But, severe what I call 'pain attacks' about 2-3 a month. I have been to a GI doctor and now currently am seeing a pancras doctor who has tried me on several antispasam drugs. I currently take Hyomax which is like a muscle relaxer for organs. It seems to help, but I get extremely dizzy from them but choose to continue to take them because I'd rather be dizzy than experience daily pain. I still have the attacks of pain (which I notice seem to happen a two or two within my period) while on the medication. My quality of life is almost nothing. I can't hardly stay up. Go out an enjoy a drink with my family and friends. I feel like I have to plan my life around my pain. When my pain attacks happen it is a similar feeling to the gallbladder attacks I had before getting it removed. It is very intense in my chest and right side. Also my belly is sunken in where my gallbladder would be since I had it removed-I haven't been able to find anything about that. My GI doctor said he hadn't seen anything like that before. My pancreas doctor would like for me to move forward with an MRCP which is an ERCP with the mammotery (measure the pressure in bile duct) but he has made it clear that I have a very good chance of getting pancreatitis from the procedure. He said I have 5 strikes against me going into it. That from his experience with patients with my same issues do end up with pancreatitis, but that it could be a one time deal for a couple of days, or be in the hospital for sometime with it or even up having pancreatits on an annually basis. I'm just so confused and scared to move forward with not knowing what will be afterwards. From researching I see most people have same or worse issues afterwards. When I have those major attacks my liver tests where in the 400's, but did come back done before I was discharged from the hospital. After I have a major attack I am usually misreable for a couple of days afterwards.Just tired and dizzy, nauseaus. I am a mother of 2 boys and step mother of 2 boys and am very active in there sports and school. I find it hard to stay involved in there lives especially extra curricular activities now. Please leave me any advice if you have any other ideas or suggestions and/or symptoms. Thank you so much for your time.


This discussion is related to What is sphincter of oddi dysfunction and the symptoms?.

[CalGal]

An MRCP is not an ERCP with manometry. It is a completly non-invasive test that visualizes the biliary tract to see if any stones, sludge or abnormailites are present. Most docs would do the MRCP first to see if anything can be seen. Then if nothing is located, or if an obstruction is present and the pain continues, and ERCP with manometry would be the next step.

If your doc does suggest the ERCP with manometry, make sure that the sphincter is ONLY CUT if the pressures exceed 40. Under no circumstances should that muscle be cut, unless they're completely unable to get into the duct - and if that happens it SHOULD mean that the sphincter is so tight that the pressures are raised.

The ERCP does not automatically mean pancreatitis if you are stented afterward - talk to the doc about it. Either that or discuss botox.

[Michelle1229]

I did have that wrong. I have had an MCRP which was an MRI with some dye in the IV and ect...that took about 2 hours to complete. They did not see anything concerning with that except that incidental cyst on my left kidney. Do you happen to know if the pressure is always consistent or does it go in spurts? Are the pain attacks because of the pressure in the duct?
My doctor informed me that I would have a very good chance of getting pancreatitis from the ERCP with manometry.

[Siegeworks]

I to am in your position.  My doc suggested an ERCP but said in my condition that it could be deadly if they can't get the pancretitis stopped so I opted for the medication which he gave me hyomax and netriptoline.  Which only helped for about one week and now my pain and vomitting is coming back.  I to have had a MRCP, catscan, mri, eus, berium swallow, colonoscopy, pipita scan, gastric emptying, had gall bladder removed, all test showed nothing and still I have bad attacks that bring me to my knees.  But most of the time (almost 100%) the attacks come after I have eaten something.  If I don't eat I rarely have an attack.  Hope you have found out something since Feb.