Hi Cathy:
You've got a Gastro doc but he thinks you should have pain for no reason? There's no doubt in my mind that you are in pain. I absolutely believe you. No one goes through this agony and doctor rollercoaster for no reason. Just because they haven't found the answer is no reason to stop looking. Don't let them give up on you and don't give up on yourself. Change family doctors if you have to; see if you can find a specialist in your area for pancreas/ducts/SOD. Look into the EPISOD studies; maybe there's something going on in your area. Do your research on Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD). You've just got to find the right doctor and have the right tests.
Hang in there! Good luck and Godspeed,
Sam
I'll be screaming it from the highest mountain.I might get down but I never give up. hang in
I have a Gastro doc, best in my state, his answer = you're fine, get over it.
Metamucil=GAS. Docs have suggested fiber = as my mom says - I eat more fiber than a farm animal. I'm giddy with vegatables, all, brussels, okra, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.
Meat- mainly chicken.I might have something fried once a week.
I don't have watery - been constipated all my life.
Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome= I have my gall bladder,Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction=I don't know what this is. I've had the ultrasound.
I will ask about the digestive and pancreatic enzymes. I'm game for anything = this morning is really bad. But of course this is the one that said " sometimes you just have pain ".= Top Internist in my area. very depressing. THANK YOU for all your thoughts.
wow,,i get same thing,,,
over the last 10,,,yes 10 years!!....it started once in a blue moon,,,felt kinda like a cramp in my diaphram or something,pain dead center under ribline,,mine would radiate to me back.
i never get sick from it or nothing,and realy cannot limk it to fried or spicey foods,but it over time has gotten to where it comes more often.
i have had everything as far as tests you can imagine,and they cannot seem to find anything out...
ct scan barrium/iodine contrast
blood work
amalyas,lypase..pancreas
liver enzyme
gullbladder
everything checked out good,no calcifications,enlargemets,or anything!!!
im thinking its got to be gastro though,,but cannot link it to anthing.
i do get gerd sometimes...maby it is possible esophigeal spasms????
please keep us posted,and dont forget your not alone ,,,,im in the same boat!!
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 sludge/stones in the CBD, gallbladder/Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction, Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth, pancreatitis, etc. I apologize for the length of this post but I want to help. :)
There are some less invasive tests such as the Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and MRCP-S (Secretin) which can image the 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.
Metamucil or a similar daily fibre product 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 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 also reduce any damage to the pancreas.
A low-fat, high fibre diet can make a big difference. 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. Less than 20% fat per day is a great starting point.
It helps to keep a journal or a blog and your welcome to read my first entry if you want but I write a lot (can you tell). :) Medhelp.org has a free journal on everyone's profile page. It's a great resource and it helps you 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, if you 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.
Search yahoo! groups for "Sphincter", you will find quite a few groups. Both Maddi's and Michele's are worth joining. There is a lot of great information there that might help you.
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