What to think after me Endoscopy.....

[susanrdh]

I had my gallbladder removed 2wks ago but am still having the same abdominal pain and nauseousness as before the surgery.   Last week was just awful for me and I obtained 2 opinions from 2 GI specialists.    One wanted to send me for a repeat HIDA scan as well as an ERCP w/measurements of my sphincter muscle.   I did not know what to do so I sought a 2nd opinion.   That Dr. disgreed w/the first Dr. and did not want to do a repeat HIDA and said the ERCP was very risky in that pancreatitis can result from having the test done.    Yesterday I did have an endoscopy done which showed "marked inflammation" along my stomach I believe.   There was no evidence of any ulcers as was first thought.    Now the pain has subsided and I did tell my Dr. this and he told me I am going in the right direction.    He told me that the pain is probably not GI related but musculoskeletal.    So now I will wait for the biopsy results on Thurs.    I still am very confused.   I have poinpointed a pattern when this severe pain has been happening which is the week prior to my menstrual period.    Could this have any relevance??     I think I will give this some time to see if I do get any more attacks.    Any insight would be appreciated.    Thanks.

[cylet]

In November of 2000 I had my gallbladder removed.  In December I was still having attacks, then went juandice.  My Drs. elected for an ERCP so on January 2, 2001 I had the ERCP done.  20 minutes after the procedure I awoke to a living hell.  I was in so much pain I could not even touch my hair.  They kept telling me it was gas or my reaction to the anestetic.  For 5 hours I laid screaming and coming in and out of consciousness.  They then discovered that the Dr. who preformed the ERCP had ruptured my bowel.  They went in to fix the hole and found that he had also cut my pacreatic or duadenal artery in half so I was hemmorhaging.  Needless to say I spent the next 3 days on life support and the next few weeks in the hospital with tubes sticking out everywhere.  After my release I had a tube and bile bag sticking out of my stomach for 9 months.  Now over a year later I'm still sick, have lost over 70 pounds and my bile duct (because it was injured and now norrowed) it goes into spasms which leave me in pain for weeks at a time and nothing can be done.  I live off of 6 different pills a day just to digest my food and I am a single parent of a six year old boy who has also been affected as much as I have and I am only 25 living a life of a 90 year old.

I can't say that ERCP's don't work but if I could go back to having attacks I would gladly go!  It's painfull but only for a few hours...my 'sickness' is forever.  Try to find different options (non-surgical) first.  Dr's are not god's, they can make mistakes but if we try to fix it with other ways first I'm sure they wont mind.  So if you don't have to have surgery or 'procedures' all the better.  Good Luck!

[susanrdh]

Thank you all for your insights.    I will be letting some time go by before I do anything else.    Hopefully my symptoms will get better w/each day

[Romy]

Hi,

I had gallbladder surgery 5 weeks ago - felt horrible for about 3 weeks (pain, nauseous, horrible taste in mouth) - now I am doing great.  Give it some time!

Good luck and best wishes!
Romy

[Nanny]

It's a catch 22, both doctors opionions have validity.  It could be your sphincter causing this pain, as felt by Dr. # 1, but Dr. # 2 is correct in saying that an ERCP can cause pancreatitis so it is a procedure that involves that risk.  Since the pain is diminishing with time and rest, I would suggest that you wait a week or so to see if there is any improvement before jumping right ahead and having an invasive procedure like an ERCP.  If the symptoms continue or worsen, then you need to look at further tests.  Good luck.
Nanny