chronic cholecystitis

[jenifer]

I have pain in the area under and below my right rib cage. It also hurts in the back area under the sholder blade tips and radiates downward. I am nauseated and fatigued. This has been going on for approximately 2 months. The only meds I take is 12.5 mg. of Coumadin nightly for pulmonary emboli (no reason ever found for these after a slew of tests were done, but they happen out of the blue.) Pro-time is 2.3 with Coumadin. All regular bloodwork is normal.
   I recently had a HIDA scan with the following results: There was a somewhat delayed filling of the gallbladder with the radionuclide. At approximately 60 minutes there did appear to be a gallbladder that was visualized, however, it appeared to be somewhat smaller than normally expected.
   When injected with Sincalide, the ejection fraction was a negative percentage that suggested that the gallbladder filled somewhat more after the injection.
  The radiologist recommended a gall bladder ultrasound. My family doctor is ready to schedule surgery. My surgeon wants me to follow a "gallbladder diet" of no fats, etc. for a couple weeks. My diet is actually already high in grains, fruits and vegetables and low in fats.
   Is there a recommended course to follow?

[jimsel]

Your test results basically mean that your gallbladder is not working well.  I just had mine removed on May 8th (no stones) and I still don't feel well at all.  Of course, I got very ill several hours after the surgery and had to be hospitalized for several days.  I had a severe reaction to the anethesia and anti-nausea medication.  Plus, I was vomtining bile for a day.  However, these reactions are not common.  The air they pump up your abdomen with is a real pain.  It takes severals days for that to resolve itself.  For me, I just can't get my digestive system to kick in.  I am having a lot in belching and bloating.  I don't feel like the surgery was worth it at this point.  Although, for some people it can be along time for their body to adjust to not having a gallbladder any longer.  

If you do have the surgery, just be prepared for all the possiblities.

[Patti-Lynn]

Thanks to all for posting comments.  It assisted me a little.  I have been sick for nearly three months with similar symptoms.  Epigastric pain with eating or without, stabbing pain in the middle of my back, nausea, violent vomiting, and a constant pressure in my chest.  I had two ultrasounds which were both normal.  No gallstones or blockages.  I finally had a HIDA scan performed which showed no intake and a something referred to as 7%.  The surgeon suggests a cholecystectomy.  Does anyone know what no intake is, and I am assuming that the 7% means that my gallbladder is functioning at 7%?  By the way, I personally thought that the second portion of the HIDA scan was horrible...made me very ill.  I cannot get in contact with my PCP or my surgeon.  I appreciate any answers.  Thanks.

[rking]

It does sound like we are having similar symptoms....my biggest worry at this point is that having had the front right/back/side pain now since late August 2000 that whatever is going on will cause complications. What puzzles me is how can you be having gallbladder type symptoms without a gallbladder? I've read in a couple of medical books that in rare cases, gallbladder removal doesn't always clear up the cholesisitic pain. Sometimes it returns for whatever reason, without a gallbladder. I'd be very interested to hear what your doctor has to say.

As for my latest update...I'm a little tired. I haven't had a full night's rest since this began, and my wife is expecting any day now...so I guess sleep depravation will be a way of life for me for a while longer, but that's okay.

As far as the prednisone/prevacid treatments are going...  The 30mg per day of prevacid has completely taken care of the acid reflux/and the burning type indigestion pain I was having.  I'm due to move to a 15mg dose in about two weeks.  But the right side pain is still present (almost constantly now, and steadily increasing) I've taken predinsone before for sinus infection/inflammation and it doesn't take a whole lot of that cortecosteriod to get results if you have an inflammatory condition....as of today, I've had 120mg of the stuff in 4 days and I other than being a bit hyper, I could be taking sugar pills.  My sinuses clear and my joints feel great, however!  I really think my side pain is organ related, otherwise it would have noticed a difference with the prednisone by now.  I just need to ride this out a while longer until my wife delivers and things get a bit more settled.  I really don't think that the timing is good for us to both be in the hospital (if that's what it comes to).

I called my doctor again today and told him what was going on, and he wants me to come in again tomorrow.  I think he's as tired of seeing me as I am of seeing him (nothing personal either way) but it's definitely frustrating.

Keep me updated on what's going on with you, and I will let you know as well. Perhaps by sharing information we can both reach a cure soon.

Blessings.

[ShadowLin]

My pain sounds just like yours. For months it was just an ache or heaviness. I would awaken at night and hold my side to turn over. I would notice it 24/7 but more at night. The last two weeks the pain is more pin like and has moved from the front right to the back right. I can put my hand on my lower waist about 3 inches below my waist band of my slacks, and it feel straight through.  I have no gall bladder. The doctors did a pelvic scan and an ultra sound...with all sorts of blood work. The one thing that is worrying me now is that I have been nausiated for 3 days. It stays with me daily and 3 nights ago I woke up and ran to the rest room to throw up.  Before, I would only feel nausiated occasionally and it would pass with a tums.
I know something is wrong and they will schedule a colon test.

The pain right now is in my lower right back and it feels pin like. I can live with it but I am just soooooo aware of it rking.

I hope you find out soon. Let me know how your medicine works. I am back on protonix for acid reflux. I will let you know how it works. My surgeon said that some people wiht pain like mine get better with  these meds.

God Bless you and hang in there.  I know how it feels to want to complain and everyone has heard it for over a year.
Lin

[randi]

I was diagnosed with multiple stones in March.  I am trying to wait until July for surgery.  Does anyone out there have a good feeling for recovery time and also how long the actual surgery took.  I can't stand anesthesia and was trying to avoid surgery by low fat diet and herbs, but I still don't feel so great.  Also, at the time of my diagnosis a small hemangioma was found on my liver.  Does anyone know if that effects the surgery at all.

Thanks

[rking]

No, I haven't been nauseated (as in throwing up) I have had severe bouts of stomach cramping and loose bowels after a high-fat meal from time to time. The pain in my side and back are still there. Like yours, it never truly goes away. The pain is more like a cramping pain. Remember when you were a kid and you'd get leg cramps or "growing pains" as they called them. They were sore, and almost had a sort of deep burning and stiffness accompanied with them in addition to just plain hurting? That's the kind of pain I'm having on the right side through to my back. The pain and stiffness are what wake me up every night. During the day, I go about my normal routine, but it's still sore. I really do think it's my gallbladder, but my doctor isn't convinced that's what it is.  I went ahead and started the prednisone in case it is some kind of inflammatory thing, but I'm not so sure....it's a 10 day regime where you take 4 the first day, 3 for 3 days after, then two, then one for a few days.  I figure it can't hurt to try it, since I'm running out of options here. I will say this....I took 40 mg (which I think is a lot of medicine) yesterday, and other than feeling somewhat hyper because of it, I still had the pain last night. Linda, what are they saying about your pain? What kind of tests did they run? I guess we are both learning why they call it "practicing" medicine. Because it's a process of elimination and second guessing. Let me know how you are doing. God Bless you too.