sphincter of oddi dysfunction

[ttcoffin]

Has anyone had the test to diagnose this? I have read alot about it and it seems risky. Says it can actually cause chronic pain and it can cause pancreatitis. I was wondering if anyone here has ever had it and how it turned out? My husband has had a liver biopsy recently and it turned out just confirming fatty liver. HIs liver enzymes are elevated and I read that could be from the sphincter of oddi dysfunction also. He has had CT scans, scopes, colonoscopy's,upper GI with small bowel follow through. He had his gallblader out almost 4 years ago, felt good for about 2 weeks, and then started getting pain in his upper middle stomach area. Not the same pain as the gallblader pain, and not the same area. He has been diagnosed with chrons disease, low thyroid, fatty liver, barretts esophagus,high cholesterol but they still cannot find the cause of this pain. It always aches but hits hard after eating(about 30 minutes). I have thought for along time,that it was his pancreas but his enzymes came back only one point low.(although this was not doen during an "attack"). Someone on here mentioned the sphincter of oddi dysfunction and it sure seems to macth his symptoms. He is also scheduled for a CT scan of the neck and chest next friday, to check for lymphoma. He has lots of swollen lymph nodes! Please let me know if anyone here has had that test. Thank you........Tanya

[Marge1019]

A related discussion, sphincter of oddi dysfunction. was started.

[janeygirl]

I would just like to say that I am glad I am not alone out here. I had my gallbladder taken out in June 2002. I have been having pain in my upper left side and it sometimes pulsates and radiates into my upper back and shoulder blades. I was in the ER one month ago because I could not take the pain any longer. I have been complaining to my family doctor for months that I am in pain. The doctor is just treating me for depression. Yeah, I am depressed, I am tired of being in pain all the time. I was admitted to the hospital the night that I went to the ER and put on a Morphine PCA pump for pain. A gastro doctor was called in and after doing a MRCP that showed dilation of the bilary duct, they are referring me to a Specialist that does ERCP's and special testing for SOD problems. I have been waiting one month to get into the specialist. I am glad that I am not dying of a heart attack. I have had an upper GI, Hida Scan, Abdominal CT, Chest X-ray, Chest CT, Abdominal Sonogram and now a MRCP done over the last 8 months. I think that it is sad that no one takes people like us serious and that we are hurting all of the time. I am tired of taking medication to try to treat a problem that no one can seem to figure out. I have been in pain for almost one year, and I am sick of just taking pills. I know what each and everyone of you are going through and I can very well relate to the pain that you are all feeling. I will keep you all posted. Janey

[janeygirl]

I would just like to say that I am glad I am not alone out here. I had my gallbladder taken out in June 2002. I have been having pain in my upper left side and it sometimes pulsates and radiates into my upper back and shoulder blades. I was in the ER one month ago because I could not take the pain any longer. I have been complaining to my family doctor for months that I am in pain. The doctor is just treating me for depression. Yeah, I am depressed, I am tired of being in pain all the time. I was admitted to the hospital the night that I went to the ER and put on a Morphine PCA pump for pain. A gastro doctor was called in and after doing a MRCP that showed dilation of the bilary duct, they are referring me to a Specialist that does ERCP's and special testing for SOD problems. I have been waiting one month to get into the specialist. I am glad that I am not dying of a heart attack. I have had an upper GI, Hida Scan, Abdominal CT, Chest X-ray, Chest CT, Abdominal Sonogram and now a MRCP done over the last 8 months. I think that it is sad that no one takes people like us serious and that we are hurting all of the time. I am tired of taking medication to try to treat a problem that no one can seem to figure out. I have been in pain for almost one year, and I am sick of just taking pills. I know what each and everyone of you are going through and I can very well relate to the pain that you are all feeling. I will keep you all posted. Janey

[Lor]

Sure I have heard that, but really what is the alternative? My pain was to the point that I really thought it would kill me at some point. Either by liver problems or taking my own life. I just couldn't imagine living like that the rest of my life, and have it be called normal or IBS. I think if you get a Dr who knows what they are doing. You are much better off. My Dr does this daily - he does nothing else.The only long term effects I walked away with is diarrhea. Which I take questran for and is working great.

[lychick]

I guess you are referring to a GI Dr. My experience with them has not been good. Even my local GI Dr. sent word through my PCP that there was no reason to come back to him because he didn't know what to do for me--the continued pain after the sphincterotomy (CP). I am happy with my PCP and have learned more from him and have had better explanations. As far as alternatives, I understand what you mean. There was a period that I too wondered if I wanted to live like this. I work in an area that deals with the terminally ill so I cannot escape the daily challenges of providing and hoping for a good quality of life. Thanks for your responses.

[lychick]

In the resource manual I like to use it describes CP as falling into 2 patterns. One the person will have persistent midabdominal pain that will vary in intensity. I believe this is the one I have. I have some pain all the time and eating anything causes more pain.

The second pattern is when a person has intermmitent pain like with acute pancreatitis.

I feel extremely fortunate to have a diagnosis made in only 8 months. I can only imagine what some have been through waiting for years and not knowing.

Lor--have you read anywhere (I have) that a spinchterotomy can cause longterm problems with, for lack of a better word, splashback of the partially digested food and juices into the ducts?