Gall Bladder Symptoms???

[SlugGB]

Has anyone that has had gallbladder problems experienced anything similiar to what I am going thru? (or does this problem sound like something else?)

For the past 2 yrs I have had pain in the upper rt abd area that has varied from severe to mild.  When the pain is severe I would definately describe it as "an attack".  When the pain is bad I sometimes get pain under the right shoulder blade also and have a general feeling of not being well.  

Two key things I would like to have answered are (in relation to it being a gallbladder problem):
  1.  Whenever I am in the sitting position the pain causes the most discomfort.  Anyone else experience this?
  2.  Any use of alcohol causes the greatest attack.  Has anyone ever had a gallbladder attack due to the use of alcohol?

Other things that cause problems are fatty/fried foods and recently, the use of Vicodin for the pain makes it worse.

I have had 4 ultrasounds, 3 CT scans, HIDA scan, Barium enema, x-rays, endoscopy, numerous blood tests, Barium swallow, and stool analysis.  All have been normal with the exception of the first ultrasound that was done in Oct 2000 - it showed "mild gallbladder wall thickening could represent mild acalculus cholecystitis - correlate with symptoms".  The doctor did not think it was a gallbladder problem and the 3 ultrasounds I have had since have not showed anything abnormal (no stones, no wall thickening).  Any ideas?  Thanks for taking the time to answer.

[f0xy]

Well, let's see, I had my gall bladder out the day after Thanksgiving after being in the ER the weekend prior and released with a diagnosis of Hiatal Hernia.. no diagnostics were done (Seeking something be done for that).  When by monday I was still in extreme pain I saw my reg dr, she looked at my blood which showed liver functions were off, and WBC was elevated (and I was on augmentin for a sinus infection).  Anyway, she sent me immediately to have an ultra sound and found several stones... needless to say, I was checked back into the ER and met with a surgeon.  He sent me for a HIDA scan.  I was not given CCK or a substitute, guess b/c of the visual stones the gb was coming out anyway.  I had complete blockage of the gb.

I checked in Tuesday before thanksgiving and was given Keflex to control the infection until they could get ER time after thanksgiving.  Surgery went off without a hitch done laproscopically.  He found I had a large stone impacted in the duct.

Since surgery I have had little or no pain.  Took only tylenol once out of the hospital.  I do find that dairy products still bother my stomach, but my understanding is that it could be totally unrelated as my father has lactose intollerance.  I find avoiding dairy products (even non-fat ones) work the best for me.

Before this attack, I had had several smaller attacks that I shrugged off as indigestion or dairy cramps.  My dr said that I was probally passing stones with each "attack".  I found that alcohol didn't really affect me, but I am not a big drinker.  I am now on a regular diet, and just avoid dairy foods.

Hope that helps at all, any post surg questions you may have feel free to ask.

:)

[SlugGB]

Thanks for all the outstanding information!!  I have gotten more useful information in the last week I have been on this forum vs the last two yrs in dealing with the doctors.  It helps to know their are others out there battling too.  Let your daughter know she has a crowd out here pulling for her!

I am scheduled for a HIDA scan w/ ejection fraction at the end of January.  Hoping it will show something.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond - I know you have had a busy week.  The information you provided was very helpful.

[gardenmaniac]

First the CCK issue:

My daughter's first HIDA scan was done at Spectrum Health North (formerly Butterworth Hospital) in Grand Rapids. It was October 22. At that time, they did NOT give her CCK, they had her drink Ensure & took photos for an hour after giving her the Ensure. The tech said they had been doing that for about 2 weeks..they felt it was more "natural" & that studies showed the accuracy to be comparable to giving CCK. I was a little leery of this test being done a "new" way..but what can you do? She also had to be given morphine to make the GB visualize. The radiologist said that that alone was consistent with a diagnosis of cholecystitis. the emptying percentage was 32%, with a foot note that the accuracy of this number might be off due to having the morphine. The surgeon we saw said 32% was "on the fence" & with no stones, etc...he wanted to rule out everything else, so he ordered a small bowel follow thru & a 2nd HIDA.

the second test was 6 weeks later, Dec 2, at St Mary's in Grand Rapids. This time the GB filled like clockwork. Then they gave her the CCK, in an IV, & took photos for 30 minutes, while constantly being given the CCK slowly.  she did not have any reactions to either the radiotracer or the CCK other than slight nausea..no GB attack...we pretty much figured that she was better...that the number would be higher...it came back at 8%!!!

Alcohol...yes...alcohol bothered her...(yeah..i know...she is 19 & all that...but she is a college sophomore...do you think I live under a rock??)  Anyway.....yes..a beer , a wine cooler...she felt it....but by this time ....EVERYTHING she injested bothered her...

It has been 4 days since her surgery. so far, so good. She has not eaten anything greasy or much different than before the surgery..the docs & nurses said...take it really easy!!! so, she has had rice, oatmeal, chicken (plain), cooked veggies, bread...one positive sign...the constant nausea is gone.

During the surgery, they also did a Cholangiogram...injected dye into the bile ducts, etc to check for blockage..that was all ok....the surgeon did not see any scar tissue or outward signs of why her GB stopped working...he said that actually he had hope to see something...she goes for her post op checkup on the 9th of Jan...He gave her about 60-70% odds that it would "fix" her....when you don't have stones....something caused your GB to fail...but what??? so..with an 8% ejection fraction..he said it was worth a try...we are hoping and praying for that...

So..sorry this is so long winded...but hope it helps you...

P.S...her blood levels were all normal...

[SlugGB]

Thanks for the info.  That helps alot!!!  The four people that I had personally talked to that had had their gallbladders removed were not bothered by alcohol so I wasn't sure if it could be my g/b.  Thanks so much for sharing your experience!  This may be another piece to the puzzle.

How did you feel after the surgery?  Did it make an immediate improvement?

[AnneB7800]

I am not sure if this helps...I had my gallbladder removed Friday 12/27 because of stones.  My GB was inflamed because of this, which was causing shoulder pain, etc.  I went to a wedding in September, before I realized I had a GB problem.  I had a little too much to drink, and was extremely sick a few hrs later.  Now I was not drunk, just a few glasses of wine.  I very rarely drink.  My doctor told me alcohol, stress, etc. can make the GB act up.  Hope this helps.

[SlugGB]

Thanks for answering!  I have been asking all my doctors the same thing about pancreatitis - they all say no.  I have yet to hear anyone with gallbladder problems say they are bothered by alcohol (if anyone out there is please let me know!).  Everything I read about pancretitis seems to be right on.  

I have had many blood tests done (including repeated amylase/lipase levels, liver function tests, etc) and all have been normal.  The amylase and lipase levels are actually BELOW the normal ranges given.  I have brought this up to my doctors and they say they are only concerned  if the levels are RAISED ABOVE the normal limits.  Why do they have a lower limit then???  They can't answer that for me.  I ask them what would cause such a violent reaction to any alcohol at all  - they all say they can't answer that question.  I believe the answer to my problem lies in determining what is being affected by that.

You mentioned that it is possible to have pancreatitis without elevated enzymes - I have read this also - I believe at this stage it is considered chronic if you do not have elevated enzyme levels.  I have mentioned this to numerous doctors and they say if I had chronic pancreatitis it would show up on one of the 3 CT scans I have had.  After reading some of the other forum comments I am not convinced of that.  

Is your pain in the upper right hand abd. quadrant like mine?  The doctors tell me that the pain from pancreatitis would most likely be on the left side of the abdomen.

It seems both pancreatic and gallbladder problems can be hard to diagnose sometimes.  My efforts continue to center on these two areas as possible causes.  Thanks for your comments.

Also, recently I have started having more nausea with the pain.  I don't know whether this would be g/b related or pancreas related or both.