Unknown Stomach Problem

[PeriF]

I have had a reoccurring stomach problem for the past 7 years. Once a year I get sick where I cant stop throwing it up. It only lasts about 8-10 hours but I have to go to the ER each time where they treat it with pain killers and anti-nausea medicine. In 2008, I suffered my worst yet, it took 6 consecutive trips to the ER and they diagnosed me with pancreatitis. Upon visiting my gastro doctor he believed it was a stone from my gall bladder moving into my bile duct that was causing me to get sick once a year and the 2008 incident was the gall stone passing.

My gall bladder was removed. The bile duct then leaked and I had a drain and a stent inserted. The stent was removed in 2008. I have been scoped (upper GI) numerous times including ERCP and an ultrasound on my pancreas (no cancer). When they removed my gall bladder they said there was some scarring on it and a decent amount of "sludge." After my gall bladder was removed I went 2 years without having the vomiting episodes. However, once and a while I would wake up in the morning with an intense pain in my upper abdoment (soloplex region) as if I had just been punched there or had the wind knocked out of me, but it would subside in 10-30 minutes. Last thursday, I had the vomiting episode again and had to go to the ER. While there the pain was so intense in my upper abdomen (soloplex region) it felt like I couldnt breathe but my oxygen levels were normal. Please any advice would be highly appreciated.

[PeriF]

I met with a gastro doc and he suggested it was sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, does this seem to match the symptoms I have described?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

When there is sludge or stones in the gallbladder, removal is sometimes curative of symptoms of abdominal pain and nausea & vomiting.  If the reason is due to a blockage of the common bile duct, the gallbladder removal doesn't take care of that since it's higher up from there.  With recurrent right upper quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, evaluation of the common bile duct with ultrasound is reasonable to consider.

Enoch Choi, MD

[PeriF]

I should also note I am a male and only 24 years old