HIDA Scan Vomit during and after Numbers normal

[Itsverypersonal]

I've been throwing up after meals for a year; have RUQ pain; and sometimes my right side around my gallbladder pokes out and is warm if I eat too much.  I recently had an ultrasound (no gallstones) and a HIDA scan.  During the CCK part of the test, my gallbladder did not really diminish - it stayed full. I had all symptoms through the CCK section - nausea; belching; cramping; pain.  Also, about halfway through I violently vomited yellow bile all over myself.  The tech said that between the two of us, with a reaction like that to the CCK and that it was still full on the screen, it would be abnormal and to call my doc on Monday.  I changed into a clean gown and while we were walking out, the tech said that she started running the numbers and it looked like I was emptying normal.  "How is that possible when (1) I threw up everywhere and (2) it's full on the screen."  Tech said she and her colleague were confused and they took extra pics and were trying to do the calculation manually.  I told her that odds are if it comes up "normal" despite what happened, my docs wouldn't do anything.

On the way home, I violently threw up an enormous amount of brown (with a little green) liquid.  I'm back to hurting again and feeling nauseous.  If, despite what we saw on the screen and the horrible reaction I had to the CCK, the numbers come back "normal" what can I do?  What other explaination could there be??  What's up with the brown vomit?  

Time  is running out for me to get this fixed as I'm a teacher.  If we can't find the problem again this time, I'll have to wait until next summer and spend the next year vomiting just about every day.  Thanks

[JohnnieVeronica]

I am going through the same issues.  I have been to the emergency room twice, my primary care physician once.  I have had blood work, a sonogram and a HIDA scan.  During my HIDA scan I felt like I was going to throw up and had extreme heart burn and pain.  The tech said this isn't from the medicine or anything.  This was during the 1st part. During the 2nd part I was propped up a little more and did not have that problem but extreme pain in my intestine and a lot of gas.  I constantly burp, have a feeling of pressure and fullness.  I have a follow up with my GI doctor on Friday, which is 8 days after the HIDA scan.  The blood work shows normal levels for gallbladder, pancreas, and liver.  I am tired of being told that it may be my gallbladder but every thing looks normal.  If this shows normal levels he is going to want to do and endoscope.  I am so frustrated,

[Itsverypersonal]

Yup....houston of all places - medical ground zero...lol.  Thought I'd hear from them today and got nada.  Called and they had already gone home for the day.  Will keep trying - this hurts.

[Cdngal]

Yes time for a second opinion for sure, are you located in the States?

[Itsverypersonal]

I agree with you Cd....I'm with a GI doc and they're the ones going "ummmm everything's fine."  Perhaps it's time for a second opinion...lol  Yesterday was just the icing on the cake, though

[Itsverypersonal]

Okay....PS.....(AND IF YOU'RE AT ALL SQUEAMISH, STOP READING - LOL).  Here's the kicker.....yes, I threw up *during* the CCK but when I got in the car to drive home....I threw up *half a grocery store bag* of dark green\brown stuff.  When I called to tell the doc on call about that, he said *that* was just acid reflux.  *Half a grocery bag* with the CCK....but the numbers look *just fine.*  

[Cdngal]

Your body wont allow you to go on for another year..I was sick for 7 months and took a huge toll on my body.  If you do have the surgery... you will only be off work for one week as long as all goes well, and will be so worth it for you, vomiting can cause other issues and damage to other organs so best not to wait... I would immediate ask your doctor for a referral to a GI doctor and if you have already seen one ask to see another ASAP.

[Itsverypersonal]

*THANKS* everyone for the comments and input.  It's really good to hear that someone's been there too.  It's just so bloody frustrating when they keep saying "eh, numbers\tests look just fine."  Meanwhile....  It's greasy food that does it (and sometimes the quantity),  Laughs...for grins I called up the doc on call to let them know what happened during *and after* the CCK.  He said it was just acid reflux and to take some over the counter meds.  Yeeeeaaah.  I honestly think if the HIDA numbers come back fine, the docs won't do a thing.  I'm also a teacher and a single mom of a special needs kid. So....I'll have to wait until next Summer to figure this out if we don't get it this time.  Yay...throwing up for another year.  Thanks, everyone!

[Cdngal]

Reta you sound exactly like what i went through... was terrible, an sorry you dealt with it for so long... Im just waiting for my year to be up as i do get pains in my lower right side quite often (took me to ER 4 mths ago they thought appendix) ended up not being they now say IBS (of course when they dont know what it is) my GI and surgeon both told me  a year til my body settles completely because how long i was sick... glad you are doing better!  I agree with you "itsverypersonal should get a 2nd opinion, or even a third if need be.

[Reruho]

I have to agree that it sounds like biliary dyskinesia, sometimes called a low functioning GB.

I suffered with this for 20 years before I found a GI that did the one test, HIDA scan, that would give us the answer. The Hida scan was not around when my symptoms started. I was told it was IBS and just learn to live with it. I was given Bentyl to help with the spasms. I got sick during the Hida scan but did not vomit. I had mine removed last year, 2 years after the scan. I got a copy of the biopsy report and it said my GB showed signs of chronic infection (scarring).

Biliary dyskinesia is difficult to diagnose because it mimics a gallstone attack, but all your labs, ultrasounds and the other tests will be normal. My only abnormal labs was a slightly elevated Alkaline Phosphate, which is normal in GB issues but at higher levels than I had.

An ejection fraction of 38% is just barely normal. A normally functioning GB will be in the 50-75% range. And considering your reaction to the CCK, I would go for a second opinion.

Have you figured out any other triggers for your pain? I ate an apple once was in misery for hours. I found out that pectin causes the GB it contract.  Most food did not bother me until the last year. Stress was another thing that could trigger the muscle spasms/cramping.

The last year I suffered from a cramping type of pain under my right breast and a tightness along the diaphragm. I had the referred back pain up around my shoulder blade that started like I had been poked with a sharp stick, progressed to a knife, then a machete and lastly it felt like a piece of molten rock burning a hole through my back. And the back pain became constant, which made wearing a bra and sleeping difficult. I am a chronic pain patient so I was already taking pain medication on a daily basis. I imagine I would have rated my pain much higher. I took a vicodin each night so I could sleep.

Reta

[Cdngal]

Hi there,  I had the same problem, I had no stones was sick and would throw up for 7 months, was in alot of pain and they couldnt figure it out, during the HIDA scan my gallbladder stayed full for over 2 hrs longer then a normal gallbladder, I had bad pain, nausea and was the brinks of vomiting, (they thought i had a blockage) eventually ended up emptying and came out as a normal percentage, its called biliary dyskinesia... but because it was so slow that was what caused me all my symptoms...My surgeon sent me a 2nd GI to make sure thats what it was, she was sure the first step was gallbladder removal, I had mine out Jan 2011 and all the symptoms went away after i was healed from surgery... after my surgery my surgeon told me my gallbladder was inflamed and scarred (this showed on no scans) they did say it can be very tricky to diagnose gallbladder when there is no stones as it can mimic others GI issues)  Good Luck I hope you too find whats causing you to feel sick, trust me i know your exact pain.  Its frustrating.