Pain and grey color skin month after gallbladder surgery

[nani1510]

My 24 year old daughter had gallbladder surgery 4 weeks ago and is still in constant pain.  She is also experiencing episodes of intense pain lasting up to 1 hour so bad that she can't stand up.  The pain is in the area where the gallbladder was and radiates to her back.  She has lost over 20 lbs in the past 2 months and continues to lose.

She is currently taking amoxicillin for suspected strep throat....does not have results but her 10 month old son tested positive for strep.  Other background information....she has been in constant pain with her back and tailbone since giving birth to her son. She has been treated for stomach ulcer and acid reflux for the past 6 years only to find out after upper scope that she has neither....She didn't have gallstones, but HIDA scan showed that her gallbladder was functioning at 10%.  

Just this past week the skin on her stomach has turned a greyish color. Could this be a sign of gangrene.
Does it also sound like she may have a problem with her soft muscles?
Biliary dyskinesia has been mentioned by her dr., also MRCP and ERPC.

[CalGal]

Here is a link to information about SOD: http://hopkins-gi.nts.jhu.edu/pages/latin/templates/index.cfm?pg=disease1&organ=3&disease=12&lang_id=1

However, if her skin color has changed, please call her doc NOW.

[ohiogirl]

One more thing about ERCP - it is nothing to look at lightly, it can be risky and if not done by experienced docs, there is a great risk of getting pancreatitis (there is still a risk even with experienced docs.)

An MRCP is much like an MRI and is harmless, but an ERCP can be risky.  ERCP can be helpful if the doc can do manometry with it which measures the pressures of the Sphinter of Oddi when it contracts.  If the pressure is high, they will perform a sphincterotomy which is where they will cut the SO muscle to try to alleviate the pressure, however this is not always a cure - it comes with risk so please be careful!

[ohiogirl]

Nani - I am not sure about the skin color and tailbone problems, but sometimes after gall bladder surgery people end up with Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction which I believe is what the Biliary Dyskinesia is - it's basically a muscle that attaches to the pancreas from the small intestines that is not functioning properly and is causing a back up of bile in the common bile duct.
Do some searching online for SOD (Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction) and you'll get a lot of information. She can have a blood test to see if her liver and/or pancreas enzymes are elevated and that can be a determining factor of SOD, but there are three types of SOD and two of the three have elevated enzymes, Type III does not.

Good luck with everything - if it ends up being SOD, you'll want to find a hospital with a GI group that specializes in SOD and diseases of the pancreas.

Please, keep us posted!