sphincter of oddi dysfuntion

[worriedmom331]

Hello,

I have questions about symptons of sphincter of oddi dysfuntion.  My daughter has been suffering from popping in the upper right and left part of her stomach just under the rib cage.  She has been suffering from this for about a year or so, but in the last 4months or so it has gotten worse.  It sounds like a balloon popping, she also has nausea after anything she eats or drinks, but worse with sugary or fatty foods and also nausea do to the popping. Also just under the left side of her ribcage swells up and causes sharp pain, you can actually see the difference.  She has also all of sudden started loosing weight, and is barely able to keep it up to a 100 lbs.  Sometimes the pain moves to her lower back around where the kidneys are. Sometimes she wakes up and looks yellow, but most of the time she just looks white/pale, she is always tired and her hands and feet go numb.  She has had an ultra sound to check for gallstones, everything came back normal, she has had blood test and stool samples: normal, barium swallow: normal, ct scan: normal.  I feel so bad for her because Doc. can't figure it and wanted to put her on antidepressants, I said no way of course.  But reading symptons from the forum and researching sphicter of oddi dysfunction, sounds like what she may have.  The only symptoms that do not seem to match is the weightloss and stomach popping.  Are these also possible symptons of sphincter of oddi dysfunction. Any help would be great, I am desperate to help her.

[kklcwilson]

I have been suffering from right side pain for several years now.  Had cysts on uterus and ovaries so I had a hysterectomy three years ago.  Still continued to have mid to high upper right quadrant pain, all tests (blood, CT, MRI, HIDA) normal. Finally with a severe attack, they removed my appendix which was inflammed and had scar tissue.  Better for a few months then started having bad right side pain over my gallbladder, just had that removed three months ago  all tests were normal but ended up still having stones and had an internal bleed after surgery.  Pain is unfortunately still occuring but is so bad at night that I can't move and have been to ER three times.  Doctor thinks it is Sphincter of Oddi and I am scheduled to go to a specialist in Seattle in March.  I feel like it is one surgery after another without a clear answer on anything.  I am living on pain meds at night just to get any kind of sleep.  My kids think mom is always sickm which has never been a problem in my life.  I want to get back to being a healthy active mother.  I am so tired of being sick. Any ideas?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

ALthoguh an ultrasound and CT scan are helpful in considering the cause of abdominal pain that's worse after fatty meals, sometimes they can be normal even though there are problems with the gall bladder.  A HIDA scan can show abnormalities that are not disclosed by either of those modalities

Enoch Choi, MD

[xaphoo]

Hello, has your daughter had a smart pill? The smart pill will record many things inside the digestive tract. Also do a little reading on the vagus nerve as many strange  things can happen to the digestive system with this nerve. Many doctors simply over look this. I know what it's like to go to the doctors for years and they can't find the problem. I been to the doctors office 85 times in 6 years and not one time did they tell me I had high blood pressure. I started going blind in one eye before anyone checked. before that they wanted to put me on paxil. I knew something was wrong. High blood pressure can damage the vagus nerve as well as diabetis. If I read about this nerve along time ago I might feel normal now. I know my nerve was damaged from high blood pressure and caused many of the symptoms you desribed.

[pacaplace]

A related discussion, sphincter of oddi dysfuntion was started.

[jayden2]

A related discussion, sphincter of oddi dysfuction was started.

[LIN96]

Hi there, sorry to hear about your issues, but I totally understand where your coming from; although im suffering pain every single day its the pill popping that is getting me down not to mention the cost of the medication. I dont tell me friends how im really feeling any more because it sounds like Im continuoisly unwell.
someone on this site from Perth Australia (this is where I live too) gave me the name of a Hepatologist/gastroenterologist I located his number and will go for a second opinion, as my gstroenterologist is only managing the symptoms of what he thinks is biliary dyskinsesia. his partner who performs the ERCP's refused to do the procedure atm due to the high risk of pancreatitis but there is an alternative an MRCP its like a MRI and non-invasive. My GB was revoved last July after I started having issues but I have to tell you that it now appears to be of my own making by going on a shake diet and lost too much eight in a short time, (not recommended to anyone). Im currently taking a hypertension med but not for HTN but to help the spasm pain in centre of chest end of sternum and ursodeoxycholic acid to help disolve stones or sludge as well as pain meds and anti-acid suppressant therapy meds. Go to the specialist but its quite amazing how different specialist can differ so google all you can about 'Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction' and go armed with questions to cover all your options. Im now too scared and emabaressed to go back to the casuality dept because they dont do anything except admit and control the pain, and refer me back to my specialist, its depressing isnt it???  keep positive though and let me know how you get on:-)

[LIN96]

Hi there, my GI specialist thinks I am suffering from Biliary Dyskinesia, but I have already had my GB removed last year, believing this would be the end ro my pain. But no. Yes the pain in the shoulder blades is like a sharp stab, that tends to wake me up very frequently when it flares up.The spasm pain centre chest under ribs is horrendous, worse pain I have ever felt. Then theres the sharp stab RUQ this seems to be intermittant and can frequently felt inbetweeen attacks. My  ALT only elevates when I have the pain and recently an ultra sound  did not find any dilation or stone.  but have been started on ursodeoxycholic acid to try to disolve any stone or sludge in the CBD. Not really happy with current treatment but next OPA with the specialist I will ask for a MRCP as this non-invasive test could diagnosed this dysfunction.


lin

[Reruho]

It sounds like biliary dyskinesia (low functioning gall bladder). The GB looks perfectly normal but will spasm or not empty proper and swell. The swelling causes the pain. Does the backpain feel like a knife stuck in her back? The fact she has turned yellow means her liver is probably involved. I have suffered with this for 23 years. All my labs and ultrasounds were normal or unremarkable. I was told I had IBS. I finally got a GI to do a HIDA scan (measures the function of the GB). Mine was around 15%, anything below 35% is abnormal. I have been able to put off surgery for 2 years. I am trying to get a surgeon to remove mine because it has gotten to be a constant source of pain.

Reta