- Joined
- Jan 11, 2005
- Messages
- 6,394
- Purraise
- 17
Just to update my thread on having been in hospital last week, I went and saw a gastroenterologist this morning who said my symptoms were certainly not typical of reflux at all, and that he felt it was either gallstones, pancreatitis or another dysfunction, which imitates gallbladder disease but without stones. He told me we `wanted' it to be gallstones, because then we could nail the problem and get it sorted. If everything came up clear, then we'd be left scratching our heads.
I was convinced it wasn't - I dunno why - but I've had this pain for a while and nothing ever shows up on any investigations, so I thought we'd end up chasing our tails trying to find out what the problem was.
Anyway, I had an ultrasound this afternoon and there they were - two 1cm gallstones that were mobile, moving around in my gallbladder and occasionally blocking my bile duct, which causes the occasional stab of pain, but the sonographer said the episodes of pain I was having would have been passing smaller stones through the duct.
No wonder it hurt like anything!
I told the doctor I probably just had a low pain tolerance and was being a sook, but I kind of feel vindicated now that I really did have something to cry about, as it were. I also have an inflamed pancreas because of the bile duct blockage.
So, next step will probably be surgery although I'd like to avoid that if possible. Unfortunately with five episodes in three weeks and my strong family history, it'll probably have to come out. But better to know than to keep wondering.
Has anyone else here any experience with this and any tips they can share? I would certainly appreciate any input
I was convinced it wasn't - I dunno why - but I've had this pain for a while and nothing ever shows up on any investigations, so I thought we'd end up chasing our tails trying to find out what the problem was.
Anyway, I had an ultrasound this afternoon and there they were - two 1cm gallstones that were mobile, moving around in my gallbladder and occasionally blocking my bile duct, which causes the occasional stab of pain, but the sonographer said the episodes of pain I was having would have been passing smaller stones through the duct.
No wonder it hurt like anything!
So, next step will probably be surgery although I'd like to avoid that if possible. Unfortunately with five episodes in three weeks and my strong family history, it'll probably have to come out. But better to know than to keep wondering.
Has anyone else here any experience with this and any tips they can share? I would certainly appreciate any input