Re: Gallbladder adhesion/stone problems, possible?
From: Debbie (tigger6040@aol.com)
Sun Feb 20 13:06:06 2005
Hi Lisa,
Sorry to hear your struggles continue.
I can relate.
I've had the same sort of trouble you've
described. I've got a long history with
endometriosis and adenomyosis stretching
over the past 20 years. I've had numerous
surgeries for the endo and adenomyosis
including hysterectomy, oopherectomy & bowel
resections to name a few.
Obviously I've also had a history of
adhesions and have had to deal with them
also but don't have them as severe as many
here do. I count my blessings for that.
I had right upper quadrant pain for years
and years and years. Doctors were giving
me the runaround most of that time sending
me back and forth between my PCP, a GI
specialist, my gyn etc. I'm sure you know
the drill. Eventually my gallbladder was
removed in Nov. 1999. Pathology showed acalculus
cholecystitis and chronic cholecystitis. In a
nutshell it meant I had a chronically inflammed
gallbladder with the absence of stones. Removing
my gallbladder seemed to bring relief but it
only lasted for a very short few months before
there was pain again.
Over the past 4 years I've been to doctor after
doctor chasing this RUQ pain. Like yours, my
pain is directly beneath my right ribs and wraps
around my back. At a laparoscopic surgery I had
in January 2003 I had the doc check out the area
to try and see what the problem was. The op
report states "the area above the liver was
inspected. There was an area of attachment to
the posterior aspect of the diaphragm. This
area had a vascular appearance and concern for
the hepatic vein in this area resulted in a decision
not to remove this area." I guess that's saying
there are adhesions there. I haven't been able
to figure out if it's my liver attached to my
diaphragm by adhesions or what. All I know is
I have pain. I do have a video tape from the
surgery and I think I'll take it to get a
second opinion.
I've been seeing a GI specialist about this
for several months. He's a new doctor for me
but highly recognized in our area for his expertise.
He recently left a 14 year professorship at Stanford
University Medical Center to enter into private
practice. He suggested the possibiilty that I had
Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome which apparently is
not unusual. One test he recommended was ERCP with
possible sphincterotomy.
I had the test done a week ago and the sphincterotomy
was performed.
Apparently after gallbladder removal there can be
stenosis and scarring which narrows the sphincter
of oddi or other branches in the biliary tree. When
this happens it can result in pain that mimicks gall
bladder attacks because bile is not allowed to
properly drain. Unfortunately for me the procedure
didn't relieve my pain. What it did do was relieve
pressure that I've felt in the RUQ. I'm going back
to the GI doc next Tuesday to see where I go from here.
Knowing endo like I do I'd have to say that there's
a good chance endo is still causing you some of your
pain. The right upper quadrant pain can be many
things as I'm finding out.
I just wanted you to know you are not alone in this.
If you ever want to correspond with me privately, feel
free to do so. My e-mail address is
Tigger 6040 @ aol.com (remove all spaces)
Best wishes,
Debbie
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