Ok so I need some help in making a decision. I am a 28 year old that had 24 hour flu bug and two weeks later developed this terrible pain in my abdomen. I have been diagnosed with pancreatitis. I have had ultrasound, CT scan, HIDA scan, scoped up and down, and MRCP which all showed normal findings other than pancreas. After finally seeing a GI specialist, he thinks that it is possible that I either have a dysfuctionaly sphincter of Odi (which i dont understand since this is my first bout of pancreatitis) or i have a "sludgy" bile system which doesnt show on scans. He gave me the option of either having a ERCP or to just take the gallbladder out. I have heard that the ERCP is quite painfull, but as is having your gallbladder out. I fear a couple things. One that if i do the ERCP that I may still wind up with a surgery to remove gallbladder. But two fearful that it has nothing to do with my gallbladder and taking it out will do nothing for my current pain. Any thoughts about one way or the other?????

Well, as far as I am concerned, having the gb out was not "painful"...uncomfortable but not painful. However, I'd hold off if I were you. I'm not convinced it's your problem.

I had my gallbladder taken out, and two hours later went for a walk. It was uncomfortable, but honestly didn't think it was much worse than having the cramps from the flu or similar...and I felt sooooo much better.

The gallbladder surgery can usually be done by using a newer procedure where they only need to make three very small incisions (the biggest being the width of a quarter). Then they do all the surgery through those. It is pretty fast...about 45 min. and like I said, you heal really fast. They usually say you can return to work within just days.

Hope things go well.
-Vers

I just read back through your post and realized I should add this as well...I wouldn't go through with the gallbladder thing just yet. Your symptoms don't sound like gallbladder. Gallbladder problems are usually a sharp or aching pain under the ribs, more on the right side. Also, you will feel EXTREMELY nauseated after eating fatty or greasy foods, or even vomit. When I was having gallbladder problems, I had to lay down for hours after eating and was frequently throwing up.

I would go back and talk to your doctor again, or ask for a second opinion.

Ok so do either of you, or anyone else for that matter have any recommendations or thoughts as to what might be my problem??? I guess the other piece of information that i didnt put in my first post is I am now 6 weeks post this "24 hour flu bug", yet i continue to have pain in the middle of my abdomen (just below my rib cage) that tracts down the edge of my rib cage on the right side. I have had pancreas enzymes that come down and then go up again. I for sure do not have gall stones, however i do have a polyup but have had it for at least one year with no problem. Apparently this is why they think that i have this sludgy bile, because typically pancreatitis is related to gallbladder problems. All I know is this, it has been extremely hard to get into a specialist and after suffering day in and day out with this pain, I can stand to wait much longer. I know this isnt classical gallbladder pain, but again i dont have gall stones which is typically gallbladders problem. Any thoughts??

You can have gallbladder problems but not have the classic symptoms - believe me because that is my story. My first episode of pain was actually in the middle and moved toward the left. I also had discomfort along the whole rib cage from side to side as well as some "breathlessness". Eventually the left sided pain went away but it was replaced by extreme nausea when I ate fatty meals. After 10 months and many tests, I finally found out it was indeed my gallbladder - had a HIDA scan and the ejection fration was 7.8%. It is coming out in the next two weeks.

I'm not saying this is your problem, but no matter what anyone tells you, you do not have to have the right sided pain under the ribs to have gallbladder problems.

Good luck!

Joy

Thanks for you reply. I think it has become more evident to me in the last few days that I have something with my gallbladder. I have been having a lot of pain on the right side that is worse within a half hour of eating certain foods. Since thankfully I work with doctors I have gotten several opinions and I think I have decided to start with removing my gallbladder and if that doesnt help my pain then i will just have to do the ERCP. I guess at this point, I am not ready to risk pancreatitis again following an ERCP and since removing my gallbladder puts me at less of a risk i will start with that. I meet with a surgeon on friday.

Hi, this is my first time posting, so plez bear with me. My daughter 16yrs has sever pain down the middle of her stomach from just below sternum to just below belly button. Doctors have done CT (no stones), ultrasound, EGD scope found bile in her stomach, then had hydascan done and gallbladder is emptying at 50%, then had an ERCP scope done and found sphincter of oddi dysfunction. They cut the muscle to the valve and opened it back up (pressure was over 200), unfortunately she was one of the 10% to get pancreatitis and was hospitalized for a week. The exact same pain is still there, and just as bad as it was before. Now doctor is telling us to have her gallbladder taken out. We are going for second opinion this thursday. The problem we are having, is that she doesn't have problems going to the bathroom, no diarrhea, but she does feel nauseated alot. The weirdest thing is that when she is up moving around for more than an hour or two, she gets real hot feeling, like she's going to passout, and the pain is unbearable. Then she gets diarrhea, but only right after the "episode" and then it goes back to normal. We haven't seen that foods bother her, and she still has a good appetite. Now here is what I have to say after the long history... the ERCP scope wasn't painful other than a sore throat, but the risk of developing pancreatitis is 10% chance. It's the nuclear dye they inject in the ducts etc. that irritates the pancreas. I wish I could be of more help to you, but I'm just as much at a loss at what to do. I've researched the gallbladder removal and it sounds like the bad after and good after feelings are close to the same. I personally know people that feel 75-100% better after having theirs removed. Good luck with your decision.

mom.. thanks for the reply... After much much discussion and contemplating, I decided to have my gallbladder taken out. THey did what they call a cholangiogram during the surgery to look at my ducts which apparently were all normal. However a week after the surgery I feel crummy again. Nauseated, dont want to eat, pain.....the same symptoms. I just spoke with GI doctor and he said that their could still be this odi dysfunction. So I am going for more blood work to see what my enzymes are doing and will go from there. Very very very frustrating. I think I am going to end up with the ERCP, which is also frustrating but I just need something to make me better. Good luck to you and your daughter.