I am at a crossroads: looking for advice.

I posted before—that during a colonoscopy I had jumped during the procedure; after I awoke I had “stabbing” LUQ pain in the spring of 2010. The gastroenterologist recommended I see a surgeon; the surgeon ordered a HIDA+CCK scan in the summer of 2010. This scan showed a 22% ejection fraction rate; however, the technician injected the full amount of the solution in < 30 seconds. After the scan I had extreme burning and pain in the RUQ (assuming the gallbladder) for 3-4 weeks.

The burning subsided but now I have pain if I bend over to tie my shoes or I “move” the wrong way; even lying on my right side in bed at a certain angle causes pain, forcing me to switch positions. Follow-up included a second HIDA+CCK scan with a different lab technician who noted the injection process should occur over a 2 minute period, which is what the technician did. The second scan showed 56% ejection fraction rate and no pain at all. I’ve also had X-RAY, MRCP, CT, VQ/LUNG, Ultrasound scans and lots of blood work done, all unremarkable.

Ready to give up, I requested a diagnostic laparoscopy; the surgeon found an adhesion in the LUQ between the splenic flexure and the lateral abdominal wall and this is what was causing the “stabbing” LUQ pain.

During the laparoscopy, the RUQ was unremarkable. I still have lingering LUQ pain but its only 10-20% of what it used to be before the adhesion was removed. The RUQ pain continues to be painful every day. Any type of movement in which the abdomen is involved such as tying my shoes or walking, I can feel the pain start to get worse. If I sit the wrong way in a chair (leaning to the right), the pain increases.

Given that the diagnostic laparoscopy of the RUQ was unremarkable and the second HIDA+CCK scan was 56% (normal) the only other safe thing to check for was the biliary tree by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) that too was unremarkable. The only thing left is an ERCP with manometry to check the pressure of the sphincter of oddi (SOD) and I’ve heard it has a high complication rate and every gastroenterologist I have seen would not even offer it as an option.

I have tried many different medications, I’ve tried changing my diet, I’ve tried different exercises and nothing seems to fix the problem. It is almost if during the first HIDA+CCK injection caused the gallbladder to become inflamed and since then it has never resolved itself.

I’ve submitted my case to Mayo Clinic in 2010 but they rejected my case. Later, my primary doctor suggested I try again in 2011, I submitted again following his advice and again, my case was rejected.

So now I really only see two options:
1. Do nothing and live with constant RUQ pain every day for the rest of my life.
a. Having constant pain really changes how one lives his/her life and also impacts the overall quality of life.
2. Get the gallbladder removed and see if that “fixes” the problem.
a. Risks:
i. As people have posted on the forums, sometimes things go wrong and they are worse off than they were before they had the gallbladder removed.

If you were in my position, what would you do?

Alveolar21

 

Welcome to Healing Well Chronic Pain Forum I am not sure how much help we can be at resolving your problem but we can listen to you and share in your frustrations, and sometime just knowing your not alone in having chronic pain can be of help! I do think you have come to the right place, because here you will get kind, caring, compassionate help!  People here really do care, and will,... if nothing else give you all the support they can.

 

You know I have read and reread your post, and I am wondering, if what is causing your pain and discomfort could be something else, and not just your stomach or internal organs??. You said in your post: ("I have pain if I bend over to tie my shoes or I “move” the wrong way; even lying on my right side in bed at a certain angle causes pain, forcing me to switch positions.")("The RUQ pain continues to be painful every day. Any type of movement in which the abdomen is involved such as tying my shoes or walking, I can feel the pain start to get worse. If I sit the wrong way in a chair (leaning to the right), the pain increases.") Has anybody looked at your spine? Checked  out the disks in your back? and the nerve roots coming from around those disks? What you have describe, sounds like it possibly could be coming from a nerve root  being irritated or impinged upon?  Allot of problems with a persons back, is not felt right in the back area . Nerve root impingement will often cause pain, and problems,  further down the nerve root path. And movement is often associated with this kind of condition, thus causing pain. I am just curious, if this angle has been looked at and further explored? If not, maybe  it is something that should be checked out.  It's Just a thought????

 

I wish you well and hope that you can get some answers and relief to your problem soon. Again I welcome you to our CP family and do hope you will continue to post and become an active member of our family!

 

Good Luck to you!

 

White Beard