HIDA Scan tomorrow for possible Gallbladder issues

[AbyssalStars]

Hello all,

I'm new here, so I don't quite know if this is the right place to post this, but I am getting a HIDA scan to see what's up with my biliary tract tomorrow. I am a bit nervous about the radio-isotope they inject into your veins; I know this is silly, but part of me is worried about a potential allergic reaction. Besides that, I'm pretty content to sit still for a couple hours while they image its progression through my liver, gallbladder, and biliary ducts. Do any of you know if you can bring a book to read during one of these scans?

I guess my biggest fear is if they can't find a discernible/treatable cause for the right upper quadrant back pain/abdominal pain that I have been having. I am really tired of being scared to eat and sleep because the pain sometimes flares up after meals and during sleep and sometimes doesn't. I fasted for the past two days because the pain was so intense and I didn't want to feel it again/ also didn't sleep. It's exhausting.

[AbyssalStars]

Update: Just had the scan! It wasn't bad at all, and I definitely didn't have any allergic reaction to the radio-isotope. Probably the most painful part of the experience was the insertion of the IV (which felt like a sharp poke) and that it kept pulling for the full 2 hrs. Also the IV and the blocky imaging equipment made it too uncomfortable to try to read, so I didn't.

Besides that, it was smooth sailing. The radio-isotope felt a bit cold going in but like a soothing cold like aloe rather than something uncomfortable. The CCK that they injected to trigger gallbladder contraction also wasn't too bad. Because they gave the CCK as a slow release rather than all at once, the contraction pain was reduced. Also, slow release gives more accurate results since it prevents over-contraction of the gallbladder.

I will tell y'all about any results when I get them. Hopefully they figure out what is wrong. I am tired of being in so much pain every time I eat/lie down to sleep. My NP and I are fairly sure I have biliary colic though, and if it is the result of a malfunctioning gallbladder, I will most likely get it removed since this pain has been getting progressively worse and more frequent over this past year.

[wilf1]

was your pain more in the back or the Abdomen

[AbyssalStars]

Given what I have read online and what my NP told me, it is more common for people with biliary colic to have pain the in upper right abdomen right below the ribs, however, for me personally, the pain usually started in the back below the right shoulder blade and then it would radiate forward into my abdomen. Honestly, the back pain was usually more intense than the abdomen pain for me, especially at night. Also, this was an intermittent pain, not constant. I would get flare-ups that would last between half and hour up to 4 hours and then it would recede. Flare-ups would usually occur half-an-hour to 2 hours after eating and in the middle of the night.

Along with this pain I would burp constantly. No joke. literally 24/7 burping. I also eat much less than I usually do because I often feel full nearly immediately. Hope this helps!

[BikerMatt]

Well done for getting through your HIDA scan.

Sorry I didn't see this after your post and before your scan.

I had one in 2019 and like you wasn't looking forward to it either, but all in all not to bad as far as scans go.

The gamma machine isn't to bad as it covers part of you and not your head.

It is done slightly different here in the UK as they don't use CCK, you have a fatty drink instead to stimulate your gallbladder/biliary system but you have the tracer thingy obviously.

Well done!

[AbyssalStars]

Thank you for the support, BikerMatt!

No need to apologize for not seeing this. I posted around 1 am my time and then woke up and got the scan 7 hours later, so that doesn't leave a lot of room for people to reply.

I agree, as far as scans go, the HIDA scan was definitely not too bad.

By fatty drink do you mean a milkshake? I think that sounds like a great idea. If your gonna be in pain, you might as well enjoy some part of the experience, right? (unless the drink was actually really really nasty. In that case, I take it back.)

[BikerMatt]

Thank you for the support, BikerMatt!

No need to apologize for not seeing this. I posted around 1 am my time and then woke up and got the scan 7 hours later, so that doesn't leave a lot of room for people to reply.

I agree, as far as scans go, the HIDA scan was definitely not too bad.

By fatty drink do you mean a milkshake? I think that sounds like a great idea. If your gonna be in pain, you might as well enjoy some part of the experience, right? (unless the drink was actually really really nasty. In that case, I take it back.)

Yeah, it was a heavy in fat milkshake and was nice.

Let us know what your ejection fraction is when you find out, if you don't mind pls.

[AbyssalStars]

I'll make sure to keep you all updated!

[AbyssalStars]

Kay, so the HIDA scan came back normal (in the 40s). So now they want to look at the Pancreas and are going to do more bloodwork + CT of the abdomen. To be honest, I am absolutely terrified. I was banking on gallbladder being the issue, and now that it is not, I am very worried it is something much more serious (I am especially scared for liver, pancreas, and kidney issues because you can't just remove those organs and call it good). I am absolutely terrified I have either chronic pancreatitis or liver disease or kidney disease, and I honestly do not know what to do. I am terrified that I am going to die soon. Help.

I'm scared because I have PCOS, a hormonal disorder which not only predisposes you to gallstones, but Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Kidney issues as well. I'm worried about kidney issues because I am prone to recurrent UTIs due to my hormonal fluctuations, and I sometimes don't notice/treat them because I am so used to the symptoms. I am worried that one could have progressed to my kidneys without my knowledge.

Another thing fueling the flames is I am pretty sure I have Terry's Nails, which could be a sign of liver or kidney disease (and anemia, god I hope mine is due to anemia). 20210207_142455.jpg Basically I'm terrified and I really really don't want to die a painful death. I have had the dubious pleasure of watching my Dad die from cancer and two of my siblings also die (not from health related causes) within the past 6 years and I can't. I can't handle this at all.

[AbyssalStars]

Does anyone know what they could find/be looking for by doing the CT of the abdomen? What exactly does it allow them to see?

Also, could it potentially just be chronic gastritis that is causing all my issues? If so, I would be super embarrassed, but at least it wouldn't be something serious. I'm not sure why I would have chronic gastritis thought beyond possible H. pylori infection. I don't think gastritis is cause by the specific type of stress that I feel (HA), but rather by physical stressors.