Gallstones In The Biliary Tract

[Barsel]

I'm hoping that if any of you have ever has this, you may be able to advise me.
During a routine blood test last October, it was noted that my liver function tests were high.
I had follow up tests right up until the day before Christmas Eve when they were so high my GP sent me to hospital where I stayed until Boxing day.
The consultant who came to see me said he thinks it is probably gallstones in the biliary tract., but I need a MRCP scan to confirm, this is booked for Jan 15th.
I was fine in myself until New Years Eve when I had excruciating stomach pains and was vomiting all through the night and spent New Years Day in bed. If I had phoned an ambulance, I have no doubt they would have admitted me again, but I really didn't want to go back , especially as I have a fear of catching the Covid in there, so I decided to see if I could get better at home, which I've done, more or less.
My thoughts turned to what I had eaten on NYE that had caused this, and the only thing that I think it could have been was half a medium pork pie and 4 sausage rolls!
Was my liver unable to cope with this food, and is this what caused the pain and vomiting?
Since then, I have been eating very bland easy to digest food, and touch wood, I've been fine although I daresay my function tests will be even higher now especially the bilirubin. Sorry this has been so drawn out , but my question is,
Was the pain etc caused by food and if so, which food should I eat and avoid?
Do you have experience of it or perhaps know someone who has?

[Togo]

No I was wide awake( you have to be) just a little local anaesthetic in the gut area and do not gag on the way down. I even watched on a tv monitor. Like I said the guy was a star. The trapped stone that had been left behind originally had started to break down and was a little sludgy but he cleared the duct and brought out what was left. Pulled the little claw gently along, what was left of the bile duct after the op, like getting the last out of a tube of toothpaste. Too be honest I would have let them do anything to avoid a repeat of the infection and a cataract op caused me more discomfort. The cataract op that I paid £1800 for was painless. The same team doing an NHS one gave me a black eye and a bloodshot sore eye for a week.

[Barsel]

Electrochem thanks for the link and advice.
The Consultant has ordered the MRCP so I can only believe he knows what he is doing. I have been told he is one of the best in his field by some of the other doctors I saw when I was in hospital so I have to put my trust in him.

[Peter Pedant]

people with gall stones find avoiding fatty foods ( and there would be a lot of fat in bought sausage rolls) does not cause pain

so avoid fat ( difficult for me - I LIKE double and clotted cream, fat ***)

BUT - as someone with an unrelated disease ( UC) said - you find out which foods agree and just avoid them. For me- onions and peanies

[Barsel]

Sorry to keep asking you questions, but please tell me you can at least have sedation for it. :-)

[Barsel]

PP Peanies? peanuts?

[Peter Pedant]

did I tell you what it was like having a lobotomy?
anyway I think awful cataract ops arent helpful altho togo's tale would a man with a heart of stone, weep.

no that should be chaotic cataracts ....

my dog wants to tell you about its hang-nail op

[Togo]

The medical term Barsel is ERCP, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatoscopy. Now that is what I call a "mouthful".

https://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/Fi-La/Gallstone-Removal.html

[Peter Pedant]

oh yeah - that is usual
diaze

[Peter Pedant]

erm actually there is a liver exam called MRCP

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam that produces detailed images of the hepatobiliary and pancreatic systems, including the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas and pancreatic duct.

and that does NOT involve going after the stone with a loop

and you dont need sedation for

[Togo]

I remember now there is a little basket watsit to collect the trapped stone or whatever. It honestly looks a lot worse to endure,than it is and sounds painful but is not. If you have been putting up with gallstones or bile duct problems this is a treat.

https://healthjade.net/ercp/

[Peter Pedant]

well you have a variety of opinions
to choose from
take your pick

[Barsel]

Togo, one of the things I greatly admire medical staff for is their ability to pronounce the words they have to learn in their training. Even when I break some of those words down, I'm probably saying it wrong! :-)

[Barsel]

There is no way I can let them stick a hosepipe down my throat!
If they can't knock me out, then they will have to do it a different way.
I was hoping sqad would tell me if there is a choice of treatments but I think he has seen is b'side because woofy put an internet link on.

[Eve]

I had awful issues with gallstones before having my gallbladder out some years back now. Like Togo said, I'd be very wary of any symptoms which might suggest an infection.

When I still had my gallbladder, I had what seemed like either really bad food poisoning or a stomach bug, a lot of pain, vomiting and diarrhea and felt absolutely awful. A friend came up to check on me and bring me some supplies, phoned 111 when she saw the state of me and I ended up in hospital with acute cholecystitis.

I've had some issues since. I had a MRCP scan about 18 months ago. They didn't see any gallstones, mentioned something vaguely about a sphincter issue and that was that really. It was an appointment at a private hospital on the NHS so he after the scan didn't show anything like gallstones, he said he couldn't do anything further under his remit. Keep meaning to try and follow up at my usual hospital but had other things to deal with, then Covid.

Diet wise, I had more issues when I still had my gallbladder and had to go on a very low fat diet. It's quite illuminating when you start checking labels for fat content! I pretty much lived on ham salad sandwiches and wafer thing turkey and salad wraps, with porridge and fruit for breakfast. I have to say, one of the most effective diets I've been on, pain is a big incentive!

So if fat could be aggravating you, things like pork pie and sausage rolls would fit as they are very high in fat. I found avoiding larger meals helped and eating slowly.

Liver wise, as well as being linked to this issue, I apologise if I'm remembering incorrectly and thinking of someone else, but do you have RA? If so, I was wondering about what kind of meds you are on, in case they are ones which could cause liver issues and could maybe make things worse if there is something else causing liver issues. Also, in case you are on any medication which suppresses your immune system.

[Barsel]

PP if you read my OP you will see I have an appointment for a MRCP on the 15th Jan. I appreciate that reading all my post would probably give you a headache. :-)

[Eve]

The scan I had was the MRI one.

[Togo]

//There is no way I can let them stick a hosepipe down my throat!
If they can't knock me out, then they will have to do it a different way.//

Ohh there is a "different" way, there is! I think they use that when you are unconscious ... mercifully.

[Sqad]

For MRCP scan,you will not need sedation as it is not invasive.
For ERCP you will get sedation as it is invasive.

There is nothing to suggest at the moment that you will need the latter......this may change after the result of MRCP scan.

[Patsy33]

When I had GI endoscopy, a thin flexible tube was needed to go down my throat
. Ideally, they like to keep you awake. I was very frightened and and anxious, so surgeon gave me a sedative and a little extra, to calm me down. I can honestly say, never knew anything about it too I came around. Just let them know how anxious you are. They are usually very good in helping you. Good luck.

[Barsel]

Eve, well remembered, I do have RA and Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis but I haven't been able to have any treatment for my RA since March 2019 as it requires going into hospital for intravenous drugs so that was put on hold because of the virus.
I have an appointment with the orthopaedic consultant because of my very painful knee at the end of this month, but I daresay that will be cancelled. I did take prescribed calcium for my Osteoporosis but that was stopped when I went into hospital at Christmas as was both of my blood pressure tablets and they also halved my anti depressants. They also tested my immune system and told me that was very low (which I already knew) which is why I have been told to shield again. I think the reason they have stopped some of my tablets is to see if my LFT's come down, but I don't know if they have. It will all come out in the wash, as they say. x