That's a Lot of Gall
Well, this spring has been a long series of medical tests trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with me. Besides being fat, that is.
It started with a major stressful project that started giving me chest and stomach pains. Since that really worried me I asked the doc, who referred me to a gastroenterologist (say that five times fast). At least it wasn't a cardiologist.
First test was an endoscopy, a follow up to last year's. The great thing about this test is that UPMC uses a rocking kick-ass anaesthesia that feels like a nap and leaves you in recovery feeling refreshed and rested. Oh, it's probably habit forming, but soooo nice. Too bad it's delivered via IV. All it showed is my esophagus is now perfectly healthy, my stomach only slightly irritated, and my duodenum perfectly okay. Um, okay, so what's the problem?
Well, I was then sent two weeks later for an ultrasound. UPMC warms their ultrasound gel. Yay! All that showed is no gallstones and my right kidney is a little big, but what the hell, right?
Two weeks later they did a CCK HIDA scan. Gesundheit, what? This test is where they shoot a mix of radioactive isotope with CCK hormone that makes the gallbladder contract. You definitely want no gallstones: think about it. The doctor told me that if gallbladder efficiency is >50% there is no issue and my primary care physician would then refer me to a cardiologist. 30-50% shows a compromised gallbladder that either gets yanked or goes on a watch list. Mine was 21%. Yank.
So now I get to meet another doctor who will be the one to haul that badass gallbladder out of me. I'm hoping for laproscopy. My mum had hers out 40 years ago and she has a frightening scar as a result. I don't want this to impact Pride or Bear Week!
Okay, enough whining. I'm just ecstatic we found the issue!
It started with a major stressful project that started giving me chest and stomach pains. Since that really worried me I asked the doc, who referred me to a gastroenterologist (say that five times fast). At least it wasn't a cardiologist.
First test was an endoscopy, a follow up to last year's. The great thing about this test is that UPMC uses a rocking kick-ass anaesthesia that feels like a nap and leaves you in recovery feeling refreshed and rested. Oh, it's probably habit forming, but soooo nice. Too bad it's delivered via IV. All it showed is my esophagus is now perfectly healthy, my stomach only slightly irritated, and my duodenum perfectly okay. Um, okay, so what's the problem?
Well, I was then sent two weeks later for an ultrasound. UPMC warms their ultrasound gel. Yay! All that showed is no gallstones and my right kidney is a little big, but what the hell, right?
Two weeks later they did a CCK HIDA scan. Gesundheit, what? This test is where they shoot a mix of radioactive isotope with CCK hormone that makes the gallbladder contract. You definitely want no gallstones: think about it. The doctor told me that if gallbladder efficiency is >50% there is no issue and my primary care physician would then refer me to a cardiologist. 30-50% shows a compromised gallbladder that either gets yanked or goes on a watch list. Mine was 21%. Yank.
So now I get to meet another doctor who will be the one to haul that badass gallbladder out of me. I'm hoping for laproscopy. My mum had hers out 40 years ago and she has a frightening scar as a result. I don't want this to impact Pride or Bear Week!
Okay, enough whining. I'm just ecstatic we found the issue!