As I mentioned in my previous post I am here now to go into further detail about Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction which happens to be the cause of my "medical mysteries". LOL! Honestly, it's no laughing matter. I have dealt with is pain very sporatically throughout the last couple years. I knew that when I drank alcohol that I would indeed be suffering in no time and just at different times. The alcohol was the one factor that I actually could pinpoint the attack. So, I just didn't drink.
Starting in January of this year I decided that I was going to lose weight. I wanted to eat right, exercise, and just take better care of myself in general. One night we had pizza and by 1 a.m. I was needing to go to the E.R. I didn't go then. Then, Saturday, February 13th Larry and I had a date and ate steak and I had a very small margarita. Well, that was the end of that. I was sent into a major attack and had no choice but to go to the E.R. I show up there around 1:30 on Valentine's morning and I thought, and the E.R. also thought that I was having a gallbladder attack. I was quickly given an I.V. with mophine for pain--which kicked the attack into higher gear, (even though I didn't think it was possible). I was a mess. Anyways, I ended up getting the pain under control and having a CT scan. I was sent home with pain meds and told to follow up with my family doctor. Ha! I didn't even have a family doctor! So, I go into see Dr. Peters and he agreed to be my family doctor. He too thought that I was having gallbladder attacks, but sent me to see a specialist anyways.
So, I go see Dr. Mokeba, (I think that's how it's spelled), VERY nice lady I liked her SO much and I am telling her exactly what's going on and as soon as I said alcohol she said, Sphincter of Oddi. I was like WHAT?! So, she decides that I need to go over to IU and have surgery to cut the Sphincter of Oddi because what is happening is this--Your gallbladder and your pancreas produce bile and that bile goes out a duct into the Sphincter of Oddi and into the small intestines. Well, Oddi is having spasms and not letting the bile out and it is backing up into my pancreas causing these attacks. As I am investigating this on my own I learn that you cannot take anything MOPHINE BASED, hence the escalating attack at the E.R.....and that this surgery is a very big deal. Dr. Mokeba even told me that this is the type of surgery that every since surgeon that performs it NEVER wants to do it again. Also investigating it I learned that there is a hospital stay of 4-5 days too. (Yeah, I have so much time and money for that).
Prior to the surgery Dr. M wanted to do an endoscopy to double check my stomach to make sure that it was ok. She had to do this bc if she would send me to IU and something was wrong with my belly it would come back on her. I get it. No big deal. I did the endoscopy on Friday. She did find that I had a spot in my stomach that is "pitted like a strawberry". IDK what that means. I was out of it from being knocked out. Anyways she ended up pulling part of it for a biopsy and I should get that back in 2 weeks and then it is onto the big surgery.
We are going on vacation in June so I am going to wait until I get home from that, but this is most definately something I cannot not do. Sunday, just a couple days ago, I had the worst attack I have ever had. I simply cannot keep doing this.
The part that sucks the most is that 1. I am going to have to be away from Bayleigh. 2. I am putting so many people out. My moms rely on me to be here everyday and my babies need me to be here for them. I hate the thought of having to take a few days off. The thought makes me sick to be perfectly honest. I have to admit that my moms are wonderful and understanding and I am sure we will get me thru this together. I worry about Melanie bc she is going thru so much right now too. IDK, I just don't see this healing on it's own anytime soon. :(
I guess we will just have to see what the endoscopy comes back as and see where the road leads. Wish me luck. Thanks for reading!
Jenn
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