Back From The Doc

Pain Pills
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I posted this a little while ago, but for some reason it did not stick. I went in for my surgery today. I told Rae what it was. It's called an ERCP. Well, they knocked me out cold. Told me to count back from 100. So I counted 100,99,98,97,94,3 BooM I was out. They had a problem though. It takes two doctors to do this thing. I ate dinner last night around 6-7. Well when then went down into me, they still found food in my stomach from last night, 13 hours earlier, which means I am not digesting. They had to halt the procedure. I was out cold, ready to go. I had two IV's in me, a EKG hooked up, BP stuff. I was scared out of my wits. I could barely even walk I was so afraid. I'm usually pretty brave with this stuff, but I'm afraid of the news when I wake up from it. There are a lot of bad side effects that can happen, in addition to this being invasive. They go all the way into your pancrease. Here is an outline of the procedure:

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (en-doh-SKAH-pik REH-troh-grayd koh-LAN-jee-oh-PANG-kree-uh-TAH-gruh-fee) (ERCP) enables the physician to diagnose problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. The liver is a large organ that, among other things, makes a liquid called bile that helps with digestion. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that stores bile until it is needed for digestion. The bile ducts are tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine. These ducts are sometimes called the biliary tree. The pancreas is a large gland that produces chemicals that help with digestion and hormones such as insulin.

ERCP is used primarily to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile ducts, including gallstones, inflammatory strictures (scars), leaks (from trauma and surgery), and cancer. ERCP combines the use of x rays and an endoscope, which is a long, flexible, lighted tube. Through the endoscope, the physician can see the inside of the stomach and duodenum, and inject dyes into the ducts in the biliary tree and pancreas so they can be seen on x rays.

For the procedure, you will lie on your left side on an examining table in an x-ray room. You will be given medication to help numb the back of your throat and a sedative to help you relax during the exam. You will swallow the endoscope, and the physician will then guide the scope through your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum until it reaches the spot where the ducts of the biliary tree and pancreas open into the duodenum. At this time, you will be turned to lie flat on your stomach, and the physician will pass a small plastic tube through the scope. Through the tube, the physician will inject a dye into the ducts to make them show up clearly on x rays. X rays are taken as soon as the dye is injected.

If the exam shows a gallstone or narrowing of the ducts, the physician can insert instruments into the scope to remove or relieve the obstruction. Also, tissue samples (biopsy) can be taken for further testing.

Possible complications of ERCP include pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), infection, bleeding, and perforation of the duodenum. Except for pancreatitis, such problems are uncommon. You may have tenderness or a lump where the sedative was injected, but that should go away in a few days.


They were going to put a stint in my pancrease but couldn't. So now I have to go back again and no food or water for 36 hours beforehand. What they looking for is cancer. My pancrease for some reason has stopped functioning. It's pretty painful. This time they are going to give me a General instead of a Valium drip. So I am quite worried.
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Oh my goodness Danny
that sounds so scarey. Honey I will
keep praying for you !

<<<<<<<<<< HUG >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Danny,
Sorry to hear things didn't go as planned. I hope it goes better the next time. I will be praying for you in the meantime.
Take care and God Bless,
Deb
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Danny, welcome back from the doc, but sorry they couldn't get it over and done with. Sounds very, very stressful. Hang in, M.
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Well, dang, Danny. That sucks! Very sorry you are having to go through all of this! Hope you don't have to wait long before they try it again!

At least for today, though, you didn't get any bad news and can be optimistic that you won't. There has been a lot of praying going on for you today.

Take care,
Love, Carol
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Oh my Danny,
That really sucks to have gone through all this today and now have to do it again. Could they see anything that looked like cancer at all? Or they just said come back and lte's do it again? I am so sorry but no news is good news. So did you ste an appointment to go back? Glad to finally hear from you. We were all praying for you today! Man, no food or drinking for 36 hours. That will be bad. I thought the night before at midnight was bad enough. I guess you have got to do it though and catch the problem before it gets worse. Try and take it easy tonight sounds like you had a long day! Rae
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Ya, when I came to, I was expecting to hear good news or bad..not, we have to do this again...I was pretty disapointed. I mean, I roamed the house like a Zombie last night. This has gone on since March and I am in the BEST care in the country for this so I thought I would know one way or another. I was shaking so bad this morning. My wife was not there. My brother was. I'm serious, I was so scared because if it was bad news, the odds go to 99% for death. I was laying on a gurney for 1 1/2 hours just shaking. They had to try 5 times to put the IV's in. My arms would not stop. They finally had to call an IV specialist in to get the needles in. Then the Doctor comes in and tells me the "odds" of every kind of mishap. It FREAKED me out. He tried to reassure me because he saw how nervous I was. I'm thinking in-patient on the next round. At least they can sedate me a little and monitor my food intake and stuff. It should be in the next 2-3 weeks. I have to take enzymes before I eat each meal because my pancrease simply does not function correctly. And the scary thing is if they find something wrong, I'll still be knocked out, but they will cut me open and do what they can. And then I wake up to God knows what. Kinda makes 3 Vicodin a day sound ok, eh? I am so disapointed. Plus RAE- We are going 6 inches of snow tonight!!. Want me to ship you some?
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Danny, sorry to hear that..
I hope you are okay, and I REALLY hope that it isn't cancer.
Be good to yourself, my man, and know that we are all praying for you...
If you want to talk, I will be happy to listen. user posted image
We care, and please try not to stress out...Remember, God is watching out for you...
Kerry
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Rae, I have 32 cyst on my pancrease. Thats where the pain comes from. They also found some kind of "mass" through an RMI. Thats why they are making me do this. They have to go in. I would prefer not to obviously. I just want things to be how they were, but it dosen't look like that is happening. It's like the whole organ has shut down. And you can't live without it. But I have the absolute best medical team in the country on this. They are so cool. I trust them 100%. It's weird. You get Doctors you don't trust as far a you can thrown them, then you get some that you will allow them to take your life into their hands...
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Danny,
I am so sorry to hear that you couldn't get your test done today, and that you have to do it all over again. No a real good turn of events.....Wonder if it was one of those everything happens for a reason moments........
I saw Kerry sent you a kiss, as a married woman I can't do that but I got this for you.....user posted image
A hug from all of us........
You take care,
Tina
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Hi, Danny

I hate going to the doctor's and medical procedures, so I can really sympathize with you having to go through this again, BUT the good news is that we get some more time to pray for you and your doctors. So we will do just that!
Hang in there, Danny. You're NOT alone!

Love,
Susan
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It wasn't THAT kind of a kiss...lol..
How are you, today, Mistyeyes??
Danny, I am sorry to hear about this medical stuff. Stay strong...
Kerry
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danny belive me when I say I can relate.I've been tubed but only to my larnyx to look at scar tissue.Its sad because there are no words to comfort you.And I'm sure all of us here wish to comfort you anyway we can.I don't have any funny jokes like you come out with,well because I stink at jokes,but please know my prayers will also be for you.I'm glad I have a big heart because alot of us on here are having a time of it and I find myself praying alot more.If I can be of any help you know I'm here in the ams.....mj
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I was just hoping that after 10 months, I was going to know today. I was so disapointed. I'd rather know bad news than no news, if you know what I mean. Now I have another 2-3 weeks of waiting, but I don't get really freaked out until a day or so beforehand, so I am back to my old self.
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Kerry.......I sent you an email, that should tell you how I feel.....
LOL@that kind of kiss.....I know what kind it was, just ribbing yah!
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Im sure they do the procedure 1000 times on 1000 patience. You can sleep well knowing that they do they stuff everyday.
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Sorry for your unwelcome reprieve, Danny. I know you must be dissapointed and disgusted by the whole thing. Keep your chin up! Love, Kat
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Kiwi- It's actually kind of rare. It's not like an endocscope or Upper GI or something. They actually enter you pancrease with these tubes. Kinda weird I guess. But I have a lot of faith in the doctors treating me.
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danny I've never heard of it going that far,as I said I only had it to my throat.I know I look forward to your daily jokes.Keep your chin up ole boy & know we are with you..........mj
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MJ- I've had the throat and stomach thing done. This is different. What they do is shoot a contrast dye into your pancreatic ducts, wheel ya over to an MRI and take pictures. And then if something looks weird, they cut you open and do a biopsy. They have already said something is there. Thats why I walked around like a nut case last night. I was ready, set, let's go...and then they couldn't get past my stomach. They actually go into your small insteine to get to the pancreatic ducts. Thats why I was (am) so freaked out. An Upper GI is nothing compared to this. Thats why they are using a GA on me I mean, I have GERD, which is not big deal, and have at least 5 Upper GI's under my belt. But when they stick probes into your pancrease by doing down like they did, it's enough to scare the be-jezzus out of you. The Doc told me today there was a 1 in 5 chance of a hemorage. I FREAKED. Still wnet though with it. I wish they did.