Acid Schmacid – get those m-fers out of me! [long, with Cliff's]

[maryfield48]

[Cliff's at the end]

Over the past 7 years I’ve suffered from sporadic attacks of intense abdominal pain. When they first started I went to a GI specialist who diagnosed Acid Reflux, caused by a hiatal hernia (basically esophagus fails to close tightly enough to prevent stomach acid from escaping). I was put on a bunch of different medications, all the usual suspects for this condition. The symptoms stopped, then a year or two later I’d have another attack, then nothing again for a while.

There were actually two different types of attack – with the less painful (and also less frequent) of the two, I would wake up to intense burning in my throat. That would last for maybe 10 minutes or so. I’d often be able to lessen the effect by drinking water.

The more troubling episodes would start, usually around 9pm or later, with an attack of burpies, followed by pain in the upper right abdominal area, pretty close to the chest really. If it had been on the left, I might have feared a heart attack. This pain would become so intense that I would often be unable to sit still, or stand still, or walk around. I would often writhe in agony until finally I concluded that it was not going to pass unassisted (as it sometimes did). I would then have Carol, my wife, drive me to the emergency room, where they would put me on Zantac (for the acid) and Baralgin (for the pain). After 20 minutes more of agony, the doctor would then up the ante with Pethedine.

Ten minutes or so after getting the Peth I would drift off into a peaceful fog, at which point Carol would take me home where I would fall into bed.

These episodes would occur in bunches, once a month for three months, then nothing for a year or more, then back again in another cluster. I could never figure out what the triggers were.

My biggest fear was that I would have one while travelling on business – I don’t travel all that much, maybe 3-4 weeks a year on the road. But the thought of dealing with one of those attacks alone in a strange city (or worse yet, on a Transatlantic flight) was not appealing in the least.

Late in 2005 I had a number of attacks leading me to return to the GI specialist early in 2006. Once again, he prescribed the usual suspects and also performed another endoscopy. I amended my diet more drastically than I ever had before, eliminating most fried & overly spicy foods (very difficult for me, especially the spicy), sodas, and all dairy. I even had to cut (way, way) back on my beloved chocolate. I raised the head of my bed, and started running again, and cut my smoking (cigarettes) way down. For the first half or so of 2006 I felt really good physically.

Then I had another attack in September. This one started at around 5pm – I was still at work. I remember thinking that I must have been sitting in a bad position or something – it felt like muscular pain in my back & shoulders. By the time I got home an hour later, I realized that I was having another attack. This one was really bad, and it just wouldn’t ease. Off again to the emergency room for the usual. Then I suffered another one in October. When I got to the emergency room the doctor didn’t think that that degree of pain could be caused by Reflux, and he ordered a chest x-ray, I guess on the presumption that my description of the location of the pain may be faulty. The x-ray was negative, and by the time I got through all of that the Pethedine was in effect and I went home to sleep it off.

Somehow I skipped November. But the next episode came during the second week in December. Once again, the doc on duty couldn’t understand Acid Reflux causing this degree of pain. This doctor was the one who finally made the leap though, and not only looked past the original diagnosis, but also maybe trusted the patient enough to listen to what I was describing. He suspected gallstones, and recommended an Ultra Sound.

I made the appointment for the Ultra Sound as soon as I could, and four days later the diagnosis was confirmed. When I got home I learned from my exhaustive medical research (wikepedia) that there is significant overlap in the symptoms of gallstones with those of Acid Reflux. Why didn’t my GI specialist ever think to check? I don’t know, could it be that he himself performs endoscopies, but not Ultra Sounds?

I immediately made another appointment to see a surgeon – that was to have been on December 29th. I never did make it to that appointment.

On December 21st I took Carol and our 3 kids, the eldest of whom LOVES sushi, to a Japanese restaurant. We had a great meal, but while we were waiting for the kids to finish dessert, I broke out in a sweat. It was the onset of my second attack in a week. We got the bill, took the kids home, and were on the way back to our local emergency room when Carol decided to call her cousin, an MD at the same hospital where I had the appointment for the following week. He told her to bring me to that hospital, and after what seemed like an interminable delay, they admitted me and plugged in the Pethedine.

They kept me overnight, but the next morning, for the first time, the pain was still there. It wasn’t until much later that afternoon that I was able to say that there was no discomfort. So the surgeon decided that we should just deal with it right away since there was no telling when I was going to undergo another attack. No argument from me on that score.

On the 23rd, I went in to the operating theatre ostensibly for the laparoscopic procedure that would finally relieve me of this curse. I later learned that the gall bladder was too distressed for the laparoscopy, and the doc had to slice me open to take it out. For my troubles, I am now the proud possessor of a vial of 15 or so gallstones, the only ones in the world made from my genetic material.

I got out of hospital on Xmas day, so was lucky enough to be able to have that. I missed all the good eating & drinking though, and my New Year’s Eve wasn’t the most exciting that I’ve had.

I went back to work last week Monday. I’m still sore, and easily fatigued. I’ve been told by a couple of friends that one side-effect of being gall bladder-less is a vastly increased tolerance for liquor. I haven’t tested that yet, but am looking forward to doing so.

Cliff’s notes: Supposed Acid Reflux turns out to be gallstones. Surgery ensues.

[Soul Daddy]

I didn't read, but those are possibly the best Cliff's Notes ever.

[guids]

You should make a necklace out of the stones.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't read, but those are possibly the best Cliff's Notes ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed

[jba]

[ QUOTE ]
I’ve been told by a couple of friends that one side-effect of being gall bladder-less is a vastly increased tolerance for liquor. I haven’t tested that yet, but am looking forward to doing so.

[/ QUOTE ]

this sounds TERRIBLE! why would you look forward to this??

[wmonfor]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I’ve been told by a couple of friends that one side-effect of being gall bladder-less is a vastly increased tolerance for liquor. I haven’t tested that yet, but am looking forward to doing so.

[/ QUOTE ]

this sounds TERRIBLE! why would you look forward to this??

[/ QUOTE ]

high stakes drinking contest.

[octopi]

I thought this might be a post about hallucinating bugs under your skin following a particularly terrifying acid trip. The Cliff's Notes were very useful. Thanks.

[DrewDevil]

Jesus, that sounds almost unbearable.

Glad they finally figured it out.

[Dids]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I didn't read, but those are possibly the best Cliff's Notes ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed

[/ QUOTE ]

Basically.

For once I was like "ok, yeah, I get it and don't need to read the long version".

[DrNo888]

Oh man, this sounds exactly like my problem.
I used to have episodes like that during college and afterwards. My doctor suggested I go see a GI after.
My acid reflux was confirmed and I took Prevacid for awhile.
Then, I went and abused my stomach again with spicy food, etc.
Had to get back on Prevacid for another 3-4 months.

I think I only had one or two attack since then. I think I am gonna ask my doctor for ultrasound to confirm if I have gall stones or not.