Has this ever happened to you?

[LBTC]

Have you ever waited a long time for a specialist appointment, made a list, was sure you had all the bases covered, but after the appointment, after all his questions and all the things you tried to tell him, left the appointment and then thought "I'd like to change my answers!!"?

The good news is, I have now seen a specialist. It's also good that he has ordered another ultrasound. I liked his logic on this one - if the gallbladder problem was new in July when I had the first one done, the GB would have looked pretty good still. Then by September, after it intermittently causing me pain (could be a really small stone that's bopping around in there), the CT scan showed some problems with the gallbladder, then in October the HIDA scan showed normal function of the GB (the stone was happily out of sight and not causing any disruption)....after that amount of time, the size and shape of the gallbladder may have changed from healthy to shrunken and whatever else they do. So, I have an ultrasound next week. Yay!

On the other hand, I'm missing some of the normal symptoms....or I didn't answer questions correctly. I mean, does a fatty meal make me feel worse? Well... the worst I do for a fatty meal is an omelette or pizza, and, yeah, a little. But I don't eat fried chicken, fast food, french fries, and if I make anything with fat at home, it's with olive oil, which does not make the GB feel worse, so.... Can I change my answer?

And, does the pain ever radiate to your back? Well, not really, but there I am, after walking briskly for a few minutes to go the lab for the next blood test, and strenuous activity increases my discomfort, so there I am sitting and waiting and feeling the discomfort/pain radiate from my upper right abdomen, to my right side and a bit into my back. Can I change my answer?

Well, just to be sure of what to look at, he ordered the blood test (no idea what all the little abbreviations mean, so I don't know what he's looking at, but they took 2 vials this time), and I'm waiting for the hospital to phone and book a "small bowel follow through"....I get to drink barium! He said he wants to check for Chron's disease.

So that's where it is. I'll get to see him one week after the last of those tests, so it may even be within the month! Yay!

If any of you have had the barium test, please tell me about it.

And, of course, please tell me there are others of you who "want to change your answer"! I feel like such a geek right now!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[LBTC]

oh well, I guess I am the only one who would answer the doc's questions wrong!

Yesterday's test was yucky. The drink wasn't as horrible as I'd been led to believe, but 6 hours after drinking the stuff, I had horrible cramps, very similar to if I'd eaten a lot of onions, which I consider myself allergic to. At least it was mostly over by the time I got up this morning!

Next test is tomorrow, but an ultrasound is a piece of cake! The only part I don't look forward to is walking the half hour to work and the clinic in the morning on an empty stomach.

Then I wait a week to meet the specialist again to discuss the results.

Let's hope at least one of these tests shows something!

Thanks!
~T~

[Bikingmomof3]

I hope you get a diagnosis soon.

[mimitabby]

oh well, I guess I am the only one who would answer the doc's questions wrong!

Yesterday's test was yucky. The drink wasn't as horrible as I'd been led to believe, but 6 hours after drinking the stuff, I had horrible cramps, very similar to if I'd eaten a lot of onions, which I consider myself allergic to. At least it was mostly over by the time I got up this morning!

Next test is tomorrow, but an ultrasound is a piece of cake! The only part I don't look forward to is walking the half hour to work and the clinic in the morning on an empty stomach.

Then I wait a week to meet the specialist again to discuss the results.

Let's hope at least one of these tests shows something!

Thanks!
~T~

Bring some food with you so as soon as you are done you can eat!!
I wouldn't want to walk 30 minutes on a VERY empty stomach either!
good luck!

[LBTC]

No fear of that Mimi....the walk down will be with DH and it's nearly all downhill. I'll talk him into leaving early in case I don't feel like walking as fast as usual...
I'm putting together my breakfast and lunch right now, and I'll have it with me! As soon as I leave the building I'll be drinking and eating!! I don't like going without food AT ALL!

Thanks BMO3, I hope so too!

I'll keep ya posted.

~T~

[Duck on Wheels]

Sorry I didn't see your first post sooner. You're for sure not the only one who has had second thoughts about answers after seeing a doctor. The questions sometimes take us a bit by surprise; and we're trying to be so efficient and not waste the doctor's time, so we don't always take the time we need to think about each item. And the questions aren't always appropriate to our situation -- such as the standard "worse after a fatty meal?" question if you never really eat a fatty meal. But it sounds to me as if the doctor is following up on things anyway, so you probably don't have to worry about the answers you gave. You can update your answers next visit. Good luck with the diagnosis process. Hope you get an answer, and a solution!, soon.