I need your help interpreting symptoms!!

[KathyB]

Hi all -- Over the holidays I was diagnosed with drug-induced hepatitis (proven thru liver enzyme tests/bloodwork). Then a week ago I had the same symptoms -- wrenching pain in the area under my ribs around my sides and in my back. This "spell" lasted about 4 hrs and subsided with pain Rx, rest, and a heating pad. Then on Saturday I started with the back pain and sensitive stomach area, took a couple of Tylenol PM and went to bed. I woke up about 2 a.m. in the same pain I mentioned above. Then I took the Rx pain med and wrestled with the pain into the morning and took one more. I recognized the symptoms from before and contacted my infectious disease doc just in case I was now reacting to the new anti-fungal med I am taking (Posaconazole). So off we went to the ER and tests. Liver function was normal as was chest Xray and abdominal CT scan (looking for stones, infections, etc). My WBC was up to 12.0 and creatinine started creeping up again to 1.72 (from 1.4 a week ago). So after 11 hrs in ER, no answers. However, a number of things were ruled out.

The question for you all is--has anyone experienced these symptoms and know why or what they are about? Could it be caused by tapering of prednisone? I have been on 10 mg since January 4 with next taper scheduled for Feb 1. Or could it be WG rearing its ugly head? It'll be six months at end of February since Rtx treatment. I'm scheduled for next round at the beginning of March. I'm not on any maintenance meds for WG. I have an appt with my GP today and then follow up appts this week back with WG docs at MCV. My infectious disease doc was monitoring me all day while in ER and called it's an "enigma". Can anyone help?

[Psyborg]

Have they checked your Gallbladder? That is in that same area and can create the pain you describe. It also closely works with the liver, and at least in my case seemed to have been affected by my liver issues. Mine was never diagnosed until I had a nuclear medicine scan (Hida Scan). They told me mine was fine repeatedly based on ultrasounds, only to discover it had ruptured and scarred itself off when they finally did surgery based on that scan.

[KathyB]

Gall bladder was an original thought in my first go round in December. Based on CT scan, there are no gall stones so that idea was dropped. I know zip about gall bladder, though!

[Sangye]

Gall bladder. You don't have to have stones to have inflammation in it. I suggest you avoid taking Tylenol if it happens again-- very toxic to the liver. You can add some beets (juice, whole beet in any form, or beet juice tablets) to your diet on a regular basis. This thins the bile and allows the GB to drain more easily. When the bile gets sludgy it inflames the GB. If it remains sludgy it forms gallstones over time.

If the attacks persist despite adding beets to your diet I suggest seeing a holistic doctor for other natural remedies. There are many ways to heal the GB.

Note: Stop taking beets a few days before doing labs. It can give a false positive for blood in the urine.

[KathyB]

Interesting, Sangye! Yes, I totally understand re Tylenol. My doc cleared me to take sporadically since my liver enzymes were normal again. But it's probably not worth the risk and didn't help anyway! I'll research gall bladder more. I also was looking at pancreas issues, but the blood work doesn't bear this out. Want to hear more!

KB

[Al]

Gall bladder. You don't have to have stones to have inflammation in it. I suggest you avoid taking Tylenol if it happens again-- very toxic to the liver. You can add some beets (juice, whole beet in any form, or beet juice tablets) to your diet on a regular basis. This thins the bile and allows the GB to drain more easily. When the bile gets sludgy it inflames the GB. If it remains sludgy it forms gallstones over time.

Sangye, you are a trove of wondrous information. I had never heard that about beets. I'm the chief chef in our house, but I never fix beets, because I don't like them. Now, my wife craves beets, but she has had to get her fix elsewhere. As it happens, she regularly has digestive problems after a fatty meal. I suspect this to be gall bladder related. I guess I will learn more about beet prep. Thanks!

Al

[Al]

Kathy, it does sound likely that there is a gall bladder issue. But keep in mind that the higher WBC and creatinine levels indicate possible infection and/or inflammation. In all cases, I thonk your Wegs doc needs to be informed.

Al

[Psyborg]

Gall bladder was an original thought in my first go round in December. Based on CT scan, there are no gall stones so that idea was dropped. I know zip about gall bladder, though!

I had no discernable gall stones or anything of the sort, it seriously was only the Hida scan that showed anything going on. And I had a completely destroyed and full of sludge gall bladder.

[Dryhill]

You can add some beets (juice, whole beet in any form, or beet juice tablets) to your diet on a regular basis. This thins the bile and allows the GB to drain more easily. When the bile gets sludgy it inflames the GB. If it remains sludgy it forms gallstones over time.

Sangye what are beets? Are they what we in the UK call beetroot, a round tuber that is a dark red/purple in colour, cooked and then normally eaten cold? If so they are also very good for lowering blood pressure and Al bad on you they are wonderful and you can tell your wife I think she has grounds for divorce on grounds of culinery cruelty.

Jim

[Sangye]

Sangye, you are a trove of wondrous information. I had never heard that about beets. I'm the chief chef in our house, but I never fix beets, because I don't like them. Now, my wife craves beets, but she has had to get her fix elsewhere. As it happens, she regularly has digestive problems after a fatty meal. I suspect this to be gall bladder related. I guess I will learn more about beet prep. Thanks!

Al

Have her eat some beets before eating the rest of a fatty meal. Maybe beets on a salad or something. Even canned or pickled beets work great. I detest beets but take beet juice tablets for a finicky GB.