My HIDA Scan

I copied this from my other Blog, just so there would be more info on here,esp since Im jsut beginning. I did have my gallbladder out, and Im still here! so that will be more detailed at a later date.






This past Tuesday I went in for a HIDA scan. The purpose of this test is to check gallbladder function. Its a very simple procedure,in all reality. I had to prepare by not having anything to eat or drink after midnight. But nothing was said about smoking. So the morning of the test I got up and had a couple of smokes to settle my raging nerves. and to be honest, I had some teeny sips of Sprite. I didnt take anymore than what swallowing would do,as far as liquid consupmtion. And I brushed my teeth, so I know I swallowed some water then.So I arrive at the designated time for my scan. Got checked in with hospital admissions, complete with bracelet. I was told I didnt need a driver, so I went alone. By the time they called me back I was honestly a bundle of nerves!!! But I shouldnt have been. I was greeted by a very nice tech, who started an IV in my arm. Not like a carry the pole kind of IV but just one of those catheder thingies. Where they tape it to your arm,but have the tube sticking out. Once I was tripply verivied that I was who I said I was, by checking my arm band and asking questions about DOB and what not, I was asked if there was a chance I could be pregnant. I vehemently said HELL NO! The tech got a kick out of that. But I still had to sign a paper to the fact.Then the injection began of radioactive fluid. The purpose of the radioactive stuff was to see if I had any blockages in my gallbladder. As in gall stones. I already knew I didn't, b/c of an ultra sound I had previously had. So at 15 minute intervals they took Xrays of my abdomen. In the interium I was able to sit in the hospital lobby with other people either waiting on family or waiting on their own test. Then after the 4th set of Xrays, I had to lay on a table. More like HALF a table. My first thought was OMG that thing aint gonna hold ONE of my hamhocks much less both of them. But it did. And the small tube like table had moveable arm rest, so my arms were comfy, my knees were propped up,2 pillows under my head.I then took a TON of deep breaths in preperation of being hooked up to more medicine and laying still for 25 minutes.The tech told me that I would be injected for ten minutes with fluid from the bag attached to my IV. And I had to be still. I tried to go to a happy place in my mind. For me its walking along a beach hand in hand with Josh. On Waikiki before all the hotels popped up, Diamond Head in the background. {No,Ive never been there,but its MY happy place}.So as the medicine dripped into my body, the Xray machine was paced to my left at an angle,very close to my stomach area. The tech siad pictures would be taken every minute. Thats why I had to be so still. But this second round of meds HURT like holy hell! My body began to get nauseated, my bowels began to clinch,and my abdomen involuntarily cramped up. I told them I was a puker,so they better get me a bucket or something. I was reassured that in the years both techs had been doing HIDA scans no one had puked. But they aint ever met me before! So I swallowed like no tomorrow, the happy place was gone, replaced by concious concentration to be still and not puke! I asked the nive tech who gave me the first round why in the hell it hurt so bad. He told me it was like eating a greasy cheeseburger! BLEEECK! Much as I love cheeseburgers,it was the LAST thing on my mind,trust me! Then it was over. Just like that. It was the longest 25 minutes of my life,to be sure!I asked them before I left when my Dr. would have the information. They said under the table so to speak,that my gastro office would have it late in the afternoon. I left there at 1pm,my time and grabbed something to eat. I couldnt eat much,and I dont think a PZone was the right choice either! So I brought it home for Nate. I then went grocery shopping. I kinda had to. My guts were still cramping,but I didnt get sick, thank God!!!Around 4pm I called the Dr office. left a message for my Dr, and about 15 minutes later the nurse practicioner called me back. She had some disheartening news. My gallbladder was only working at 2%. Not good, as in, on a scale of 100-0, 100 being perfect and 0 being non working,I was at the bottom! The NP told me that I needed to go see a surgeon, and she'd make the call for me. I told her to get me in ASAP, I didnt care when or what time! So a few minutes alter she called me back to tell me I had an apt on Thursday with the surgeon.Josh and I went together, getting a neighbor to watch Caleb. He came in and was SUPER nice! He asked me point blank if I could get it removed TODAY! My mind was whirlling. TODAY?!? That serious! He said if not today {thursday} then tomorrow, Friday. He left so Josh and I could discuss our options. We decided that Monday {tomorrow} would be the least inconvient time for me to have it removed. The Dr. came back in and we told him Monday would be best. He looked at me rather skeptically. So I then asked if I'd die over the weekend if I didnt have it removed. He said NO, but Id just be in pain and uncomfortable until then. Fair enough. So a time for Monday was set up for surgery at the surgery center where Id had my tubes tied in 07. I liked it there,and the staff was great,so given the option,the surgery center is what I chose.We left the surgeons office and went for pre-op stuff.THEN, On Friday I woke up with a knot under my arm. My right arm, same symptoms as Id had back in the late winter when I had staph. I had noticed a teeny pea sized knot before, but when I got up on Friday my arm was swollen and streaky. SHIT, I thought! So I called the Surgeons office and told them what I thought was going on, and if it would affect my surgery. She said,maybe. But if I got on antibiotics over the weekend, that Id probably be fine. It was just up to my Dr. So off to the PC I went. told her everything that was going on, and about the staph Id had,and how I was terrified it was happening AGAIN!!! I was pissed off at that point. So she put me on strong antibiotics for the weekend, and Im hoping it will not affect whether I have surgery tomorrow or not! She was unable to lance the knot as it was too deep. But yesterday it would have been prime for lancing,and the redness had grown, to about 3 inches above my elbow. When Caleb was in the hospital with the same thing, they drew a circle around his red area,to see if it shrunk or grew. Josh did the same for me. Yesterday it had tripled in size from Friday. last night before going to bed,I drew another circle with a different color marker. Ive been taking the antibiotics just like Im supposed to. This morning,Josh said the redness had gone down some,and I can feel that the knot is not quite so big. I also have today for the antibiotics to work their majic. In hopes that the surgeon can operate even with it,and Im gonna beg him to lance it while Im under. My MIL said postponing surgery would not be the end of the world. true, But I guess mentally Im just thrown by this unexpected curve ball.So thats that,as they say. We wait till tomorrow to see if the surgeon will operate,and go from there!

My Gatro Issues, an Overview

I started this new blog, just to help myself and anyone else who wants to read it and know what Ive been through, gastro wise.
First, let me say, Im Sarah, 28, female, and in general good health. Im bipolar,and take my meds,{I could do a whole other blog about all that!}.I've had a "nervous stomach" my entire life. Yep, Im a puker! When Im nervous I puke,when I drink too much I puke, when I over eat greasy foods, I puke. I come from a history of pukers too,and have passed it on to my sons, age 8 and 2. My stomach issues are genetic, from an obvious point of my paternal grandmother. I know this b/c the Holden clan have most all had gastro issues in one way or the other. Also, my maternal grandfather died at 60 from colon cancer, so I was jipped from day one.

Anyway, when I was 16 and he passed away, thats when I really began having my rumbly tummy. I think it was the stress of him dying that really set me off. I think it also was the trigger for my bipolar. That stress is a killer,let me tell you! Well, in the summer of 1998 after a trip to the ER for constipation, I was set up to see a pediatric gastro doctor in Memphis,Tn. {thats where we lived close to}. I had my first endoscopy done. I was then clincally diagnosed with GERD, at the time I also had a deuodonal hemmorage. Think big bruise on your stomach,close to the intestines,that was bleeding. I was then put on a strict diet of no chocolate,no caffine and no smokes. Yes, at 16 I was a smoker. and yes my parents knew,but hardly approved! Telling a 16 year old girl she cant have chocolate, or caffine was bad enough, but telling me I couldnt rebel, was horrible! I've always been a big girl. at 16 I was 5'6, and weighed like 155ish. {its been a long time,and since my weight has only increased over the years and my height 1 1/2 inches, it slips my mind}. That summer before my senior year of high school I dropped 15lbs. to me I was super skinny! I distinctly rememeber a friend {whom I still hold near and dear} saying, "Wow! You've lost so much weight!". Talk about an ego boost I never forgot! I think thats why I still love her! :)
So my senior year began and I was still taking Prevacid. That summer I was also put on Zoloft. I began feeling better! But once I quit taking the prevacid after the designated time frame {it was still a realtivly new drug at the time}. I began to feel bad again. But by then my folks were ending their 19 year marriage,so even more stress. I totally rebelled then! I was drinking,smoking, and smoking dope! I was then 17 and pissed off at the world! you can imagine .
So a year or so went by and me taking tons of rolaides and tums and then I got pregnant and married at age 18. I was OH so very sick when I was pregnant with my oldest son! Puking all the time for 9 months! Its a wonder he weighed his 8lbs! I gave up smoking when I was pregnant {BOTH times,but sadly always picked it back up,even after being smoke free for right at a year!}

So after surviving my first pregnancy and post pardum depression, my tummy issues kinda eased off. I still took tums, and OTC remedies, but it was never that bad. At least not for a couple of years. Maybe I was too busy raising my son and keeping a roof over his head to notice some off and on again heartburn.

But in my early -mid twenties, the reflux came back like a Grizzly hongrey after his long winters nap. More to come on that later....