Guest guest Posted June 8, 1999 Report Share Posted June 8, 1999 What's a fungal ball?? How do they test for bile duct cancer? back again >Hi. >I'm back after a week long detour at the hospital. We passed the >hospital on the way back home after going to Jim's Aunt Agnes' nursing >home to see her on May 28th--it was about 10:30 and I was feeling > " funny " so I jokingly told Jim to drop me off. I was admitted by 4p.m. >I went for blood tests because I had another fever and chills and was >admitted on the spot--my husband and the doctor were in " cahoots " . > >The long and the short of it is that I had/have a very rare fungal > " ball " that obstructed one of the major ducts in the left side of my >liver. It was the size of a peanut and this is obviously what was >causing my chills and fevers since March. Although I felt great in May, >the tx doctors feared cholangiocarcinoma, but that was ruled out by a >biopsy done during a cholangiogram. I have a drain in place and it >drained the backed up bile like crazy for about three days and then it >tapered off. The drain is still there for a repeat cholangiogram on the >17th and whatever follow-up biopsies the tx doctors want. > >I have been blessed to have a team of doctors who really went the extra >mile in finding out what this crazy thing was...there are ten other >documented cases of this " ball " --only one other patient had a biliary >problem. My infectious disease doctor is a researcher and will likely >write a paper....look for one about a cranky old lady with a fungal >ball...... > >As I said to Dan, I wanted a Club Med vacation (picturing a tropical >island) and got club med. instead. > >I have no tan, but I am feeling better. I hope that I continue to >improve. I have not read all of the messages, so if anyone has posted >anything that requires a reply from me, please re-post it and I will >find it in the current mail more easily. Welcome to the newcomers. I >hope all of you are O.K. > >Penny > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Make the News Come to you! >FREE email newsletters sent directly to your in-box >USAToday, Forbes, Wired, and more. Sign-up NOW! >http://clickhere./click/316 > > >eGroups.com home: /group/ > - Simplifying group communications > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 1999 Report Share Posted June 9, 1999 Peg A. WOW! When I seen the part where you said that your ears itched all the time due to a yeast infection in them, my jaw dropped. My ears aren't itching now, but for like 2 months my ears would be bright red because I was scratching them all the time. It was driving me crazy! Fortunately it went away. I'm praying that it doesn't return! Love, ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 1999 Report Share Posted June 9, 1999 Kamisar wrote: > What's a fungal ball?? How do they test for bile duct cancer? Dear , Darned if I know--but we see the doctor on Friday and he'll give us more specifics. It's just a big cluster of fungal cells, I think. When I said I wanted to post the information to the group he said: " I can guarantee that no one else will have this problem. " It may be related to the long term use of sulfa to control the liver abscesses caused by my second ERCP. As for the biopsy, it was done during the cholangiogram (the tx docs were almost certain it was cancer) and they did a " brushing " . I was full of versed and heaven knows what else and the drain placement hurt like the dickens and the " brushing " felt like someone was running a toilet bowl brush inside my tiny duct. It's been 25 years since I've had a baby, but I sure worked on the Lamaze breathing to get through it. Huff, huff. My repeat cholangiogram is the 17th and I have been told that they will just inject the dye into the drain tube and take pictures--although the tx team may want a repeat biopsy--which I am not looking forward to although I do see the need for it. I hope this helps. Penny ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 1999 Report Share Posted June 9, 1999 Hi, Penny, This fungal ball thing....When you say it might be because of the sulfa, are you talking antibiotics? I am still having problems with fungus (yeast type) from the augmentin, regardless of eating yogurt, etc. Do you think that fungal ball thing could be because the antibiotics destroy the good bacteria and therefore provide breeding grounds for fungal infections? I hope I never have to have another cholangiogram. I remember one I had in '85..afterwards I was so sick---puked my brains out for 3 days. Give me an ERCP any time....(and I just got a call from New England Med, as I was typing this...the next one is July 21 for me..). Good luck with your next procedure (cholangiogram or biopsy). I know the drain has got to help, but I'll be thinking of you. Let me know when you're going in, and I'll light that candle. PR Weller wrote: > Kamisar wrote: > > > What's a fungal ball?? How do they test for bile duct cancer? > > Dear , > Darned if I know--but we see the doctor on Friday and he'll give us more > specifics. It's just a big cluster of fungal cells, I think. When I said I > wanted to post the information to the group he said: " I can guarantee that no > one else will have this problem. " It may be related to the long term use of > sulfa to control the liver abscesses caused by my second ERCP. > > As for the biopsy, it was done during the cholangiogram (the tx docs were > almost certain it was cancer) and they did a " brushing " . I was full of > versed and heaven knows what else and the drain placement hurt like the > dickens and the " brushing " felt like someone was running a toilet bowl brush > inside my tiny duct. It's been 25 years since I've had a baby, but I sure > worked on the Lamaze breathing to get through it. Huff, huff. My repeat > cholangiogram is the 17th and I have been told that they will just inject the > dye into the drain tube and take pictures--although the tx team may want a > repeat biopsy--which I am not looking forward to although I do see the need > for it. > > I hope this helps. > Penny > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Explore the Web for sites in Health & Medicine from Looksmart! > http://clickhere./click/295 > > eGroups.com home: /group/ > - Simplifying group communications ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 1999 Report Share Posted June 9, 1999 I wonder if it is anything like what I've had a few times. I have felt blocked in my esophagus where food or even water wouldn't go down and the doctor said I had a yeast infection of the esophagus. They gave me an anti-yeast or fungal oral medication and it always takes care of it. It usually happens when I've been taking antibiotics. I've had yeast show up in very strange places such as ears (causing severe itching). Apparently the antibiotics proliferate yeast and fungus growth. I thought the doctor was nuts when he said I had a yeast infection there but the medication for it has taken care of it every time. When the healthy bacteria are killed by the antibiotics it causes the yeast and fungi to grow or that's what I have been told. The book " The Yeast Connection addresses this topic " . Peg A PR Weller wrote: > Kamisar wrote: > > > What's a fungal ball?? How do they test for bile duct cancer? > > Dear , > Darned if I know--but we see the doctor on Friday and he'll give us more > specifics. It's just a big cluster of fungal cells, I think. When I said I > wanted to post the information to the group he said: " I can guarantee that no > one else will have this problem. " It may be related to the long term use of > sulfa to control the liver abscesses caused by my second ERCP. > > As for the biopsy, it was done during the cholangiogram (the tx docs were > almost certain it was cancer) and they did a " brushing " . I was full of > versed and heaven knows what else and the drain placement hurt like the > dickens and the " brushing " felt like someone was running a toilet bowl brush > inside my tiny duct. It's been 25 years since I've had a baby, but I sure > worked on the Lamaze breathing to get through it. Huff, huff. My repeat > cholangiogram is the 17th and I have been told that they will just inject the > dye into the drain tube and take pictures--although the tx team may want a > repeat biopsy--which I am not looking forward to although I do see the need > for it. > > I hope this helps. > Penny > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Explore the Web for sites in Health & Medicine from Looksmart! > http://clickhere./click/295 > > eGroups.com home: /group/ > - Simplifying group communications ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 1999 Report Share Posted June 9, 1999 This particular " ball " was within a duct in my liver--quite near the main connection (which in my case is not the common duct due to my surgery). P. Peggy Alfeld wrote: > I wonder if it is anything like what I've had a few times. I have felt blocked > in my esophagus where food or even water wouldn't go down and the doctor said I > had a yeast infection of the esophagus. They gave me an anti-yeast or fungal > oral medication and it always takes care of it. It usually happens when I've > been taking antibiotics. I've had yeast show up in very strange places such as > ears (causing severe itching). Apparently the antibiotics proliferate yeast and > fungus growth. I thought the doctor was nuts when he said I had a yeast infection > there but the medication for it has taken care of it every time. When the > healthy bacteria are killed by the antibiotics it causes the yeast and fungi to > grow or that's what I have been told. The book " The Yeast Connection addresses > this topic " . > Peg A > > PR Weller wrote: > > > Kamisar wrote: > > > > > What's a fungal ball?? How do they test for bile duct cancer? > > > > Dear , > > Darned if I know--but we see the doctor on Friday and he'll give us more > > specifics. It's just a big cluster of fungal cells, I think. When I said I > > wanted to post the information to the group he said: " I can guarantee that no > > one else will have this problem. " It may be related to the long term use of > > sulfa to control the liver abscesses caused by my second ERCP. > > > > As for the biopsy, it was done during the cholangiogram (the tx docs were > > almost certain it was cancer) and they did a " brushing " . I was full of > > versed and heaven knows what else and the drain placement hurt like the > > dickens and the " brushing " felt like someone was running a toilet bowl brush > > inside my tiny duct. It's been 25 years since I've had a baby, but I sure > > worked on the Lamaze breathing to get through it. Huff, huff. My repeat > > cholangiogram is the 17th and I have been told that they will just inject the > > dye into the drain tube and take pictures--although the tx team may want a > > repeat biopsy--which I am not looking forward to although I do see the need > > for it. > > > > I hope this helps. > > Penny > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Explore the Web for sites in Health & Medicine from Looksmart! > > http://clickhere./click/295 > > > > eGroups.com home: /group/ > > - Simplifying group communications > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > The Weather Underground. We provide weather across the world. > Visit http://clickhere./click/48 > > eGroups.com home: /group/ > - Simplifying group communications ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 1999 Report Share Posted June 9, 1999 Read the book the yeast connection. It's amazing the symptoms that an over abundance of yeast can cause. The cure for me was no yeast, no sugar, at least 8 glasses of water a day and 6 acidofulus pill, I used the brand PB8. Afterwards I was able to taper off but I haven't been watching my diet (it's sooo hard for me to stay away from the sweets and I'm eating bread again) so I'm having trouble again. I wear hearing aids and even had a problem with my ears feeling blocked. It drove my audiologist and I crazy and I even went so far as to get tubes in my ears to give more air flow (that didn't work). The condition is called candida. Also synthetic hormones ( I now use a natural progeterone cream), prednisone and antibiotics proliferate it. I did find that if I took the acidophilus I was less prone to yeast infections than I was before. If you can eat yogart that's good too but I know a lot of you can't eat dairy, neither can I. It's awful when one thing helps something and messes up something else and in the case of PSC you have to use some of these things. There I go rambling again. Peg A WYBEAR21@... wrote: > Peg A. > WOW! When I seen the part where you said that your ears itched all the > time due to a yeast infection in them, my jaw dropped. My ears aren't > itching now, but for like 2 months my ears would be bright red because I was > scratching them all the time. It was driving me crazy! Fortunately it went > away. I'm praying that it doesn't return! > Love, > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > The Weather Underground. We provide weather across the world. > Visit http://clickhere./click/48 > > eGroups.com home: /group/ > - Simplifying group communications ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 1999 Report Share Posted June 10, 1999 KAREN THEY CHECK FOR BILE DUCT CANCER TWO WAYS. ONE THEY DO A BRUSHING WHEN THEY DO AN ERCP AND THE OTHER HAVE THEM DO A BLOOD TEST CA19-9. MARSHA ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: /group/ - Simplifying group communications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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