Sphincter of Oddi

[Guest guest]

Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 06:27:44 -0500

Subject: Re: Sphincter of Oddi?

Lily, could you explain a little more about what the pain is like from

Sphincter of Oddi. I asked my GI about this and she said you would not have

chronic pain with it but severe episodes of pain. And how is it diagnosed? By

ERCP or what? My pain got really bad 6 weeks post gallbladder surgery and is

now pretty constant everyday although I tolerate it with no pain meds I don't

know how much longer I will be able to stand it. I don't notice a difference

in my pain when I eat (but I still take enzymes & try to stick to a low fat

diet). I feel better at night when I am resting (I sleep with a heating pad

on) and I feel pretty good in the morning but after being up and moving

around the pain starts circulating my upper body. I just had an endoscopic

ultrasound yesterday which revealed a healthy looking pancreas - so I am

wondering now if the pain could be caused by the sphincter of Oddi or would

that show up on the EUS also?

I would appreciate comments from anyone who wants to share information on

this topic.

Thanks so much & A Peaceful, Meaningful, Painfree Christmas to All of YOU!!!

Debbie in Mich

[Guest guest]

Debbie:

I am searching back older posts as I have not been " on line " for

quite a while due to not having a computer. I just wanted to give

you some feedback on the SOD problem.

Yes, SOD is associated with SEVERE episodes of pain. I have always

called them the " pain from the sky! " When I get them, they start

for no apparent reason and just seem to come from nowhere. In my

own case most of the time they start in my jaw and ear. Fortunately

I don't have too many of them anymore.

The problem with SOD is the longer it goes untreated, the more

likely it is to turn into chronic pancreatitis. In my case that is

what happened. It took from 1983 until 1997 to be diagnosed with

pancreatitis and it took awhile to figure out the SOD and the

horrible pain were one in the same.

The way to find SOD is through biliary mannometry...they measure the

pressures in the bile duct itself to see if they are elevated. If

so, they then treat withe one or all of several treatments including:

Balloon dilatation

Stent placement

Sphincterotomy (cutting the duct)

nasobiliary drainage.

In my own case I wound up having 4 stents, several dilatations, a

sphincterotomy and nasobiliary drainge before the sphincter got

straigtend out. But, I have chronic pancreatitis as a result of all

of it.

SOD, doesn't always if ever show up on ultrasounds, or MRCPs, CTs,

EUS or anything else. That is what is so mind boggling. SOD and

pancreatitis are two different disorders but hte SOD is what causes

the pancreatitis. Early detection and treatment of SOD is the they

key to preventing pancreatitis!

I can tell you in my own case,until they treated the SOD, nothing

would stop the SOD pain, not diet, not enzymes, not anything. It

spasmed when it felt like it. SOD most of the time has a mind of

its own!

I hope this helps you some.

Take care

Kaye

Asheville, NC