About Nitro and SOD

[Guest guest]

My family doctor, who has been wonderful at being open-minded,

started doing some research on SOD pain after I received my

diagnosis from the GI doc at Mayo Clinic. He told me that

nitroglycerine tabs under the tongue during an attack would help and

I agreed to try it.

I talked with the doctor at Mayo Clinic a couple of weeks after I

had tried the first tab and told him that my family doc had

prescribed nitro tabs for the SOD pain and he agreed that they do

help with that type of pain. It works by dilating the biliary tract

by my understanding. When the SO spasms it is because of pressure

build up because the sphincter is contracted. By dilating it

relaxes the sphincter and allows the duct to flow thus relieving the

pain. It also dilates everything else as well arteries, etc. This

is why it is given for chest pain, heart attack etc. I hope I have

explained this correctly as I never think to bring a pen and pad to

my doctor's visits. I end up with a pounding headache after I have

taken one but most of the time the headache pain is small compared

to the SO spasm. Kinda choosing the lesser of two evils. I am also

on Procardia which is a blood pressure med. It also helps reduce

pressure in the ducts. Again given to relieve the SOD pain. I have

high blood pressure anyway so there is not a risk of my blood

pressure going too low by taking it. Procardia was prescribed by

the Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and I have increased my dosage

over time.

Hope this helps!!

Zoie