Re : ERCP and pain

[Guest guest]

Hi Cindy,

You've had some excellent responses but here's my personal

experience as well!

I've had two ERCPs. The first was in 1988 when, no doubt, the

procedure was much newer. It was purely exploratory. I had a pretty

bad attack of pancreatitis after this but the pain hit me onle the

next day when I had already gone home. I had not yet been diagnosed

with CP. The pain was so like my typical attacks, although a bad

one, that I simply treated it in the same way. I fasted for a couple

of days, while the pain was at its worst, and used hot water bottles

etc. I had to stay in bed. For a couple of days the pain was pretty

awful but gradually eased off after that.

My second ERCP was just before last Christmas. The purpose was the

extraction of pancreatic juice for analysis in monitoring for pre-

cancerous cell mutations. The endoscopist was, therefore,

more " active " during the process than had been the case in 1988.

This time I had only mildly increased pain for several days

following the procedure. I was still able to go to work, for

example. Impossible after the 1988 one! Again, the pain only began

some hours after the procedure.

In both cases I was genuinely " out for the count " although I did not

have a general anaesthetic. It was, no doubt, conscious sedation but

it was just as good as an anaesthetic from my point of view! I have

had conscious sedation for an EUS as well. This was lighter sedation

and did NOT put me out completely; I had the sensation of gagging

from time to time. This did not happen with either ERCP.

I hope that's helpful.

Good luck.

Fliss (UK)