Gallbladder Hida Scan low ejection fraction

Update on my original post on 4-19-10.... I had the hida scan done and my ef rate was 5%. Now just waiting to see what Dr is going to do.

I, like may others who have posted on here, are so glad to have found this site. I have had suffered from what I now know are gallbladder issues for many years now. Last year I started having "attacks" where I felt like I had pressure in my chest, pain in my back, and acid reflux. Went to my PCP and he said I had GERD, sent me home with Protonix and Zantac. I have had the abdominal pain, belching, back pain, acid reflux/heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, etc. I have since had Lap Band surgery 11/30/09 and was off of my Protonix and Zantac, didn't think I needed it anymore. 2 months later I had nausea, back pain, and the worst acid reflux. I was dry heaving as well and couldn't stop. Went to my surgeon who took fluid out of my band thinking maybe it was too tight. Symptoms still persisted. He then did a barium swallow to ensure the band was where it should be; it was. He mentioned gallbladder, but I just put myself back on my Protonix and Zantac. Last week I was at work and just finished some chicken noodle soup. I then started having the most horrible back pain (right in between the shoulder blades). I also was nauseous and sweaty - thought I was having a heart attack! I was so scared. Went to the ER and they did an ultrasound. Told me right away I had gallstones and because my WBC was also elevated, admitted me. I had a HIDA scan and was told by the surgeon who was on call that it was normal and the ultrasound was not conclusive for gallstones. I was released 2 days later and told to followup with my surgeon. I just picked up my medical records and was astonished to find that the US showed gallstones with no wall thickening and the HIDA scan said by GBEF was at 9%! I know that is not normal! Thankfully I see my surgeon on Thursday so will see what he thinks. After all that I have read I think I saw a quack! I still feel sick and can't eat without throwing up or having diarrhea immediately afterward. I still have the acid symptoms, too. I am just trying to make it to Thursday! Best of luck to all of you. :-)

i would just like to start by saying I know this seems to be quite a bit to read but my wish for you is that you may find comfort from someone who has been there done that! I am a 43 year old female and I weighed approx 135 lbs. I am now laying in my hospital bed waiting to go home today reading everyone's comments so I thought I would share my experience. About 4 weeks ago I decided to get the pain that I was having in my stomach and chest and right quadrant flank pain. My doctor diagnosed me with gastroenteritus and gave me a prescription for prilosec. I faithfully took the prilosec for 2 weeks 1 pill 30 minutes before breakfast and 1 30 minutes before dinner and started getting cluster headaches. The prilosec seemed to be working fairly well with my excessive belching, nausea and over all feeling of a heart attack. During this time I started sweating profusely, having chills and overall filling not very good. I had to change my clothing at least 3 times a day. Last Wednesday the pain got to be too great really bad in my right side. I felt it in my shoulder all the way down to my pelvis front and back side. This pain was excruciating! I couldn't get into the doctor till early evening so I opted an ER visit. I went through a CT SCAN and numerous blood tests and all show normal except I had an enlarged duct to my pancreas. I was sent home with percocet for pain and told to follow up with my doctor. I followed up with my doctor who then ordered an ultra sound for the next day Friday mid morning. During this entire time I also used a probiotic yogurt drink made my Glenn Oaks which coated my tummy enough that I could live with the pain. Friday morning I woke up at 6 am took my probiotic and at 6:30 am began to vomit for the next 3 hours with EXCRUCIATING pain! After my what seemed normal ultrasound which again showed the enlarged duct in my pancreas I tried to call my doctor to tell her how bad I was and I needed to be seen. She was very busy so again I opted to go to the ER again. This time they ran the same battery of tests and my lipase was 1349. I was given dialuded and phenegran and torridol via IV for pain. I was diagnosed with pancreatitis and transported by ambulance to the hospital. The pain subsided a bit with the IV cocktail. Between the hour ambulance ride and waiting for the resident on call doctor which was a period of 6 hours and NO PAIN MEDS I was ready to die. At around 10:30 Friday night I was finally allowed dialauded through my IV and told nothing by mouth except ice chips and I was given around the clock dialauded every . This wasn't too bad because I hadn't had anything to eat since my probiotic Thurs morning before my ultra sound. Saturday morning I was told that my lipase levels were normal blood tests were clean and that I will probably be discharged and I could have breakfast. I was so happy as I was starving. I ordered an egg omelet with tomatoes and mushrooms, cream of wheat and a cottage cheese fruit plate along with some apple juice which seemed a good choice to the doctors and nurses. About 30 mins later it all came back up. I was still being scheduled to be released and I was told to walk around the ward. My pain level grew to a 6 and I informed my doctor during my walk. The doctor decided to than schedule me for a HIDA Scan. For those of you that don't know what this is it's a two hour test that measures the squeezing and bile release of your gall bladder. They inject a radioactive dye into your gall bladder via IV. This leaves a metalic taste in your mouth, makes you feel a little warm and woozy. Meanwhile they take a series of pics of your gall bladder which my technician had a monitor that I could see what was happening. My gall bladder came out of hiding fairly quickly. An hour later the house nurse came down and injected a medicine that makes your intestines think that food had been introduced to your system. This causes the same symptoms of nausea vomiting and pain. Another series of pictures are taken for an hour to watch for the squeezing of your gall bladder. Basically I was told by my awesome tech that the gall bladder should shrink at least 35% which again I was allowed to watch. This process is again another hour and you can't move. When the medicine was injected I immediately felt very nauseous and the pain flaired up. The nurse that injected the meds used an old nurse trick on me for the nausea that worked very well. She waved an alcohol pad in front of my nose that made the nausea go away. About 40 minutes into the test my gall bladder still wasn't squeezing. The entire hour went by which I watched my gall bladder that seemed to be the same size when it all started. I assessed as well as the tech that it wasn't working and at that point in time I FIRED my gall bladder. I returned to the ward again in excruciating pain. The next morning, Sunday, the surgeon visited me first thing and explained that my gall bladder only shrank 22% and the next step was to have it removed. On a side note and I mean this wholeheartedly through my hospital stay I stayed extremely positive which is very hard to do when your pain is so high. I was scheduled for surgery for Monday morning. Another side note worrying or being scared is not staying positive it's negativity and it takes the power away from you. It will also give you a pleasant hospital stay! I told the surgery team I was ready because I had a long talk with my gall bladder and I fired it! Surgery went awesome I have 4 holes in my tummy and the only pain I'm experiencing is gas pain and normal surgical pain! About 2 pm Monday afternoon I woke up in recovery in excruciating pain which I was quickly given IV pain meds and I soon began to come back to the real world. During surgery they use gas to blow up the inside of your tummy so they can see what they are doing this is painful however if you walk it is the best way to get rid of the gas. I ate salmon and butternut squash soup with herbal tea for dinner after i was able to show that i could keep a clear liquid diet down. Piece of cake! And it was the bestest ever food. On another side note between thurs which my weight at the doctor was 135 and Saturday I lost 10 lbs. I walked to the ward that I had been previously staying on because after surgery I was moved to the surgical ward, and hugged my nurses with a big smile on my face! They couldn't believe it was me walking in a normal gait only pain again was surgical and gas. My IV was discontinued because I was drinking and eating and peeing without any issues. Which brings me back to today, tuesday morning Surgeon just came in and answered questions I had and told me I would be leaving the hospital around 1 or 2 pm today! I am so happy and I have no right flank pain or nausea like I had before. As for diet I believe EVERYTHING in MODERATION and am very positive that I am through with that right flank pain! I hope that this really helps anyone who takes the time to read this. My name is Deb and my email address is for anyone who would like to know more. I wish you all the BESTEST EVER!

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Listen all you people. Americans in particular have a very high rate of Gallbladder problems. Doctors solution? Cut it out! Um..that is not really solving the problem, its just removing an organ to take away the symptoms of the true problem. Gall bladder problems tells you that you have a diet problem. Most gallbladder issues can be reversed through diet.
3 different doctors told me to take mine out. I suffered with attacks for a while, but did not and would not do it.
I tried changing my diet to a strictly healthy one but just could not be disciplined about it.
I believe I have cured my gallbladder problem since I have not had an attack for 5 years. Most homeopathic remedies involve Olive Oil. I consume cold pressed olive oil every day in the morning and mix it with my oatmeal, flax, and flax oil. I put a health 1 to 3 tbsp's in it.
Somebody try this and report your results back here. I want to see if it works for others.
Thanks!
S.N.

Help anyone!! I have had pain for 4 years and No test has help the pain is where my galbladdar is I cant keep any food down for the past week. I had a hida scan and that was the worse thing that I have ever had it took 3 people to hold me down.

Hello everyone. I have sypmtoms of fullness/acid indegestion/sporatic sharp stomach pains/nausea and extreme gas. I have an appt with a surgeon next wednesday to discuss the removal of my gallbladder. Two years ago I had a HIDA scan that showed my gallbladder was emptying at 21%. He said that it wasn't that bad...a lot of people have and ejection fraction from 0% - 10%. I listened to my mother and tried alternative therapy. I stopped eating gluten, stopped eating dairy, started taking protonix for indegestion, ate only organic non processed foods, tried exercise....and nothing worked. No matter what I ate, the moment I ate it, my stomach would blow up like a balloon, gas pain, heartburn ect. The only thing that helped my sypmtoms was to eat just very little. I wanted to gain weight again because I thought I was too thin but after I gained the weight...there went my stomach again. I cannot take it anymore. I called my surgeons office and told them I wanted to see him for the possibility of getting it taken out. They told me that at any time I could have it out if I so choose....and I am choosing.

It is easy for those of you who have no symptoms, to say that alternative therapy is better, or that it's stupid just to have the organ taken out. If you suffered from these symptoms as we do you would not think the same way. I literally look like I'm 6 months pregnant. I cannot wear anything except baggy sweaters and pants that I can undo when i'm sitting at my desk. I have to go to the bathroom often to...um...release...it's miserable. I am very hopefull that this will take all of that away. I tried other methods and it didn't work. It's time for surgery.

I am sooo glad I found this site with all your posts, it sure has shed some light on a subject like many of you have found is nearly impossible to find more information on. I too have gallbladder troubles w/o stones. I was in the ER in January with pain that was more extreme than labor pains (I have a 8yo). They ran every test under the sun and NOTHING, 6hrs later the ER doc comes in and said I just must have been constapated, I wanted to hit him. I decided to follow up with my general doctor, same thing I was just fine nothing was wrong. So not happy with that answer I went to see a gastro doc and they ran a HIDA scan, results are 23%. I am leaning towards having it out as it sounds like it would sure make me feel better! I lost 40lbs from June-Dec of 2010, now I find if I eat anything I feel very full, gassy and pain on my right side. If I eat little tiny meals I seem to do better but not always. Sometimes get back pain, dizziness, and now I have the added acid reflux. It does seems to be getting worse for me. I am 41yo and healthy otherwise. I also found some interesting information from the US National Library of Medicine, basically 91% of those who symptoms who had their gallbladder taken out improved. Sounds like good news to me! I am going to follow up with the surgeon next week. I think it's time...

Thank you so much to everyone who has told their story and to those who do it in the future! I am only 21 years old without any children and I've been experiencing symptoms for almost 3 years now. It first started with chest pains which caused me to become very weak, to where I couldn't stand. Then came the bloating and fits of diarrhea which alternated with constipation. My mother didn't really think anything of it because I'm so young but she didn't mention that she, and my grandmother both had their gallbladders removed. The sharp pain on my right side around my ribs didn't start happening until about 6 months ago. Since then I've had just about every test done that you could do, and I've seen a gi specialist, as well as a cardiologist. Finally, they decided to look at my gallbladder and I had my hida scan done almost two weeks ago and my doctor said everything came back normal, but never mentioned my EF %. I will call his office Monday morning to see what my % was, but he still wants me to consider having the surgery. Because my mother and grandmother did have severe attacks and gallstones, I'm about 85% sure that I want to get it removed. The pain makes it almost impossible to stand, and my job requires me to be on my feet for 6+ hours, making it very hard to work. I'm just ready to end the pain and move on with my life.

Has anyone ever heard of your injection fracture getting better? In February I had a scan done and the rate was 10% I had another one done 2 days ago and the rate was 73% perfectly normal. My gasto is "flabbergasted" at my results and doesn't know how to proceed. I also had negative Ct, ultrasound and EGD. any input is appreciated.

what a great site!!!  this is very helpful and very positive and it is making me feel better reading! I have been sick only for about a month maybe a little more.  I started having gastric pain, GERD, reflux pain,  sometimes a little nausea. (but never the right upper quad pain under ribs?  So I suffered for a week then went to the ER bc my dr said it might be chest pain.  they did an ultasound and found 2 stones.  saw a surgeon who wasnt convinced that it needed to come out, he said people live and die with stone but not bc of stones.  I kept having pain and then had a whole day of nausea and vomiting.  had an upper GI which showed nothing then had HIDA - this showed 5%!!  he said "OH this needs to come out!"  so, I have appt next wed 4/27 for pre appt to surgery. am hoping I can make it to 5/10 (I need to get it out now but issues at work with time off, hubby not home etc!) so...my issues not are not being able to eat anything.  I eat crackers, bread, sweet potatoes, bananas, pears.  I read pear juice is healing for gallbladder - not sure if its accurate but I am drinking up! for protein I am eating chicken plain, and turkey.  booooring diet!  I screwed up and ate eggs the other day!  Do not eat eggs!! major attack. sick and in pain.  so my issue is that I cannot eat.  today I am very gassy and rumbly tummy all of a sudden. and had GREEN STOOL for the 1st time!! I am not eating anything other that what is above so dont know what happ.  could my gall bladder be dying??  haha.  can this happen?  I mean I was ok just trying to get through until 5/10....but I dont know now with these new symp!!  eek.  anyway.  I am going to have the surgery eventually.  my sister had it about 10 yrs ago.  she still has some probs with diarreah after fatty foods but I will tell you she is thin bc of it!  I dont want diarreah though not a good diet plan haha. My concerns are after day 2 after surgery will I be ok to get around? I know I need to walk.  I cant believe there are some people posting on here the day they have surgery!!!  this makes me so happy to read.  anyway thats my story.  thanks for everyones posts!!!!

Well I had my GB out on March 30th.  I am feeling so much better!!  Even with a not so low HIDA scan it turned out my gallbladder was in fact diseased and NEEDED to come out, since I don't have stones it was a shock to my surgeon as he told me I did not fit the profile of someone with a bad gallbladder, I am not nor have I ever been overweight, or ate a high fat diet.  I am a vegetarian who eats VERY healthy so he was skeptic.  I have been dealing with 20+yrs of stomach issues that I know now were all due to my GB.  I am so glad I pushed and got it done, what a treat to no longer have gas, bloating, pain, amazing!!  The surgery was rough for about 3 days and then I started to get better and better, I am not able to take ANY pain meds due to an allergic reaction so I believe that's why I had a rougher time post-op.  One thing I do want to mention is a severe pain in my shoulders after the surgery, it was due to the gas they use to inflate your abdomen eventually settles in your shoulders.  VERY painful, but after day 1 my right shoulder was fine and a few days later the left was ok too. 

well GB came out yesterday!  I am in pain but am ok!  Pain from gas they use to inflate belly is the worst part. I feel that in my belly and my rt shoulder.  it is an annoyance.  The incisions hurt too but not that bad.  the pain is prob a 7.  I am taking 800mg motrin bc narcoitcs make me sick.  I am so glad it is out and I can now be on the mend and soon can have coffee!!! and eat again. I havent been eating in a month. if you are considering this and are worried, dont be.  It is a good idea to get it out. I had a major laparotomy big incision across my lower bikini area, this is NOTHING compared to that. 

Hey there...well for a couple of months I was dealing with the bloating, nausea feeling and pain in my upperright quadrant...I got the apin no matter how bland my food was...even some drinks caused pain..Went to ER...ultra sound, xray and blood work were normal...but I was still in immense pain...so they admitted me. the following day they did an ejaction fraction on me and found out my gallbladder was barely working 1%...however...to be on the safe side..my surgeon, did a few more tests, cat scan, and gyescope..to check pancreas other organs...to rule out.  All of that was normal which in turn meant that the gallbladder was the problem.  The following day I was booked into surgery, laproscopy...all went well...was dischared the following afternoon...It has been 6 days since my surgery and I am planning to go back to work tommorrow..yes I am still sore..but it is expected...and good news..now I can eat and drink without any pain!!  This is a blessing and glad it is done...now I can enjoy my summer!!  Take Care!!

I know I am a little late but I am OVER JOYED to find this forum!!!! For the past month I have been in HORRIBLE pain, in and out of the hospital. I've even developed two lumps on my stomach. All of my doctors seem to come up with different reasoning as to why I am in pain. Earlier today I got a HIDA scan and received copies of my film after I left. I wanted to know the answer immediately since I am scheduled for surgery on Tuesday (my most recent doctor encouraged me to go ahead and make an appointment since the gallbladder is probably the reason) but my doctors office was closed to give me results. Thank God for this forum, I was able to get a good idea how to read my film. It says I have an EF of 0%. I guess that means the surgery is a go from what I've read. I've never been more happy in my life. I'm 21, a full time student and full time employee. This pain has really made me exhausted all the time and unable to function. I can't wait for it to be over with. I've also gotten an Ultra Sound (came back fine other than gallbladder swelling) and a Catscan (came back fine as well). Can't wait to be feeling better!!!!! 

I feel all of your pain. It is a long tedious process, and sometimes I feel like it is never gonna end. Went to the er about 6 months ago, where the doctor told me that the pain and constant vomiting I have been experiencing since 2009 was due to my gall bladder. I trusted her and went to a doctor. The doctor ran an ultrasound and it came back negative. He said he didn't know what to do, so he prescribed me nausea meds and acid reflux meds. Told me to take them well before I ate, because I only get nauseated when I eat. I only feel the pain when I get sick. I have been losing weight at a slow but sure pace. When I started this, I was 190 pounds. Here I am six moths later in the 140s. I took the doc's advice and went to an upper gi specialist and he sent out for an xray. The results of the x ray came back that my lower esophageal sphincter muscles are not closing properly. Thus causing reflux up into my esophagus. It isn't normal reflux, as I don't have any heartburn or issues with stomach acid. It is only what I ingest. The specialist told me that I needed surgery for the issue and sent me to a surgeon. I am so frustrated because the surgeon says that it sounds like my gall bladder and that I have to run through a HIDA scan. I am just hoping something positive comes back out of this. I want to feel better. I have no energy, and I have two toddlers who need their mommy to be better. I hope that this is the last round of tests. I hope this helps someone out, and I hope you all are better by now at least.