Gallbladder Hida Scan low ejection fraction

Have them check for blocked bile duct

So about 3 months ago, I had this pain that was horrific (started on my right side and across my upper stomach) and I had no idea what it was. I went to the ER and they did a CAT-scan and ultrasound and diagnosed me with pancreatitis. I followed up with my Doctor and he said, it sounds like I passed a gall stone, although my test results from the ER did not indicate that at all.  My test results indicated my lipase levels were elevated but that was it. 

I went to dinner a week later, had another attack. I took some tums and drank a small glass of milk and it went away after about 2 hours or so.  Since then, my Doctor suggested a HIDA scan because I have had a total of 4 attacks- but I can pinpoint exactly what I have eaten when it happens and it's usually not right after I eat...but a few hours later.

My HIDA scan results show 4.1 EF and my Doctor says I need to have surgery because I have a lazy gallbladder. He said, you don't need it right now but you need it. UGH!

While my mom had her gallbladder removed 2 years ago (hers was infected and the pain never went away) I am leary. I have completely stopped eating meats, processed foods, fast foods and fried and no soda since Christmas last year. I use organic fruits & veggies and puree them so they are basically "pre" digested before going into my belly.

I really would rather taking a holistic approach and seeing if my body can in fact heal itself and if anyone knows who to reach out to. I am not opposed to having the surgery if my life depends on it but would rather see if my body can heal itself first. I don't have the nausea, diarrhea or vomiting. The pain usually goes away if I take a gas pill, drink herbal ginger tea and just relax...it was severe when I first experienced it but now just more like a dull ache on my right side from time to time but not consistent.

I would really, really like to see if I can do this without the surgery- here's hoping and praying!

Hi, I read your posts since I am new here and was wondering how things are going for you? I really don't want to have my gallbladder out unless it is life threatening. The pain can be horrific but looks like I have manage to keep it down by changing my diet. While I have only been on my new journey of eating for just over a month, something is working. So, just curious how you are doing and what steps you did exactly to improve your gallbladder health. Thanks for sharing!

I am new to this site & thus,was not able to read your dietary change.I am very interested to know what worked for you.Glad that you're symptom free w/ good test results.For the meantime I will do some research on my own as well re: dietary modification/adaptation re: Low gallbladder EF.

Date: June 11th 2013, I am a 55 year old Male. I believe I had to mild attacks from January 2013 (both only lasted for approximately 30 mins) till 4:30 am on June 7th 2013 when I awoke with severe abdominal pain. By 5:30 am I woke my wife as I was vomiting and the pain was excruciating. I am not one to go to the ER so we called Nurse Line a service provided by my Insurance Company. The young lady convinced me to go directly to the ER. Unfortunately our ER is less than stellar. My pain was right in the center of my abdomen just below the sternum and it was excruciating. We were at the ER for approximately 1 hour and they were still only taking down information. I then told my wife I was leaving she told the staff that I wanted to go that's when the nurse came in to give me a shot of Morphine which did not touch the pain. Approximately 30 mins later still in pain the ER Dr ordered a shot of Demerol finally the pain (which felt like someone had stabbed me in the stomach with a knife and kept twisting it) subsided. I then went for an X-Ray, a CT Scan and a Sonogram. Approximately 30 mins later the pain was back they then administered another shot of Demerol which works very fast. Results of test were no Gall Stones but thickening of the walls of my Gallbladder and Infection . I was sent home with two antibiotics Cipro and Flagyl pain meds Oxycodone (terrible only took one) and a laxative and also to follow a very bland diet (8 Hours in the ER). Friday night still having pain. Saturday Night after eating bad pain for almost 3 Hours pain medication Hydrocodone it helped. Sunday more pain Monday more pain and a visit to the Dr.s Office. At that time the Dr ordered the HIDA Scan which was done 5 hours later. HIDA Scan consisted of laying on the table being injected with dye watching on the screen as it filled up my Gallbladder other than the needle stick didn't feel anything. Next the young lady hung a bag she told me was the equivalent of me eating a greasy cheeseburger I had immediate pain she slowed the procedure down but explained she could not stop it. It made it bearable and when finished I needed to call the Dr for the results. Of course the Dr's office closed @ 4:00 pm Summer hours go figure. Called this morning at 8:30 am was told the Dr didn't come in till 12:30 pm of course 12:30 pm came and went with no call. 1:30 pm I called again he was with a patient. Finally 45 mins later I got the call my HIDA Scan said my Gallbladder was operating at only 17.68 % and the Gallbladder has to come out tomorrow(The young lady that administered the HIDA Scan said they were looking for a number 35% or better for a healthy Gallbladder). Now last night I read on-line that if the HIDA Scan was quick that it meant the Gallbladder was fine. My HIDA Scan was very quick and my Gallbladder isn't performing well at all. So don't believe everything you read and that goes for this reply also. We are all different I think everyone's body reacts differently. I truly don't know what to expect tomorrow I am hoping for some pain relief and back to some normality as I sit here typing in pain. I feel for anyone that has ever had a Gallbladder attack they are very painful. I have learned allot you don't have to have Gallstones to have a bad Gallbladder a quick HIDA Scan doesn't mean anything Listen to YOUR BODY YOU KNOW YOUR OWN BODY BEST  I knew something was very wrong. A side note of the test taken at the Hospital  I learned I also have a kidney stone good news the Dr said it's in my kidney and as long as it stays there I'm okay. I intend to follow up on that as soon as I feel better. Good luck to all who have a problem or have had a problem. I will follow up with a reply after surgery and am felling up to it.

Follow up Date June 12th 2013 1:45 going in for my Gallbladder Surgery. Surgery took approximately 40 minutes they made 4 incisions one below the belly button one approximately 4 inches above belly button one approximately 6 inches right of belly button and last 3 inches right of the last one. Woke up in recovery room with allot of pain nurse immediately gave me 5 cc of Morphine pain went from an 8 to a 6 shortly after maybe 5 minutes she administered another 5 cc of morphine pain subsided to about a 3. 10 minutes later she administered 4 cc of morphine pain was virtually gone except a little soreness and a little gas pain in my upper chest. After 1 hour in recovery room I was taken upstairs to my room. 1 hour later they served me dinner Hospital Food wasn't very good but I ate. Pasta with meat sauce mixed vegetables peaches apple juice and water. They also gave me antibiotics through my IV. The only discomfort since going to my room is the gas they used to blow up the belly they said it could last a couple days. I spent the night at the Hospital with Ice on my belly. Oh no stitches they used glue never heard of it but that's what they used. Fast Forward to Today June 13th 2013 I am home feeling so much better had Oatmeal when I got here still a little gas discomfort not bad they said the more I move around the faster it will pass. I will be sticking to a low fat diet for a few weeks then they say I can gradually bring the fat back in to my diet which was never allot. I am out of work until I see the Dr on Tuesday June 18th 2013 he will determine then if I can go back to work. So far this has been a good experience for me I feel so much better than I did. The Doctor said it was Inflamed and Infected and did indeed need to come out. I guess time will tell but right now It seems like a good decision. But like my previous post everybody is different everybody's body reacts differently what was good for me doesn't mean it will be good for you.ONLY YOU KNOW YOUR BODY LISTEN TO IT ! When I have something new I will come back and post it. Sully

Hi, Just diagnosed last week and having GB out this Tuesday...I know this post has been a while, but hoping for any update as to whether removing the GB was the answer. Have had the exact same symptoms as you, constant nausea, pain, and now terrible belching just starting today. Terrified for the surgery but more worried that this will not fix it. Many thanks! michele

I have had 2 hida scans. The first one showed 15% ejection fraction rate. Just had another one and it showed 0''5 ejection fraction rate. The doctor didn't seem to have answer for this. Said was first time he saw 0%. I too have biliarty dyskinesia which my other doctor says is lazy gallbladder. I feel 100% fine now. I want to do a liver cleanse and see if this makes any difference. I only had one "episode" where I have severe pain. One doc says it was gastritis, other doc say gallbladder. Hard to know what to do.

It's will be 6 weeks on Wednesday July 24th 2013 since my Gallbladder surgery I feel like a million bucks. My BM's are a little different but actually I think better softer and easier going the only thing I will say is when I have to go I have to go there is no waiting time. I guess I didn't realize how bad I was feeling till I started healing now I feel GREAT !!! Incisions are all but healed very little scaring. I've come along way since the attack and I'm glad I only had the one attack the pain was very severe and I didn't want to go through it again. The Dr gave me the go ahead on my diet so far so good nothing seems to bother me. Well I wanted to make sure I posted post op even though I feel so good a little encouragement for those of you debating on whether or not to have the surgery or not but as in my previous post only you know your body so listen to it and good luck with what ever decision you make. Mine has worked for me so far.So long for now....

I am right there with you Sully! Mine came out June 17th and I am still healing but just minimal pain, more uncomfortable but I have been active since the day after my surgery. Mt Doctor has seen me and said, you are fantastic- you were great before you even left the hospital.1 scar is already healed and I have 4 more and they are coming along nicely. Yes, it is very different how our bodies respond to food now. I am sticking to lowfat, more veggies, fruit and gluten free. I avoid red meats, pizza and overeating which was recommended by my Doctor. They also have me on prilosec still and I am looking to weaning off of that. I also agree- LISTEN to your body! Stay well everyone!

Im going through to the same thing had started eating really healthy no fatty or greasy foods alot of Veggies, fruit just Fiber tiny amount for breakfast with 1% milk and low fat cottage cheese im eating to healthy  now i dont understand when for years because of lifting alot and Im obese 300 LBS but these past few month i was having like low right side back pain told my Dr nothing in my Abdomen so i had the MRI of my back thought it was bone or muscle pain , normal, then i asked if its trapped gas because thats what it felt like nothing awful but just annoying, Gas like and muscle like annoying pains took aleeve thinking as always it was just my bad back Well Ultra sound of my abdomen and pelvis normal, no urinary infection, blood of kidney and Liver normal., Then i called my Gastro DR she didnt think by my symtoms that it would be my Gallbladder but she wanted a Hida Scan with the injection in the machine and then i had to drink boost a fatty drink my report said findings were my decreased gallbladder ejection frafture of 19% and they said findings indicate Biliary Dyskinesia Then dr said he recommended i see a surgeon but he wanted to rule anything else out so had CT scan with contrast of my abdomen and pelvis again..... normal just a fatty liver otherwise normal now my pains are nothing major at all their annoying its different then my usual back bone like pain like gas causing my lower back to hurt and then now its moved to my side a little...... what should i do im sure when i see the Surgeon he'll want to take it out

I am 26 years old and the mother of twin 2 year olds. For the last three weeks I have had pressure under both breast and upper chest area. It's hard to take a breath sometimes and I suppose worrying about it makes it worse! I have had this cough that doesn't seem to help anything also. It gets worse in the morning and at night. Some foods will set it on fire! I went to the emergency room for the first time in my life because I was scared it was cardiac related. I had an ablasion done to help with SVT about a year ago so all this was running through my head. They did an EKG, chest xray, sonogram of my kidneys, liver, and gallbladder. Also did the compete blood work. Everything checked out perfectly. I was put on protonix and that doesn't seem to be helping. My doctor ordered a HIDA scan and my ejection fraction came back 43%. So apparently it's not my gallbladder? Could it be dying a slow death? My cardiologist cleared me and said it was absolutely not my heart. Had a CT scan 3 days ago and that was all normal as well! It's so frustrating!! I can't keep living like this. I never had any acid reflux issues until 3 weeks ago and I am still not sold on it being that. I feel like something is wrong that is causing this but no test seems to be able to find it. Any ideas y'all??

I am currently 22 years old and have been suffering from pretty severe pain in the area where my gall bladder is. I had an ultra sound done and it reported that no gall stones were seen. Then I had a HiDA scan done and it came back with my ejection rate of 42%. My doctor said in order to get my gall bladder out the percent would have to be 35 or below. The percent difference is only 7%, is this still considered normal. If I am experiencing so much pain I don't understand what the cause could be. I've been tested for celiac and everything and am taking levisin, but nothing seems to be working. I have pretty much just stopped eating completely because of the pain. I'm wondering if 42% is still considered low and what should I do about this. I'm a full time student and I am majoring in pre-med so class is very important to me, and sometimes I am unable to attend. Someone help!!!

also would taking my medicine (adderall XR) right before the test have an effect on the test???

had similar symptoms..did a hida..reading was 29%..had it removed and what a difference..everything works better!!! only prob..i need to be careful since now i am hungry all of the time...get that gallbladder out..you will be amaqzed