Recurrent gall stones in the bile duct after gall bladder removal

[brigitte425]

I had my gall bladder out in 2003.  Since then I have had recurrent gall stones that get stuck in my bile duct and have to be removed by ERCP.  It didn't happen until 2005.  Then it was close to another year and it happened again.  Since then I have had to have this done 1 to 2 times per year.  I have gotten pretty sick a couple of times, but mostly my doctor schedules me in time before that happens.  He is very much trying to convince me to have an operation that attaches my bile duct to my intestines.  He says that he is almost certain that will solve the problem.  I have tried every supplement and homeopathic remedy known to man to stop the stones from forming without any long-term success.  The ursodial I take 600 mg 3 times per day slows it down a little, but doesn't really fix the problem.  After having the ERCP I usually feel pretty goood for about 5 months then I start getting symptoms again and have to have it done again.  There is no real explanation as to why it keeps happening.  Now they are saying it must be genetic.  The problem I have is that the operation is major surgery and there is still no guarantee that it will work.  I met with the surgeon once and he told me that it won't stop the stones but they will be able to move through easier and more directly.  He said that if they get stuck after the operation, the only way to get them through would be to stick something through my back and push them through that way.  It seems that so far the ERCP is a better alternative.  I have had difficulty finding much information on this operation.  My stones are all cholesterol stones and everything else is normal.  Does anyone have any information on this re: is there any way to stop the stones from forming, is the operation the best option, how I can get more information on this happening to people and how they made out if they got the operation, etc.  Thanks for any help you can give me.              

[juju628]

I HAVE HAD MY GAULBLADDER REMOVED AS WELL FIVE YEARS AGO AND I HAVE HAD STONES IN MY BILE DUCT ONCE A YEAR EVERY YEAR AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I DONT THINK THEY HAVE A CLUE ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THEY ONLY WANT TO USE YOU AS A GINNY PIG IF YOU ASK  ME I STAY PRETTY WELL SICK ALL THE TIME NOW MY LIVER AND KIDNEYS START TO SHUT DOWN BEFORE THEY WILL EVEN HELP ME OR DO ANOTHER ERCP EVEN WITH MY HISTORY OF THEM THEY ALMOST LET ME DIE BEFORE THEY BELIEVE THERES ANOTHER STONE AND I DONT THINK WE ARE PRODUCING THEM I BELIVE THE DOCTOR THAT REMOVED THE GAULBLADDER LOST THEM AND WHEN THEY TAKE ONE OUT THEY THINK THEY HAVE THEM BUT I THINK THAT THE OTHERS ARE JUST BEHIND THEM AND TAKES ITS PLACE ONCE REMOVED SO I BET IF THEY GAVE YOU OR ME A WEEK AFTER THE ERCP AND DID ANOTHER ONE THERE WOULD ALREADY BE ONE TO REMOVE UNTIL THEY GET ALL THEY LOST WHEN TAKING OUT THE GAULBLADDER IN THE FIRST PLACE SEE BUT THAT WOULD MAKE THEM WRONG BY SAYING OH ITS BEEN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR SO YOUR BODY MADE ANOTHER ONE .I HOPE YOU SEE WHAT IM SAYING AND I HOPE IT HELPS AND GOOD LUCK LORD KNOWS WE NEED IT .juju628

[CalGal]

Brigitte, I assume you're eating a low fat diet? Have they done an MRCP or ERCP with dye to look at the structure of the bile duct? If so, did they find a very 'pouchy' or twisted common bile duct? Is there any 'stump' left of the cystic duct onto the common bile duct?