Sod

[Guest guest]

I'm glad someone asked what is SOD, I was about ready to ask also. I

have C.P. .....what do you mean by spasms? the pain? I have spasms

in my esophagus, but assume this is not what u are talking about, so

I guess I don't have it. Is there a good website to learn more about

SOD that u can reccomend? Thank you...

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I can fill you in about SOD from what I experienced prior to having

this " fixed " last September. This is a blockage of your sphincter

of Oddi, which controls bile and pancreatic enzymes into your

intestine. A blockage can be from stones or scarring or a

" functional " one in which it refuses to respond to normal

" commands " from your body - so it doesn't open - this is the

spasming that people refer to. When the bile and enzymes are

blocked, by whatever mechanism, there can be damage to the

liver and / or pancreas. If the liver is involved (like mine was) you

will have episodes of hepatitis - where your liver function tests

are elevated - usually quite significantly. If your pancreas is

involved you will get episodes of pancreatitis - with or without

elevated pancreas enzymes. In my case, when I had bad

spasms, I experienced what is known as biliary colic attacks.

This is a slam in your back, nauseating, can't get comfortable

pain that lasts acutely, for a couple of hours. Usually medication

didn't work, only pacing it out, or laying on my back with my kness

pulled up to my chest. This is horrible, you think you are dying

type of pain!!! The after effects are that I felt like I had been beat

up by a gang of thugs, very sore, no appetite, and no energy. This

would last for a couple of weeks after a biliary attack. The way I

was diagnosed was through a ERC (no pancreatogram) with

manometry of the sphincter. The doctor found slightly elevated

pressures so he cut the sphincter. Since then I have not had any

biliary colic attacks. However, now I am being treated for a

blocked pancreatic duct - that is separate from the SOD problem.

Anyways that is my story of SOD. A good web site to read about it

is at the Journal of the Pancreas : http://www.joplink.net Search

for Vol 2, No 6 November 2001. Article by Stuart Sherman and

Glen Lehman. " Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction: Diagnosis and

Treatment. "

Laurie