Can Lyme disease cause gall bladder inflammation? My HIDA scan showed a low ejection rate of 15% (normal is 35%+).
I don't know what this means exactly or if Lyme can cause this inflammation. I may have it removed.
I wondered if Lyme can attack this organ and if it could improve with treatment. I won't deal with chronic pain too long if it acts up though.
I have no gallstones or obstruction. It simply is not pushing out bile quickly and efficiently enough.
Any thoughts?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Have you had some gallbladder attacks? Yes, lyme can attack it and make it less than efficient. I lost mine to Lyme and was never on IV Rocephin.
Hope you can carry it for awhile.
Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :
I had a spleen scan a few months ago and happened to mention to the tech doing it that the pain was on my other side. She took a look at my gallbladder, even though the Dr. didn't order it, and said it looked normal.
I'm not sure what a HIDA scan is. All I know is that I did have gallbladder pain.
Posted by candlequeen (Member # 17054) on :
I had gall stones when I first started treating. They are gone now through using herbs.
Posted by britagal (Member # 16586) on :
Saw a LLMD first time last week and he clinically confirmed my positive Igenex test for chronic Lyme. He also wants me to have a HIDA scan as I was a little tender in the area when he examined me. I would rather not have the HIDA scan because of the radioactive dye they inject (had way too many x-rays and CT's over the years). I have not had any gall bladder problems that I know of.
Anyone know of another way to determine gall bladder function?
The LLMD also said the gall bladder had to be working well prior to starting treatment. Have any of you been required to remove your gall bladder in order to start abxs?
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
I think Lyme can affect the gallbladder.
My LLMD also ordered a HIDA scan at the beginning of treatment, I think because she sees gallbladder issues fairly often in Lyme patients.
If I remember correctly, I also had a low ejection rate at that time.
After I did a few months of IV Rocephin, the GB attacks started. Ouch. My gallbladder came out shortly after that.
But - here's the good part - after getting the GB out, I really turned a corner. LLMD said that she sees that often, and that the GB is one place that Lyme and co can "hide" from abx.
Posted by ByronSBell 2007 (Member # 11496) on :
Almost lost mine.... still holding on to it though.
Posted by KS (Member # 12549) on :
Can lyme infect the gallbladder? I don't see why not. It is something I've been exploring. I have no pain but a lot of nausea (regardless of whether I eat or what I eat). The nausea has subsided some with lyme treatment but it still lingers.
I had a HIDA scan done as well and had an ejection fraction of about 12%. CT scan and ultrasound show no sludge or stones. Doctors aren't sure removing the gallbladder is the answer for me and could even make my nausea worsen. I have looked into this quite a bit and some recent studies are suggesting that it may be normal for some to have a low gallbladder ejection fraction. Other doctors feel that how one reacts to the injection is a predictor of whether someone should have surgery. Other doctors/studies contradict this as well.
I'm not aware of any method that does not involve some kind of dye to assess gallbladder function.