Quincy Reporter

This is no way to lose weight

Imagine feeling nauseous when you eat and then going to your job at a restaurant. That was the situation Robbie Barfield faced. A server assistant at Hagel 1891 in Mt. Sterling, IL, Robbie began losing his appetite last fall. When he did eat, Robbie often felt sick to his stomach and experienced pain in his right side.

“I went from 130 pounds to 119 pounds,” Robbie said.

He went to his primary care provider, Andrew Dunn, DO, board certified Blessing Health Family Medicine provider. Feeling his patient had a gallbladder problem, Dr. Dunn ordered the tests needed to confirm the diagnosis. However, the tests showed no significant issues with Robbie’s gallbladder.

“Not every disease reads the text book to know how they are supposed to act,” Dr. Dunn said with a smile. “Gallbladder issues can be elusive, particularly if they do not show up positive on all the usual diagnostic tests.”

Dr. Dunn continued to track Robbie’s condition. The symptoms would come and go. But eventually the pain brought Robbie to the Blessing Emergency Center.

“Again this time, his work-up showed no significant gallbladder issues,” Dr. Dunn said. “Yet, the pain was severe and the symptoms were consistent with acute gallbladder dysfunction. I admitted Robbie to the hospital and consulted surgery.”

Dr. Dunn referred Robbie to Emmanuel Bessay, MD, board certified Blessing Health surgeon and multiple winner of the Quincy Herald-Whig newspaper’s Reader’s Choice Award for Best Surgeon.

Dr. Bessay reviewed all of Robbie’s tests and something caught his eye. One of the tests, called a Hida Scan offered a clue. A Hida Scan is often performed when a person has gallbladder symptoms but an ultrasound didn’t show a reason for the symptoms. A normal Hida Scan reading is between 30 and 80%. Historically, a result of less than 30% was considered abnormal. However, Dr. Bessay was aware of recent medical evidence that a reading over 80% can also be abnormal. Robbie’s Hida Scan showed a gallbladder function of 88%.

“What that means is the gallbladder is squeezing so hard it hurts,” Dr. Bessay said. “When we just looked at Robbie’s gallbladder, it did not look abnormal. That’s why the ultrasound and CT did not find anything. The problem was the squeezing of the gallbladder as it pushed out bile to help absorb and breakdown fats from food. It was squeezing to hard. Only the Hida Scan results show that.”

Dr. Bessay removed Robbie’s gallbladder.

“Once we took it out, all the symptoms were gone and we had a happy patient,” Dr. Bessay noted.

“I could not have asked for a better surgeon. I would highly recommend him,” Robbie said of Dr. Bessay. “He was thorough and friendly.”

Robbie appreciates the care he received from Dr. Dunn as well.

“I had excellent care from the nurses and doctors from the time I stepped in the door at Blessing,” he said.

Robbie’s appetite is back and he is gaining lost weight. He is looking forward to warmer weather and two of his favorite pastimes, fishing and Chicago Cub games, in between shifts at Hagel 1891, a job he loves.

For more information on the surgical services of Blessing Health, go to blessinghealth.org/surgery. 

For more information on Blessing Health’s primary care, go to blessinghealth.org/familymedicine.

About the gallbladder

The gallbladder is located in the upper right part of the abdomen, just under the liver. It stores and concentrates bile from the liver. The bile is then released into the first section of the small intestine (the duodenum), where it helps the body to break down and absorb fats from food.

When the gallbladder isn’t working properly, bile can't flow to the small intestine to help with digestion. People with a failing gallbladder may have some the following symptoms:

• Upper right abdomen pain radiating to the right shoulder or back.
• Pain after eating a fatty meal.
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Fever.
• Chills.
• Light-brown color to urine or light-colored fecal matter.

Healthcare providers may recommend surgery, known as cholecystectomy, to remove a failing gallbladder. Surgery avoids a further complication, gallstones. Patients still live normally after surgery because when the gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly from the liver into the small intestine, rather than being stored in the gallbladder.

Original source can be found here