Hello! I actually feel really bad posting in this forum, as I haven’t been diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer, yet.
I am extremely worried and wondered if someone who has experience could give me some advice. I had been having some right side rib pain and sometimes in the area under my rib. I also get right shoulder pain at times. I was used to getting this on the left side but not the right. I always worried about pancreatic cancer. However, I ended up having lower right abdominal pain and had a CT scan. The doctor I spoke with didn’t seem super concerned but after researching more, I sure am.
the CT found my liver was 15.7 cm (I’m 39 and very thin). It doesn’t state that it’s too large or enlarged just the size. The other two concerning things: my bilary duct was dilated to 8 cm but one view was 5 cm and mild intrahepatic and extra hepatic bilary duct dilation that is nonsoecific and could be due to my gallbladder removal 5 years ago.
May bilirubin was 1.1 and he said it was slightly elevated but he wasn’t worried because my other liver number was fine. I have NEVER had elevated bilirubin levels. In March, they were .8. I will say, I had been very anxious and hadn’t eaten or had much to drink for the day so I don’t know if that can affect the levels or not. But I also had it in my urine. I was taking an antibiotic for a UTI (that turned out to not be a UTI), they thought it was bc I have blood in my urine. I have to admit, a few weeks ago when I was worried about my left side pain and pancreas, I felt my feet and hands itching. Would bilirubin of 1.1 cause that?
How concerned should I be that this is bilary duct cancer? It seems like so many things that point to it. Would have the CT scan picked up the cancer? If it was blocking the duct, and to the point of causing symptoms, would it have been large enough to be seen? I felt like it was a very detailed scan and it was done with contrast. I know nobody here can make a diagnosis but just wondering your thoughts on this. I know it’s rare. I’m only 39. But that doesn’t make it impossible. I feel so bad that this time I was worried about a different type of cancer that wasn’t even what my symptoms were pointing to ! The findings of the CT scan mention the bilary duct dilation but nothing about my liver size being too large or any types of blockages or tumors. I was found to have cysts on my kidneys. Surely that’s not from the bilary duct cancer spreading? But wouldn’t there be a visible tumor on the CT scan? Did any of you have the tumor show up on CT or did it take a lot of different scans to get to the point of seeing it? I have a dr appt on Thursday and I can discuss this with my primary doctor and I sent a message to my GI doctor to get his opinion, too. Just any information in the meantime would be great....
Thanks in advance. I appreciate you taking time to help me out. I am so sorry to bug people that are actually living this nightmare and my thoughts are with you all...
