ginabeewell wrote:My instinct weeks ago was, "just get these drains out of me and I'll stop leaking." But of course the surgeon did not agree with my "instinct!"
ginabeewell wrote:Meantime I have been praying for spontaneous healing so I don't have to worry about this any more!!
Gina, I completely empathize with you!!! I had a bile duct leak that just wouldn't stop. Weirdly (loooong story) it was after one of my lung surgeries. They placed a drain and waited for it to "resolve." It was putting out a significant amount of yellow bile (really sticky stuff!) and I made the mistake of checking out bile duct leaks online too. On one hand, I found articles about people who had lived for years with a bile leak/drainage bag. That didn't exactly reassure me!
Then I read the real medical consequences about what it does to your health over the long term. That didn't help either.
I was sent to Dr. Karen Brown at MSK who found the problem area (two blocked bile ducts) and opened them up. The plan was to place a stent if necessary, but she managed to open them completely during the procedure. I had to stay overnight in the hospital in case there was any bleeding afterward. I was released the next day in high hopes the problem was solved (picture me hopping, skippimg, and jumping my way down York Avenue!).
BUT it took
weeks and weeks and weeks for the output to slow down. It eventually did, a little at a time, and then suddenly (the last week) very quickly. My surgeon said he had faith it would heal itself eventually, but like your case, he became concerned as time went on. I wouldn't worry too much about what the nurse said. My output stayed consistent for a long time, then slightly went down, then went back to the old amount, and then finally (when I was tired, tired, tired of changing those stupid drainage bags), it started slowing down.
When it decides to do it, it will be quickly. My body was so ready to push that drain out of me, it actually shot out into the surgeon's hand when he removed it. Then I had a small bandage for a couple of days while it formed a scab. I was in the sleeping car of an Amtrak train (east coast to west coast in 5 days) when the scab fell off and I knew it was really, truly over.
This is just to let you know these things happen and they can resolve themselves after a little intervention. In the meantime, eat as healthy as you can to help your liver heal itself. I've been where you're at now, and it did get better. PM me if you have any questions.
F*cking bile leaks!!!
All best to you!
Juliej