common bile duct

[dontbelieveit]

my ct scan showed a slight dilatation of cmmon bile duct and ive read this happens to more hypothyroid people than others. Does anyone know anything about this?

[Murphysmum]

Hi, are you diagnosed hypo and on treatment?

I ask because I had a lot of problems with my gall bladder and bile ducts before I was diagnosed hypo.

This was about 16/17 years ago. I had no idea anything was up with my thyroid until about a year later. My scan showed that the duct went into spasm, causing the same symptoms as gall stones. Very painful!

Since I’ve been treated for hypo it’s never happened again.

[nosy in reply to Murphysmum]

I am treated nw but it was picked upincidentally on a ct scan for something else which was normal. I dont have symptons

[Murphysmum in reply to nosy]

Good! Because I would happily give birth twice more than have another attack from my gall bladder - I thought I was dying!!

[radd]

dontbelieveit

Many people with hypothyroidism have gall bladder and bile issues.

The liver metabolises hormones, filters toxins, cleans the blood, and byproducts are dumped into the gall bladder to help get them out of the body. Low thyroid function slows down this whole process, making the liver and gall bladder sluggish, congested and helping to make gallstones whilst bile becomes thick due to the inability to emulsify these fats.

Bile which is made in the liver is stored and released by the gall bladder, and pancreatic enzymes (released by the pancreas) includes amylase, protease and lipase. Lipase is responsible for digesting fats and works with bile, breaking the fats down which can be absorbed into the blood stream and stored in the liver for energy.

Adequate bile is (indirectly) required for good thyroid hormone synthesis as are stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Inadequate amounts can inhibit digestion of essential fatty acids, the absorption of improperly digested fat globules, raising cholesterol levels and leading to deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins (Vit A, E, K and the all important Vit D ! ! ..)

Bile also serves as the route of excretion for bilirubin. Ask for your liver enzymes to be tested, and all nutrients and iron.

[Kimmie4 in reply to radd]

Just want to jump in and say thanks to radd for this info as i'd not heard it before. This explains why the high fat low carb diet an integrative GP suggested when i was first diagnosed had me doubled over in pain.

That was several years ago. I tolerate fats much better now but am still leery of introducing EPO or fish oil supps to alleviate dry skin.

So grateful for this amazing forum!

[radd]

Yes.

It could take months/years for bilirubin to accumulate though. It does not immediately correlate with T4 levels.

[radd]

I don’t know anything about gall bladder polyps.