These studies must be ordered by your family physician to identify the underlying medical condition. If these studies are not performed, there is no way to assume that they are normal. Once the results of these tests are obtained and are found to be abnormal, the specific condition that they relate to must be investigated further.

  You cannot and should not assume that your family physician knows about these studies or that they have been already obtained in previous examinations. You may even be told that these studies are unnecessary or useless in your case. Please be persistent and insist that they be done.

W.P. Smedley
M.D. F.A.C.S.
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   These tests must be performed before there can be any recognition of an underlying medical condition that may be causing your Anorexia or Bulimia. They consist of x-rays and blood studies.
    X-Ray Studies:

  1. Upper G.I. Series
  2. Ultrasound of the Gallbladder
  3. The Erect CCK Stimulation Test
For the past fifteen years we have used the Cholecystogram CCK Stimulation Test performed in the erect position for the diagnosis of a dysfunctional gallbladder.

The oral medications, Telepaque and Bilopaque are no longer being produced commercially. It became necessary to find another satisfactory method to measure the function of the gallbladder.

Nuclear medicine CCK Stimulation Test provides one means of measuring the output function of the gallbladder but the patient could only be studied in the supine position. Ultrasonography was used early-on but lost favor because at that time the volume of the gallbladder could not be adequately measured.

Today, the ability to accurately measure the volume of the gallbladder pre and post-injection of cholecystokinin coupled with the ability of the patient to be studied in the erect or standing position makes ultrasound the diagnostic method of choice for me.

Click the following link to download and print the Saint Anthony's Protocol for Ultrasound CCK in Adobe Acrobat PDF format to take to your local x-ray dept and have the test performed. There are eleven million mislabeled anorexic/bulimics in this country alone. If the CCK study is normal then go for the counseling, but if positive, get the cure.
    Blood Studies:

  1. TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)
  2. T3, T4, T7 (thyroid hormone levels)
  3. Prolactin Level
  4. Serum Iron
  5. Serum Cholesterol
  6. Liver Profile
  7. Five-hour Glucose Tolerance Test
   While you are waiting for the results of the tests ordered by your doctor, why not do a little testing of your own. Why not see if you can get rid of the abdominal distress or pain that you have been experiencing. It will mean that you have to eat differently for a week, but if you could get rid of that abdominal distress how much better you would feel! I am going to give you a diet that will put your gallbladder at rest.

   There will be two lists, one with foods Allowed, and one with foods to Avoid. As an exercise to show you what foods have been causing you distress, I would like you to take a red pen and underline those foods on the Avoid List that you have been eating. This will give you a visual picture of what has been causing your abdominal distress. If you follow the diet for a week you will notice that the distress goes away.

   The diet will do nothing to relieve your feeling of "being fat", but the diet alone was never intended to do that. But if I get rid of your abdominal distress, then you are more apt to believe when I say I can get rid of your "feeling fat". Click Here to review the diet.

Additional Information:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Gallbladder Disease
Gallbladder Disease in Children | Depression | Gastroparesis
Insurance & Financial Considerations | Followup Stories

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