Would you phone the doctors about suspected gallstones if you hadn't had an attack for a while? Convinced I've been having them for years.

[CFSsucks]

For years on and off I've had the most agonising pain. I always put it down to trapped wind as it came on after tea, lasted a few hours then went away. Those few hours were me double up on the safe in agony and it hurt to breathe. Attacks are probably couple times a year. The worse time was when I was 32 weeks pregnant and ended up in hospital with suspected appendicitis and they were about to operate when I told them I was hungry so they decided it couldn't be that. They couldn't decide what it was (and never actually looked for anything else) and sent me home. That pain lasted almost a week and at its worse, was absolute agony.

I once asked on here and nearly every reply said gallstones. I thought then that next time it happened I would phone my GP the next day.

Last night went to a relatives where the woman has had hers out and the man is waiting to have his out and we were talking about it. They both said it sounds like gallstones too and I should phone the docs and ask for a scan anyway.

I feel a bit 'funny' asking when I haven't had an attack for a while. I always seemed to get fobbed off when I think something is wrong although I'd say in general my doctors are good. I wouldn't be able to book an appointment, you have to tell the receptionist who will get the doctor to phone you and they decide if they need to see you.

Would you phone or wait and see if it happens again?

[Wolpertinger]

Just go, give your history and say you are worried about gallstones. You don't need to have a scan when you are actually have an attack and there is only one treatment if you've got them i.e. have your gallbladder removed.

A normal appointment would be fine or phone randomly if thats the only way you can get through to your docs.

[FarrowAndBallache]

My experience of gallstones was a continuous gnawing pain with intermittent sharp pains that lasted 6 weeks before they were diagnosed by U/S.

I doubt the couple of times a year pains are from gallstones, more like trapped wind.

Next time you see your GP you could mention it?

[CFSsucks]

farrow that's not what everyone who I know who have had gallstones has experienced. The people I know have described it exactly how I have, and I had a thread once describing it and every single answer came back with gallstones. It's very common to have random attacks.

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

Are the answers in your other post not to your satisfaction?

[FarrowAndBallache]

I've not heard of a couple of times a year.
Best ask for a scan to be sure.

[CFSsucks]

Why so snippy snuffle? Feel free to ignore the threads if you wish.

I posted it this morning, had no response, bumped it, still nothing so thought I'd get more help here. Then I noticed the other one started getting answers. That ok for you?

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

If you thought it was snippy it was the voice you chose to read it with in your head. It was a genuine question - couldn't see why you'd post twice. Now I know.

[Jellykat]

I have polyps in my gallbladder, which are measured annually, and have symptoms akin to gallstone pain for 1 or 2 days, then can have nothing for months at a time. They've been sitting in there for years.

Do go and see your GP, just so that you know what it is, or isn't, next time you have an attack.

[GetKnitted]

If you want to be in pain before you go, suggest you try eating something that might trigger it, usually something fatty or cholesterolly e.g. very cheesy pasta, hard boiled eggs. I'm sure there are other triggers, but those were mine. Then you can go to the doctor with a clear conscience?

[EffieIsATrinket]

No need to be in pain when you go.

Just book a routine appointment & outline what your op says.

The GP should examine your abdomen before they book a scan so you need to be there.

Treatment is surgery - if this seems like overkill compared with the frequency and severity of the attacks then the benefits of diagnosis are debatable.

[CFSsucks]

Apologies snuffle. I see so many posts picking apart OPs or asking questions that aren't relevant that I can get a bit defensive. It is very hard to interpret tone in a post. It was purely because of lack of replies, now there have been loads of course.

We can't book an appointment. I am going to speak to the GP on the phone though. They will decide if I can have an appointment or not. I don't really want to wait for another attack, I'd rather know. If it was gallstones I would have the surgery as the pain is awful and I have a high pain threshold. I've heard of how it can get worse and I wouldn't want it to get to that stage. Someone I know ended up in a really bad state because of it and was quite ill. I definitely wouldn't want to take that chance really.

[whatevva]

I would speak to the GP now. IME it can take a couple of weeks for a scan, so not worth waiting until you are in pain.

[CFSsucks]

I'm waiting for them to phone me back . Will be sometimes this afternoon, although from what the receptionist said, I don't think it's the doctor as she referred to her first name not Dr X, I told her it was suspected gallstones as well, the nurse isn't going to be able to do anything but I've noticed they are trying to use the nurses for more and more at my surgery.

[GeraldineFangedVagine]

CF, I had my gallbladder out last week after 6 months of awful pain, weight loss of 45lbs and going a bit yellow now and again. In hindsight I think I'd had gallstones for a while but it wasn't till it was really bad that I sought help. Now it's gone I feel brilliant. The surgical pain is nothing compared to an attack and I didn't realise how awful I felt the whole time. I would go to your go and ask for an u/s. Don't wait till the pain is unbearable.

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

Didn't mean to come accross like that, sorry