To give myself a gallbladder attack, on purpose.

[UltimateIdiot]

Long story short: had a lot of problems with my gallbladder in 2015, hospitalisation, MRI, and was scheduled to have the damn thing out but had a surprise pregnancy.

Ds is 10 months now and for the last six week I have been in a lot of pain. Not acute attack pain but still painful enough to be bothering me.

I've cut out all dairy, eggs, nuts, meat etc. and it's still feeling irritated, in fact I would say it feels worse.

Gp wants me to wait to have another ultrasound but warned that I could be waiting quite some time.

She seemed to be dropping hints that if I went in to a&e I might get seen sooner but didn't come right out and say it.

I'm sick of it. I can't sleep properly and it's getting worse.

I'm really close to just wolfing a ton of saturated fat, waiting for the inevitable and going in.

Wibu?

[UltimateIdiot]

I shall take that as neither yanbu or yabu and crack open the donuts 🍩

[sonyaya]

YANBU to be pissed off at the wait but YABU to make yourself ill. There is no guarantee you will get your gallbladder out if you do go to A&E. I know how painful it is, good luck and get well soon.

[UltimateIdiot]

Thank you sonyaya I think I'd rather have ds again!

I just can't stand the thought of months like this and I really miss cheese

My GP really did seem to be dropping hints but I didn't dare to clarify it with her. She'd only do that if it would meant I'd get seen a little sooner wouldn't she?

A

[Lifeisontheup2]

A&E will just generally treat the pain and refer you back to your GP. It doesn't speed up the process unless there is a clinical need for emergency action.

[helpimitchy]

Nooooo, don't do that as you can affect your pancreas

There's no guarantee they'll help you in A&E either. They just made me sit in the waiting room in agony for nearly three hours. I had to go home for painkillers and buscopan in the end.

[traceyturnblatt]

If you instigate another attack and go to A&E you will get treated for the symptoms but I would be very surprised if it speeds up your name on the waiting list for surgery.

It might be more beneficial to contact the ultrasound department (if your GP has sent a referral) and say that you are happy to be put on a cancellation list so that if someone doesn't attend or cancel you may get seen quicker.

Don't make yourself intentionally ill especially with a LO, it will just distress you and them

[UltimateIdiot]

Yes I know I should be sensible

Sorry, I was just feeling desperate.

The last time I had an attack though I was admitted for three days and given antibiotics. And some green stuff in a cup? I can't remember what it was but I had almost no pain after that and the morphine injection.

That started almost exactly the same as this except I just thought I had really bad gas/indigestion for a few weeks until I had the 'Oh shit I'm having a heart attack' attack.

Shit Dh already went out to buy chocolate donuts. I'm going to have to do my best to ignore them now!

What could happen to my pancreas?! (I didn't realise it could affect that)

[6demandingchildren]

What prompted the doctors to take mine out was being constantly sick.
I went to the GP and he wanted to send me back to the admissions unit at the hospital, I begged him for tablets to stop being sick as I was sure they wouldn't admit me on a Friday afternoon.
The tablets worked but I still felt sick, dh begged me to go back to the GP on Monday and he admitted me and I had it out 2 days later.

[Juveniledelinquent]

Have you been referred to a hospital consultant? If it's already known that you have gallstones you do not need any further tests, you just need the bloody thing out. What's your GP playing at? Leaving things can lead to complications and ultimately a difficult and more dangerous operation.

See your GP and ask to be referred. If your GP refuses ask to see someone else. Be your own advocate over this.

[Cornettoninja]

You were actually at the point of being given a slot for an op?

Balls to your GP and insist on a referral back to the surgeon for review. In fact give the hospital you were under a call, preferably the secretary of the team you were under, there's a chance your referral is still open and you can book in for a review without the need for your GP acting as the middleman.

Gall stones don't resolve themselves and if your symptomatic then it's inevitable you will end up in a&e, possibly really ill.

Please don't put yourself through that pain.

[Cornettoninja]

*you're

[helpimitchy]

If a gallstone becomes stuck near the pancreas or you develop infection which then spreads you can harm your pancreas.

[Cornettoninja]

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pancreatitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

I'm so annoyed at your GP! What a dick

[UltimateIdiot]

Yes I had the pre op and everything.

I didn't realise it could make you seriously ill, I just thought it was really painful!

I have been being sick often too in the last week

Right I'll contact the hospital directly tomorrow then. I should have an old letter around here with the consultants details in.

[Juveniledelinquent]

Go for it OP. I had my gallbladder on on 31st October and it was a breeze. I'm so well now I feel amazing. Your GP is an arse.

[RB68]

yes get back in the system please don't give yourself an attack its too unpredictable and anyway mid attack they don't like to operate as everything is inflamed. There is no alternative but to wait it won't have gone away your GP needs to refer you back again for review and scan again.

It is possible you could rupture something - gall bladder or something else and end up with peritonitus which is a killer. You also need to sort out proper pain medication. It also sounds like you are not sure what causes your attacks so I would ask for dietary advice as well. A friend of mine is currently waiting for hers to be done and I had mine done 10 days post c section so I do have half an idea of what I am talking about

[Eolian]

Wow, poor you. I had one big attack (extreme pain but no sickness) out of the blue, and was referred straight away for an ultrasound. Had to wait nearly 6 months for the op, but at least I lost quite a bit of weight during the wait! I never had another full-on attack (thank god) as I was able to control it well through diet. Had the op in June and have put on weight since.

Anyway, definitely YABU. Potential long-term damage could occur!

[UltimateIdiot]

I don't know what else could be causing it.

I've cut out everything pretty much bar fruit, vegetables and grains!

It's just getting worse.

[Sidge]

They are unlikely to do anything if you have an attack, you have to be in a calm, non-infected period for routine surgery.

Pitching up at A&E isn't a queue-jumping method - they're there to treat immediate symptoms not bump you up a waiting list.

It's worth trying to call the department directly but given the length of time you may need re-referral (I bet you've been removed from the waiting list to avoid a breech) but there's no reason your GP can't do that for you ASAP, you probably don't even need to see the GP just leave a message asking to be re-referred.

[UltimateIdiot]

Yeah I'm starting to think my gp may not be that clued in on this.

[LionRichie]

I got mine out vie a&e. I'd been puking constantly for a month and was in loads of pain but the gp route wasn't getting anywhere (they said gastritis). So I snapped and went to a&e, rolled around on the floor crying until they gave me a morphine and buscopan drip, then when I was still in pain sent me for an immediate scan that showed inflammation. That was enough for them to keep me in, fill me with lots of antibiotics, and whip the fucker out. I was completely recovered within 3 days so definitely worth making a fuss! Depending on how busy they are, they might take yours out if you are sufficiently ill with it.

[PlayOnWurtz]

3 trips to a&e in a month (2 in a week) saw me admitted and it removed. So can you do this 3 times?

[obeseclarice]

Ah OP you must be feeling awful if you'd risk another full on attack I don't get why your GP would need to go back through the whole process of referring you for a scan? As you've already been almost at the point of surgery, and even if they did, I'd hope it wouldn't take too long though, based on my experience.

I've had some niggly pains but shortly before Xmas had my I'm having a heart attack one; my GP referred me for a scan which I had about a fortnight later, then went back to my GP for a referral, had my appt today with the consultant and apparently my op will be in the next 3 months, so all in less than 6 months from my first attack (though my BMI is very high so it might get put back due to that..). My gallstone is not causing any pain currently, so long as I avoid alcohol, fried or very high fat foods (so no chocolate, crisps or biscuits) but I can eat/ drink fairly normally other than that. It would probably be better for me if my diet was more restricted!

[UltimateIdiot]

I've cut everything that was on the list/google out. It hasn't made much difference at all. I did love cheese and the odd biscuit but don't drink.

I am overweight but didn't realise that could delay it. Though cutting out all dairy etc. has made me lose weight (well probably that combined with feeling/being sick most of the time)

I didn't really understand why I needed another ultrasound either. Already had one of those and an MRI.

[trinity0097]

Some doctors like to delay! My surgeon has buggered off on holiday, so is not looking to see if my gallbladder removal can be expedited, he has put in a drain and wants to wait 8 weeks, but 4 weeks in I have intense pain from the drain (not the gallbladder).