scan for gallstones - what should I expect?

[DigOfTheStump]

I am having an ultrasound this week.

General symptoms are vomiting after food (once), feeling of nausea (often), pain in back, roughly mid to high back, slightly to the right (often), feelings of indigestion and constipation.

My GP says I fall into all the right categories for gallstones, and some of my symptonms match up ... will I get a diagnosis at the scan itself? Will it be quick? I am guessing that like a pregnancy u/s it won't hurt.

[DigOfTheStump]

Sorry, mean tot add indigestion is often, though seems to be linked to menstrual cycle at its worst, constipation is so common that I thought it was normal, till discussing with GP.

[lisad123]

Yes it doesn't hurt unless they have to press down hard. They may say if they can see a stone. I ended up with MRI scan too, as mine had travelled.

[DigOfTheStump]

thank you. Do the symptoms sound like gall stones to you?

[lisad123]

Some of them do but to be honest mine came on so suddenly and I was in so much pain it was all a massive haze. I had complications so spent three weeks in hospital pretty drugged up and then they took the gall baldder out. Hope it goes well, wouldn't wish it on anyone

[SkivingAgain]

Symptoms sound similar to gallstone trouble I exprerienced - vomiting, nausea, pain in back (under bra strap), though I didn't have indigestion or constipation. Scan was just like the ones I had when pregnant, so not at all painful, in fact my scan was when I was 8 months pregnant while I was in the throes of severe pain and vomiting and initially it was thought that my symptoms were related to my pregnancy as the pain was in same area as placenta.

Gall bladder removal by keyhole surgery is well worth it, and I recovered very quickly. Good luck.

[DigOfTheStump]

thanks, funny you mentioning the bra strap, last week, when the vomiting episode happened, I couldn't wear a bra for three days, it felt too tight, but not in the cup, just round the middle. very odd!

Sorry you both felt so ill, so far I have got off lightly if it is gallstones.

[SkivingAgain]

I was soooo glad to have the op, so that I need never fear the onset of the pain and vomiting again.

[Bearskinwoolies]

The scan itself is a piece of cake - just make sure they warm the gel up first

They'll be looking for stones, obvs, but also at the walls of the gallbladder itself, to check for any scarring or thickening. Also, even if they don't find any large stones, it doesn't mean that you don't have gallstones, just that there may be lots of very small ones.

[DigOfTheStump]

I'll post back after the scan and let you all know how I got on. Thanks for the advice.