What do gallstones feel like

Why not? I was in agony frequently, they knew how big my stones were and I still had to wait four months for surgery. When it was done my gallbladder was on the point of bursting. What’s wrong with exaggerating the symptoms to hurry it up? I wish I had.

A bad idea . . . really, you don't need and shouldnt do this. My response to the poster suggesting lieing.

@Kalei87 Immediately adopting a very low fat diet whilst you are waiting for investigation will help. Skimmed milk, no animal fats, 0% fat yoghurt, no meat will help. Good luck.

When I get an attack usually middle of the night I take 2 buscopan, drink a load of squash, drink some apple juice mixed with apple cider vinegar and then go back to bed with a peppermint tea.

I also cuddle a hot water bottle to ease it.

If any help while I waited for the operation the doctor phoned me and told me to cut out all fatty foods - I stopped having puddings and cheese was a biggy to stop too. You want to get checked out ASAP to get the ball rolling.

My advice is to exaggerate the pain you’re in. The quicker your gallbladder’s out, the better.

I agree, worse than childbirth, I had no idea what it was and thought I must be dying.

This was one of mine. There were two of these bad bastards.

I agree with your granny, it was like being shot. Worst pain I’ve ever had.

The attacks get worse and worse. I remember eyeing up the kitchen knives during one attack towards the end, wondering how hard it'd be to remove it myself. Sounds nut now, but at the time I was considering the feasibility.

That makes sense @Sebsaloysius - explains why I had long-lasting but less excruciating pain than others have experienced. I always wondered, it's not that I have super human tolerance to pain then!

I had pancreatitis caused by gallstones and I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone, it was horrific. I had my gallbladder taken out as soon as the pancreas inflammation had settled and whilst waiting for the op, I did have two 'attacks' which were equally as dreadful. At one point, I distinctly remember clutching my DH's hand and asking him to go find someone with a gun - I honestly meant it too.

I remember a doctor at the time saying "you must have very small stones in there, Sebs". Apparently, the smaller the stones, the easier it is for them to work their way down the bile duct, and it is this movement that causes the 'get me a gun' type of pain. He said that when the stones are larger, they typically cause less intense pain because they simply can't move around as much, but can cause a blockage in the bile duct and this will often cause less intense, but longer lasting pain than that caused by smaller stones. Chronic versus acute, I guess.

A quick US scan will confirm or rule out gallstones, so definitely book an appointment with the GP as whatever it is, it wants looking into.

For me it was an awful pain from the centre below my rib cage right through to my back. Nothing relieved it, pouring with sweat and I just didn't know where to put myself.

I thought I was having a heart attack when my gallstones flared

Mine felt like yours. Got sent to a&e by GP who found gall sludge but not stones.

I have only had one attack that improved after taking omeprazole so they haven't put me on the removal list, but I'm entitled to get referred immediately if it happens again.

My conclusion was that it was gastritis and as a result they happened to find the sludge. But I'm obviously keeping an eye on it.

Does sound a bit like gallstones @Kalei87 - like you, I had a gnawing, annoying and persistent stitch pain which was sucking all the pleasure out of my life, but whilst really horribly uncomfortable I'd had worse pain with a kidney infection /stone. Funnily enough it was full fat yoghurt that used to trigger it the most.

It was indeed gallstones, This was my thread at the time. I didn't mention it on the thread I don't think, but my bloods were completely normal - the scan showed a gallbladder jam-packed with stones, but when the surgeon got in there it was one big one. He had to break it into 4 pieces to get it out through the keyhole (along with the gallbladder obvs).

My experience of gallstones was excruciating pain for 3-4hrs. Sadly mine never properly went away as one stone damaged my pancreatic duct giving me a pancreas disease (acute pancreatitis even more painful). But some people have different experiences so do get checked out. Thanks to my experience I always say get it out asap as you don’t know the damage a little stone can do, I ended up with half my pancreas removed too, which was one massive, long surgery

I had the most excruciating middle back pain. I would be pouring with sweat one minute and freezing the next. Utter agony. Eventually passed them. Not reccomended.

It felt to me like being winded but a very intense dull ache, excruciating pain that literally took my breath away at the top of my abdomen.