To ask your symptoms of gallstones?

I agree with @Caligirl80

i only ever had 2 bad attacks. I got a scan and got referred for removal. The consultant said this does not get better, it will get worse and it’s better to do it now than to wait for an emergency situation where things are inflamed as that makes the op more complicated. It was a no brainer for me. From my first attack to removal was about 6 months.

If you've suffered from multiple attacks like this then they need to remove the gallbladder. My surgeon explained it to me this way: Sepsis can take hold in less than 6 hours. Meaning if you get an attack on an airplane going on holiday somewhere nice that you could die mid-air.

If you get another attack then go immediately to A&E and have them scan your gallbladder and do blood work - keep doing this til they give you the surgery. You don't want to be dealing with bile duct blockages that are continually upsetting your liver.

It's vile pain isn't it?? Truly ghastly. Utterly impossible to squirm out of either - there is literally no position or action that makes it better.

Lots of things can cause the symptoms you are describing - anything from appendicitis, to gastritis, to acid problems.

f you are concerned then go to A&E. If they suspect gallstones they will simply do an ultrasound check of your gallbladder - it's really easy to see them. They will also do blood tests to see if there is a blockage that is causing a backup of bile to your liver, or an infection caused by inflammation. It'll be pretty obvious if there is a blockage: it makes the liver go bonkers and the tests show big time readings if the blockage is bad enough.

In my experience the worst attack was after eating (depending on the contents of the meal - anything fatty will really cause a conniption). I'd end up in the foetal position...even puking wouldn't help, and there is no way to "stop" the pain (unlike, for example, bad gas or acid - which can be helped with gaviscon or other treatments like sleeping with an elevated pillow etc).

The pain is in the right side - not the left. And often with bad attacks will refer pain up into the right shoulder/shoulder blade area because there is a nerve that is impacted by the gallbladder/liver that runs up into that area. You'll also experience pain in that area if you end up having the gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery: there will be residual CO2 in your abdominal cavity that will cause pressure on that same nerve - and it'll cause pain up in the shoulder/collar bone area. It's weird but hey, that's anatomy for you.

In addition to pain you may also find that you are dizzy/feel very woozy - this happens even more if your liver is being damaged by the blocked bile duct. The docs initially diagnosed me by pushing on my abdomen - which caused immediate dizziness/feeling like I was about to pass out. Add that to the other symptoms and I was immediately rushed to the A&E. My liver tests were off the charts bad because of the damage that the blockage was causing (a basic way to think about it is that bile is supposed to help break down fat - but if it backs up into the liver it starts digesting the liver instead - not good!).

If you have any kind of gallbladder inflammation or liver damage caused by gallstones then the appropriate treatment is to have the thing removed. Unless you have issues that prevent surgery or make surgery more difficult (being obese for example). Note that many people have gallstones and/or gallstone "sludge" - the big stones aren't actually that problematic as they just stay in the gallbladder - it's the little ones that block the bile ducts that are the worrisome ones. In my case I had a couple of pretty big stones and a bunch of sludge. If you have the gallbladder removed they will typically send bigger stones away for biopsy just in case there's something problematic about them.

If you want to lessen your symptoms in between now and getting treatment then change your diet. You can find information on this on the NHS website. Gallbladder contractions are prompted by fatty/rich food, and also by eating too much food. Eat healthy food in small portions, and be sure to drink enough water.

As for painkillers: no over the counter painkillers will control the pain caused by a blocked bile duct. It's a pain that really only IV hard core pain meds can tackle - and even then...

Mine started between my shoulder blades and then moved around to under my ribs. Oh it was agony. The surgeon said you can get spasms when you eat fatty foods as the gallbladder contracts to release bile, and this contraction causes stones to move into the neck, hence pain. But I had episodes of constant pain, I guess when one got stuck

I had upper mid abdominal pain. Always started off slow and then grew in intensity. So severe at times I nearly fainted. Could last sometime one hour or up to 5 hours. Only position I could get in was on my hands and knees for some relief although the pain was still extreme but I definitely couldn’t lie flat or sit up . Last episode left me feeling nauseous. Decided then to whip it out ,best thing I ever did. The attacks were quite frequently and were interfering with my quality of life.

Pain in between my rib cage at the front. Didn’t get pain directly under right rib cage. Also was sweating and vomiting with pain like labour pain!

Mine starts like indigestion and then gets stronger and stronger. It is agonising. Pain all round my ribs, chest, back and shoulders.
Worst pain I have ever had.

I used to get sharp pain on the right at the top of my ribs. I would bloat and vomit and feel like I’m going to pass out from the pain. It was truly awful! OP, you need to get checked out, I’d call 111 (if you’re in the UK).

Awful pain crushing in chest and right side, sweating and on occasion vomiting dark stuff.

Indigestion was awful. I honestly would rather go through labour pains.

I have changed my diet and lost weight which seems to have helped but have a long mental list of things I can't eat unless I m prepared to suffer.

Severe indigestion type pain that lasted for hours throughout the night

My pain was upper right side like right under my ribs. When I wasn’t having an attack I used to feel like there was something there almost like a baby’s foot was there when pregnant.

when I had attacks it was like the pain went in flashes from my side over my back and up towards my shoulder.

Intense pain for up to an hour, then it usually vanished. Sweating and nausea, occasionally vomiting. Could hardly move or breathe with the pain.
Pain was under right hand side ribs and would wake me up. You need a GP visit and an ultrasound to check Gallstones.
Its so horrible, you have my sympathy.

The actual attacks when the stone got stuck were much like you describe. However since having my gallbladder removed I realised the other longer term symptoms that I put up with for so long.

Gastroparesis - paralysis of the stomach so I would burp at bedtime and taste breakfast from that morning. Nothing was moving in my stomach at all, it felt like I'd eaten ten Christmas dinners when I would have a flare up.

Acid reflux - I still have it but it was much much worse with gallstones

Chest pain - always get this checked in case you also have a heart condition but I would get low level paint in my chest constantly.

Yes it was awful, painkillers did nothing, only thing that helped very slightly was warm bath or partner massaging my back. Luckily they only lasted 30-45 mins each but that wad bad enough. Big relief when it stopped and just wanted to fall asleep!

Yep this is me during an attack. Painkillers don’t touch it either 😭

Right side, high up and radiating across my shoulders and the rest of my chest sometimes. Often making me sick. The worst pain I've had and I've given birth 4 times.

Under the rib - came from nowhere - felt as though I was dying- a large stone had blocked my bile duct so my liver was in trouble too. Had surgery straight away

I had infection & stones causing a blockage - ended up in hospital for a week while they got it under control. Intense pain only controlled by liquid morphine & throwing up green sludge.
Get to a doctor ASAP.

I had nagging discomfort under my ribs and shoulder blade, along with nausea and heartburn. I also had some very severe attacks that were truly agony, a really intense burning pain.

At its worst, mine was intense pain in the middle of my chest, going right through to inbetween my shoulder blades - like a hot poker. I collapsed & genuinely thought I was having a heart attack - my husband called an ambulance.

I would recommend getting a GP appt ASAP. Whatever it is, you clearly need medical intervention.

Is it on the right side. My gallstones were found when I had pancreatitis it felt like I had a red hot poker going through to the back under the sternum. After that was sorted I started to get severe pain on the right under the ribs.

You need to seek medical attention OP, it could be choleocystitis which is an infection of the gall bladder. That’s what I had. Although I hasten to add I’m not a medical professional!