Gallbladder attacks advice

[HeyBwoss]

Been having episodes of pain since January but have now had 2 in the past 2 weeks. I thought it was trapped wind (actually the first one I thought was a heart attack, at first) but have seen it may be gallstones. All my pain matches everything I have read. Except for labour, it's the worst pain I've ever had.

Anyway, I'm hoping to see the GP tomorrow, but in the meantime I'm terrified to eat incase something triggers it. Does anyone have any advice on how to manage or anything that stops the attacks? Thanks in advance

Agh,@HeyBwoss, that almost hurts to read! I hope you stay well.

Today I had a weird gb feeling i haven't had yet, and it felt like it could be the start of an attack but it's not like how they've started for me in the past. I've spent the day quietly waiting. The tension is awful, but I think it's not thing to happen 😬.

I've done more research on private hospitals. I'm going to write to pals tomorrow to ask them if they can get the date the surgeon told me i would get before discharge. Ill be ready to make my decision depending on the result of that.

So I'm curious. How do your attacks start? I become aware of a sense of fullness and bloating and the pain starts, it revs up over a minute or two and then stays at that peak level of pain for hours. Is yours similar? I was trying to explain it to my dh, but it's unlike anything else I've known.

Oh, and I've had a metallic taste in my mouth for days now. It makes drinking water so unpleasant.

Similar here. Fullness and bloating followed by pain which will last for hours. Even doubling up on dihydracodeine and cocodamol on Friday didn't take it away, just took the edge off and eventually it went enough at about 4am so I could sleep.

I have some pain and bloating most days. When I get a full blown attack it's always in the middle of the night. Around 3am I wake in a lot of pain. It usually lasts about 4 hours of intense pain. I'm usually in discomfort for days after that with bloating, nausea and diarrhoea.

Full attacks I take paracetamol, codeine and use a heat pad curled up in a ball of pain.

Can't wait to get the damn thing out.

So far I'm ok, but I've just eaten roast chicken and veg and I'm now on edge as it's so late. The day just ran away today.

Mine start with a very sudden stomach ache which then immediately feels like a pressure rising up from my stomach, settling at my ribs. It feels like a tight band, burning, stabbing pain all at once. It's excruciating. I can't sit or stand, or breathe deeply. I get panicky, hot and the sweat drips off my face, I burp a lot and am eventually sick while I rock back and forth over the toilet. I feel drowsy, like I want to lay on the bathroom floor and go to sleep right then. It starts to ease off so I can lay down and eventually I fall asleep.

Apart from the two really bad attacks I don't usually get nausea. But my "average" attacks are late/in the middle of the night and there doesn't seem to be much to do except try to take the edge off the pain and wait it out.

I'm counting down the days until surgery.

Your description @HeyBwoss mirrors mine, minus the starting stomach ache you have, i don't have that. And i haven't had nausea, but the last 3 episodes had lots of vomiting without nausea, just near spontaneous vomiting with no queasyness. I only became nauseous last time after the paramedics gave me an anti emetic, which didn't work anyway so it just added suffering, i wouldn't want that ever again.

Those of you who get them in the middle of the night, do you eat dinner late? Mine have all been about an hr or 2 after lunch or dinner, but i eat dinner around 5pm, so pretty early.

The bloating and burping are daily for me, ebbs and flows, but daily. I'm a delight. Are you all working? My colleagues know what's going on which makes it easier, but it's still embarrassing.

I don't really feel sick except from pain. The toilet is more because I know I will be and being on my hands and knees is most comfortable.

I don't work, I'm a SAHM with 3 DC, the youngest is 2. I'm lucky I don't have to worry about work but do worry about having an attack when I'm home alone with my 2yo. I'm glad your work are being supportive.

This would be so much harder with a 2 yo to look after. You have my sympathies.

Usually when I have my pain it starts suddenly and is very painful, it feels like waves of pain. I also feel quite sick. Sometimes I shake after, maybe from the shock? I often feel bloated but had been putting that down to my menstrual cycle and thinks going awry due to perimenopause.

The cluster I had time time round started more slightly more gradually and then escalated, there were no waves and it felt relentless. Also stopped very suddenly. I felt very sick and vomited too.

I read my discharge notes properly and they state that I did have an infection. I’m worried about it coming back when I stop the antibiotics. I still feel pain everyday in my back at the moment, it’s triggered by eating or drinking anything - I don’t know what’s normal.

Has anyone noticed any links to their menstrual cycle? My cluster started on day 1 of my cycle and I’m nervous that then same will happen again at the end of next week!

Hi @Trollfeet, I'm peri and don't have regular cycles, and my last three episodes have happened during a time when I haven't had a period, but I know that I still have hormal fluctuations, so I don't know if it might be linked.

I just wanted to say that I also had the fear of what would happen after my antibiotics ended. I know that you can ring up and get another antibiotic prescription if it comes back straight away. My experience was that I didn't feel a significant improvement until the day or so before my one week of antibiotic ran out. Then I had a week of feeling my GB doing these scrunching movements, didn't hurt, was just worrying. Last night was the start of my 3rd week since my last episode, and yesterday I had very minor pain, just like pressing a button and releasing, I wouldn't call it a pain as it was so mild, but it was more than the weird movements of last week. I was scared, but nothing transpired. I just wanted to let you know what it was like for me as I really know that fear of what will happen when the tablets run out. Of course your experience might be different.

I haven't paid enough attention to see if the attacks are linked with my cycle but I certainly get bloating.

I feel a lot better having had the antibiotics and I'm pretty certain the infection is gone. My blood results are all green now rather than red and they discharged me without any other antibiotics.

Mine aren't around my cycle that I've noticed, but I did read something about that recently. Unfortunately can't remember where.

Glad you are feeling better today @CleanQueen123.

I've had a stomach cramps this afternoon and quite yellow, loose stools. No idea if it's related to my gallbladder. I feel like I'm constantly symptom spotting. September feels a long time away.

It's awful isn't it. The tiniest twinge or movement and I'm sat waiting for it to escalate to a full attack.

I have a surgery date, a month from now! I'm hugely relieved, but also a bit terrified. I hate the idea of surgery, but woke up with pain under my ribs again this morning after no fatty food last night, so I know I have to do it.

Really pleased for you @Lionoso. Is that with benenden you mentioned previously?

Yes it's through Benenden.

That’s great news @Lionoso

I went back to the gym yesterday after 10 days off and it felt really
good. I managed to do everything, just took a little longer than usual. I’ve decided that the time between now and my surgery is an opportunity to get fitter and lose some more weight.

Fabulous @Lionoso! I will be soooo curious to hear all about it.

I'm constantly symptom spotting as well @HeyBwoss , it's not a nice way to be. But so far so good. And I'm also trying to look at this time as a way to lose some weight @CleanQueen123. I'll manage ok until i have an attack - that will just feel unfair as I've been meticulous with my diet.

I've just spent the last 2 hours scouring restaurants looking for low fat options. No where near me has something i can trust. Everything is calorie counted, lovingy made with wonderful ingredients, and fat. If i can get the nerve to I'm going to pop in to my local Italian and ask if they could do something. Somehow i feel embarrassed to do this.

Low fat diet, buscopan, painkillers and a bath all helped mine. It is miserable though!

@dudsville I’ve been thinking about the same as the school summer holiday starts tomorrow, we usually go for meals out. Looking for places with grilled chicken breast salad (no dressing)seems like the best option but so boring. I’m going to a concert next week with my DDs (young adults) and these trips usually involve cocktails and lovely dinners- I’ve told them we need to find a smoothie bar 😂.

I've been looking too, especially with going away for the weekend. My biggest worry is even if something seems like it should be ok, that it is covered in oil to cook. I'll probably stick to water while everyone is eating and then have something later that I can prepare. I know it's only food and I shouldn't let it spoil things, but it's so hard, I really like food!

Exactly @HeyBwoss, the hidden grams of fat that even the restaurant aren't aware of because it isn't a thing most poeple need to be wary of. I'm angry today and feel like it wouldn't take much to spark crying. I feel like a spoiled kid stamping my feet (I'm not actually doing this!), but it's my birthday and litteraly all I wanted was to go for a nice meal and eat a piece of my favourite cake. There's nothing I want in terms of gifts so I asked not to have gifts, just the cake and meal out. Obviously I've seen this coming as my hospital event was 2 and a half weeks ago, but I'm sitting here with a tuna and branston pickle sandwhich before getting on with some chores. We plan to get out for a walk later and if the rain stays away, and I will pretend that I'm not in a foul mood

FYI, tuna with pickle isn't that bad, but I may be more accepting of this combo because of how my mum used to make tuna sandwhiches when I was a kid - She added to the tin of tuna tart pickles, boiled eggs, celery, chopped onion, mayo... probably some other stuff. It was the 70's.

@dudsville happy birthday! I definitely think you should act like the queen and have 2 birthdays this year. Make it a few weeks after your surgery so you have time to recover and can eat as normal. I hope you manage to have a good day. Could you treat yourself to something nice, not food related? Your mum's sandwiches made me smile