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

Sorry I didn't come back yesterday. The summer holidays have started here so I'm trying to keep the DC entertained.

Sounds delicious @Lionoso, but I hope you were ok last night. You're right, it is soo hard to eat out now, I struggle to be out over a meal time as we can't have snacks either. I'm ok with low fat protein milkshakes too, they're my only "treat".

@dudsville you really made me smile, it doesn't sound like the tastiest dinner ever don't worry about posting food woes here, it's probably the thing that is bothering me most at the moment.

@CleanQueen123 glad your transfusion went well, that light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer for you now! I hope you were ok after the crisps. I can completely relate about giving in.

@summergreens thanks for joining us. Sorry to hear you're feeling rubbish though. You definitely weren't exaggerating, but I understand why you would feel that way. I'm also desperately hoping I get surgery before Christmas or I might stay home alone, I'll be so depressing to be around!

@Trollfeet how is eating fat going? I've never stopped eating carbs, I don't know how you've been doing it without fat and carbs.

I've decided next time I have an attack I'm going straight to a&e, although I'm scared of being in a public place in so much pain/being sick. If I had to have rated my pain in the last few attacks I'd have said 10/10 in waves, so you're all much braver then me

I woke up with pain this morning. Not a full blown attack but still in quite a bit of pain. That will teach me to eat a Caesar salad even without the bacon.

I survived the crisps. I could definitely feel my gallbladder though so I don't think I'll do it again.

The treat I've found that works quite well are the Lidl protein puddings. They're in with the yoghurts. The vanilla one tastes like Muller rice and the salted caramel one tastes like butterscotch angel delight. They're quite big pots too do you don't feel short changed.

Oh no @Lionoso, it's mean to have had a nice meal and this is the result. Do you have enough pain relievers in?

Glad you survived the crisps @CleanQueen123 .

I got up at 3ish AM and had a small tin of low salt/sugar baked beans followed by a tin of tuna. This is soulless eating.

@HeyBwoss , I'm glad you've decided to go to A&E next time, it can help push things along. As an alternative I can also highly rate getting your partner to ring 999 to ask them for guidance (bypass 111), as they may call an ambulance and if there's room they may take you straight to an SAU, which is so much better than A&E as it's where you actually need to be. When we rang we said we thought it might be gall bladder, but because of the symptoms they had to act as if it might be heart. When they got here they agreed it was likely gb, rang the SAU and were able to take me straight in. It didn't cut the wait for surgery, but it bypassed waiting for a diagnosis as it got me the CT and ultrasoud scans, pain meds and antibiotics. Also I can ring them directly now if I'm scared, as I was two weekends ago. Get your foot in that door.

@dudsville
It's not too bad with paracetamol and a heat pad now. Just tender, I always feel afterwards like I have been punched in the ribs the day before. You have that bruised feeling. I have to go out later and I really don't want to wear a bra but sadly it's a necessary evil. 😄

Think I might stick to slimfast for lunch today. I'm finding it handy when I'm tired and just can't face another bland meal. I'm using the Slimfast vitality which is vegan and you can make it with water. Can't hurt to lose some weight either. I bought it in case they asked me to do a liver shrinking diet pre-op but my surgeon didn't think it was needed. It's 2.3g of fat in a serving.

I'd agree @HeyBwoss. Don't bother with 111, go straight for an ambulance and say it's gallstones.

I still had a wait in A&E before I went up to the SAU but I was categorised as a level 2 emergency, with level 1 being the highest, so the ambulance was there pretty sharpish and at least got me proper pain relief.

Thinking about iron levels I just had a googel whilst making my lunch. I don't eat red meat, and a lot of things that are high in iron are also above 3% in fat. I just added a big dollop of frozen spinach to my lunch, and I now know that chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes, dried apricots, broccoli, mushrooms, potatoes, and oats are all good sources and I'm having somethings from this list daily anyway. I'll say it again - thereshould be a dietician appt with every diagnosis.

I completely agree with having a dietitian appointment with the diagnosis. I'm not particularly worried about my iron levels except that I'm now having my 4th period in 8 weeks, a week after my last one ended. Has this messed up anyone else's cycle? I have PCOS but I wouldn't think these were related? Sorry to keep talking about it, but none of this was happening until my diagnosis.

Thanks for the 999/a&e advice. Will definitely be getting help next time. I've tried the lidl/Aldi puddings too, I like the mousse the best but I do fine the sweetener leaves a bit of an aftertaste.

No need to apologise @HeyBwoss , we're having to learn all about this on line. Perhaps others will come along with your experience. I'm a good way into peri and have very few periods, and I don't know anything about pcos, but my mum when she was nearing the end of her periods had lots of bleeding. Could you be going into early menopause? I think the problem is you could have more than one things going on a time, which our health service struggles to manage. Does your surgery have a women's health nurse you ould book into?

I agree with you about low sugar products that have sweetener - tastes awful to me too.

Last night I tried to make a pasta salad for something new. I wouldn't say it was a massve success, but I think I can improve upon it. My bloating has gone right down finally, sustained this maybe for a week now, and my appetitie is coming back as a result. I need more options!

I managed cod, tomato and spinach sauce, and spaghetti last night with no ill effects. It was so nice to have what would be a normal meal for me.

Go see your practice nurse or GP maybe. It's not good to be bleeding for long periods, it makes you feel very tired. I'm having similar but it's changes to HRT in my case, I don't think my gallbladder affects it. I'm in peri. I'm having to take iron because of it and it's rubbish.

That's nice @CleanQueen123 , was it home made? Would like the recipe!

Yes it was. Onions, garlic, frozen spinach, and mixed herbs in a frying pan until soft. Added a tin of tomatoes and cooked for about 20 minutes. Threw in some ready cooked spaghetti for 5 minutes and then moved the sauce to round the edges to make room for the cold fillets. Cooked for about 10 minutes and served. Delicious and a pretty quick one pan meal.

Thanks all, I'm going to contact my GP tomorrow.

Sounds delicious @CleanQueen123, I'll definitely try that. Thank you

Has anyone had any issues with their pancreas/liver/whatever is on their left side? I'm not having a flare up at the minute and my gallbladder feels ok but my left side under my ribs feels tender and swollen. It's not painful enough to seek help for really but I'm just like thinking what is it this time really!

I haven't @MeinKraft but it's a fear of mine. Is your temp ok? Any signs of infection? Worth a Google to see what we'd need to be on the look out for. In curious to so will do this later.

Forgot to say, that does sound good @CleanQueen123 ,i think you've been on a now restricted diet than me as i have been having that kind of thing. Makes me feel bad for complaining.

I've barely eaten anything for months. Rice cakes and apples mostly. It really is no shock I'm anaemic. But I'm doing my best to get my iron levels up before my surgery.

I hope your gb lets you have these kinds of meals now. I'm still scared of onions (and garlic, chillies, spice...), and i had the fresh pasta the day off my last attack. To be fair though i was also still have seeds and nuts and 0%fat dairy and my store bought fresh tomato pasta sauce was just over the sat fat recommendation, so it was probably all of that

Yes I feel well otherwise thanks, no jaundice or temperature or anything like that. Just this constant pain on my left side, nearly like a sprained muscle almost!

Oh well I suppose I should say when I say I'm totally well, I do have a very mild cold type of thing, tired with a sore throat but I don't think that could be related.

Strange isn't it because spice seems to have no effect on mine which is something at least.

Chicken stir fry and noodles for dinner this evening.

@CleanQueen123 Earlier in the year when we didn't know what it was but it was briefer and therefore easier to handle my dh wondered if chillies triggered it. I didn't want to know though because i put them in everything! Since the diagnosis i steered clear, but my surgeon was the one who said definitively to avoid spices, chillies, garlic, onions. I don't have to live this way very long so it's not a hardship, but after reading your spaghetti dish i did add a small amount of dried garlic and onion to my oven roasted veg. Had it with bulgar wheat and lots of soy sauce!

@MeinKraft , sorry if you've said, but have you had a gb ultrasound? They checked all my related organs during it and that was reassuring to know they were OK. But i wasn't having any pain either.

Oh, and i think the liver is in the right, above the gb.

Ah, i was wrong Google says the pancreas is in the middle and the bulk of the liver is in the right, above the fb, but it's wide and is over to the left as well.