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

Good to hear how you're doing@Lionoso but I'm sorry it's been so rough. I wonder why sleep is an issue now, do you ordinarily struggle with sleep?

The gas thing is weird. A friend told me she had a bubble of it up on her shoulder. I must say, I i don't understand it. I mean i understand why they do it but I have no idea where it escapes to after surgery.

I hope you start feeling better soon. Your account is a good heads up for me as i really expected to be up and about after according to how the surgeon described things!

@CleanQueen123 not tried it but have tried peppermint tea which I think has helped a little. Patting my back doesn't seem to help but the windmilling arms does as does just walking about. I must have looked a sight at 2am this morning walking around my living room windmilling arms in my knee high emblism stockings and ice packs draped over my shoulders! 😂

@dudsville I'm a side sleeper, I really struggle to sleep on my back or sitting up. I can never sleep on planes etc. Don't think I can sleep on my side for a while yet, bit even my left. The only comfy position is propped up in bed. I bought a good v shaped pillow to help with this. I did manage a two hour stretch asleep last night at one point so that's an improvement! I saw on a help group people recommended sleeping in a lazy boy type recliner for the first few nights. That would definitely be good if you had one.

The gas is carbon dioxide, and it apparently ends up under your skin in your diaphragm, where it presses on a nerve that causes pain in your shoulder, it disappears over time as your body reabsorbes it. I had it with a laproscopic procedure in the past but it's worse this time.

I have several chronic conditions alongside the gallstones so recovery isn't straightforward for me, I think a lot of people would find it much easier. Plus my gallbladder had adhesions to my other organs so I think there was a bit more work for the surgeon to do.

Ah, yes that does sound like a complicated picture @Lionoso .

I also do not have a recliner, and while I do like sleeping on my back, it is bad for my back so I also sleep on my side, but it sounds like I have the option to sleep on my back if need be!

I do not like the sound of this gas at all, but glad to be leaning more about it and what to anticipate!

Hope you can see some more imprvement today!

Oh bless you @Lionoso! I'm not judging. You need to do whatever works. Those socks really are a strong look aren't they 🤭

Glad you are ok @Lionoso and hope all the wind stops soon!

@Lionoso I'm glad your op went well. I had difficulties sleeping for a week or so after the op. Fortunately I have a recliner and it was the place I was most comfy.

Feel really fortunate that I didn't have any real pain from the gas, as that sounds really uncomfortable. The antibiotics and codeine made me nauseous. Once I stopped taking them that resolved within a few days.

I think it was 5 days before I did a number 2 but I hadn't eaten anything for 3 days before surgery, which probably contributed to that. I was told the codeine can also cause constipation. One dose of stool softeners did the trick and that's all settling down now too.

Wishing you a speedy continued recovery.

Thanks all. I have felt better today and have managed to potter around the house putting some laundry away etc. Soon as my pain killers wear off it's not nice though! Still not eating much or had a number 2! I think I will take the stool softeners until that happens. I don't think I can cope without the codeine yet.

Taking codeine regularly, with its known side effect, and having little appetite, it's no wonder you haven't had a no 2! Do you have any raisins, prunes or dried apricots?

Max strength Senokot and prune juice sorted me out when I was taking cocodamol and dihydracodeine. Be aware though that when it does work, it works and you'll want to be close to the toilet for the day!

Certainly better out than in. I felt fantastic afterwards.

@Lionoso good to hear you are getting better, fingers crossed you’ll be feeling better then you have in a long time soon.

A couple of nights ago I had an awful pain in my back, none around the front but it was definitely gallbladder pain. Still feeling a little sore now. It was eating the wrong food that triggered it so lesson learnt!
I called the waiting list line and they said they’ve booked my op for 20th September- suddenly that seems so soon!

I'm eating dried apricots and taking stool softener, no luck yet I'm starting to dread it as I think it's going to be like pooping bricks! Sorry for TMI!

I have reduced my codeine by half today so hopefully that will hope. Doing okay pain wise and gas pain is much better.

Still not much appetite though.

@Trollfeet that's not too far away now!

That's really great @Trollfeet ! What would that bring your total wait time to?

@dudsville just over 12 weeks which is around the three months the dr said it would be. The lady I spoke to apologised it wasn’t sooner because the dr has annual leave booked. I was just glad to hear I’m on the correct list, even if it postponed it will hopefully be rearranged with urgency.

That's wonderufl @Trollfeet, it gives that real sense of ressurance!

Well. I ate eggs at lunchtime and so far no issues. I haven't been able to eat eggs since a big gallbladder attack in May. My DH made me two eggs scrambled with a bit of skimmed milk, and fingers crossed no pain from eating it. I was so nervous as my diet was so restricted the past couple of months. I missed eggs!

Such a small thing but it felt like progress.

Ahhhhhh, eggs. Yes i remember those and look forward to eating them again!

Sorry I've been so absent, school holidays mean less time on Mumsnet! Glad to hear you are all doing ok as can be. Really good news @Trollfeet, not long now! Hope you enjoyed and didn't get any pain from your eggs @Lionoso.

I'm still fine, plodding along. Struggling to eat out so carrying a plain chicken sandwich wherever I go. Boring. Last night I had yogurt and banana for dinner, which I'll probably have for breakfast again. I'm barely eating, and really relate to you @dudsville, when you said previously about not caring about eating. I'm eating hardly any fruit and veg, which I know is bad but I don't care. I'm struggling to care about my body at all.

I've no idea how much weight I've lost but I didn't have to use a seat belt extender and could comfortably get the table down on a Ryanair plane the other day, so it must be a good bit gone (yes I was embarrassingly fat last year) so silver linings, I guess.

I fell down a rabbit hole of people who had their gallbladder removed and regretted it the other day, (although it doesn't feel like a choice really anyway!) And I'm not worried I'll never eat dinner out/a takeaway/add whatever fatty food here again.

That does sound like really significant wight loss @HeyBwoss, and i leave you this meme i sent to me family recently.

What we're the reasons why people regretted the surgery?

Here it is

@dudsville that made me laugh very true! Ah I don't want to worry anyone else but just basically some people struggling to absorb the bile sometimes and having diarrhea after they eat fatty things. But I googled, and there is medication to help. Also, I was eating way too much fat (see previous binge eating comment) so changing my diet long term is definitely needed anyway.

Gallstones are awful. I’d advise anyone to get their gallbladder removed asap. I ignored early signs and I have been left with a life long pancreas problem. I ended up having a whipple surgery to remove the head of my pancreas and am left in constant bad pain as my pancreatic duct was damaged by a gallstone. The surgery is pretty easy as surgeries go. I had my appendix out (open surgery) and then gallbladder 7 months later, to then find out my pancreas was damaged. I was so looking forward to waking from the surgery to be able to eat anything but alas, not to be. My situation is rare, but don’t mess around with gallstones as they can cause a lot of damage

Thanks@HeyBwoss, like you i was also eating too much fat so this kick starts a needed change anyway.

Morning! Confession time, I've been having too much wine since this whole thing kicked off in June. Yesterday was day 1 of a dry 30 days to get me ready for surgery and to help with recovery and to reset my habits. Also i would really like to lose another 5 to 10 pounds and this next 30 days leading leading up to the surgery and the immediate recovery time are my best chance.

Foodwise I'm bored of the sandwich meat, never have I had so much of the stuff. I'm bored generally with my food options but I'm done with sandwich meat for a while, the smell of it is grossing me out! I still enjoy the turkey bacon and have a BLT most days.

I can't believe I've managed to keep the flare ups at bay since my last one a month ago. And i no longer even have the fear, if one happened today i would be really surprised. It has made me wonder if the surgery cost is worth it considering i can control it, but of course i don't want to spend the rest of my life eating this way.

Anyway, how's everyone else getting on?

I'm on day 5 post op and doing okay. Finally had a number 2 which made me feel better. Definitely take those stool softeners post op!

I'm still not eating much, I'm hungry but after about half a normal portion I'm feeling full. No problems so far with eggs, bread, chicken, rice, lentil soup or yogurt. Have had a bit of acidy reflux after eating but not too bad. Had some home made popcorn last night cooked in a little oil and it was fine.

Pain wise I'm only taking paracetamol now and coping fine. I still can't sleep on my side but don't think that's too far off.

That all sounds like good progress @Lionoso, and I'm glad again that@HeyBwoss created this thread, really takes the mystery out of it being able to hear about other's experiences!