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

Glad to hear it @Lionoso !

Not sure how useful these post-op posts are? I'm feeling better today. Managed a short walk then went to Macdonalds as a treat for my DC afterwards. I usually order the grilled chicken salad, but it wasnt available so I had the crispy chicken wrap (forget it's exact name) and a latte, and I have been fine! Not sure how much fat is in the wrap but reckon it's above 10g at least. Not tempted to try a fat heavy meal yet, but I'm working up to it.

That sounds positive @Lionoso. The stories are definitely useful for me ahead of my (hopefully) surgery on Thursday.

I've got a gig and a weekend away booked 3 weeks after so I'm really hoping I have a quick enough recovery to still go.

That's not long now! @CleanQueen123. Are you having it done on the NHS? I think you would be okay 3 weeks later. I had some complications post op, plus I have a couple of chronic conditions that means my recovery has been slow. I think most people are mostly back to normal after 2 weeks apart from heavy lifting.

Yes, NHS. Couldn't afford to go private even with the finance options.

I'm actually meant to be climbing Snowdon on the weekend away but I suspect that's not going to be medically advised. I'll have a valid excuse to take the train!

I really appreciate your updates @Lionoso , keep them coming. Likewise @CleanQueen123 I'll be curious how your surgery goes. How are you feeling about it?

Mine's next week. Feels so good to be able to say that finally. Pre op tomorrow. I've never been one to exercise but between this and the minor ischaemic heart disease diagnosis I'm really keen to come out of this terrible 9 month period of my life and make some healthy changes. I won't return to eating as i once did, and i want to start at the gym. It's only a 8 minute walk from my house. I've looked up all the yoga and pilates courses and learned what i should be doing on the machines. Thought I'd start with these and build from there. I've also postponed my annual leave because of this and look forward to rebooking that for maybe October. It was just going to be staying home, but i want to fill it with gym and restaurants!

Anxious, I've never had surgery before.

But also like you, I'm going to try to use this as an opportunity to stay healthy and not go back to a high fat diet. I'm even looking forward to being able to exercise again.

@CleanQueen123
I was very anxious before mine, staff know and are really nice about the whole process. When they wheel you through to theatre, they put a cannua in your hand, then put in a medicine to relax you. I was chatting to the anaesthetist about holidays one second all a bit anxious, then I suddenly felt relaxed then next thing I knew I was awake in recovery and it was all done. I was in pain when I woke up but they gave me lots of very lovely drugs IV which worked pretty much instantly. It was about an hour in total I think, of which I was aware of nothing.

They made sure I was able to go to the loo by myself, get dressed and could eat/drink etc before they would discharge me.

That's reassuring @Lionoso

I think I'm having mild biliary colic this evening, I'm a couple of hours in so far. It started with a fairly sudden massive v uncomfortable bloat and mild queasiness with some radiating "pain" (it's nothing like a real proper flare up pain) going around the back, which i realised this evening I've had off and on today. I just thought I'd slept funny. Anyway I'm also feeling a lot of gb activity. I'm so close to the finish line. And I've been doing so well ive felt confident of my ability to control this, the fear is back. I've taken buscopan, ibuprofen, aspirin and paracetamol. The strongest drug i have is codeine but I want to save that for proper pain. 😬

Thanks @Lionoso. That all sounds very straightforward and relaxed. Medical staff are quite casual about it all aren't they!

Oh no @dudsville 😔 any idea what's triggered it? Have you got a hot water bottle? I've found that as effective as painkillers. I know what you mean about not using the codeine unless it's really bad.

Does lemon in water help or warm apple cider vinegar?

Thanks@CleanQueen123 the hot water bottle has been in use most evenings as i tend to have mild boat daily of an evening, i agree its helpful. When it first started i took some antacids and put the kettle on!

I don't have either of those in @Packageholiday , I'll get some tomorrow. I really felt this wasn't going to happen again so i let supplies run out. It's not been bad and it's already easing i think, this biliary colic comes in waves for me, is it like that for any of you?

I'm still very bloated and uncomfortable, belchy, queasy, but i don't think it's going to become a proper attack. And all i can think is that i had too large a dinner. I was at work today, when I'm home i eat better stuff but there's nothing nice and easy to take to work so i had tins - baked beans, tuna, soup, rice cakes and some fruit. So by the time i got home i was hungry and had two turkey "bacon" sandwiches with salad leaves and pickled beets and gherkins. No dressing, nothing i haven't been eating since the last attack, it was just a lot.

It's funny how nice it is to have this thread at times like these. I felt a little tearful when it started and I'm endlessly thankful for this space!

I also didn't drink much water today, again because i was at work, whereas usually i have loads. A surgeon said to drink loads to keep everything flushed and i do normally. Maybe there are several factors at play and this is one of them.

@dudsville

I don't know if lemon water and apple cider works, I was asking.

I think I hadn't this attack once over a year ago. I had been drinking, not that much but also eaten an entire pack of those dried corn things with bbq for lemon and other dried stuff.

Inwas in agony all day and night.

This am I felt pain as well but touch wood not as bad... But feels tender.

I wondered if lemon water and apple cider with mother in warm water help?

Oh i see, sorry I misunderstood you. Yes i was advised by a pharmacist to try drinking those to help with the bloating. I don't know if it helped but it seemed soothing. The nurse at my pre op also suggested mint tea. It's nice but i didn't notice if it helped.

Sorry you're suffering this too, that tenderness lasts a fair while in my experience.

Sorry to hear you’ve been suffering @dudsville and @Packageholiday . I hope you are feeling better today.

I had another attack last night. I did go out for the day with DS and ate things I shouldn’t have. I took buscopan, neurofen plus and codine - I then had to lay perfectly still. It did help but I think more because it knocked me out so I slept through the pain. Feeling tender this morning but not too bad.

Ah @Trollfeet looks like we all bungled things yesterday. Hope the tenderness passes quickly.

@HeyBwoss , hope you're doing ok?

Hi, I'm still here reading just quiet as not as much time to post with the DC at home/summer holidays. I'm also trying not to moan at you all too much, as I know I'm saying the same old and we all feel the same. Particularly struggling with food and days out at the moment, mostly eating fruit and yogurt for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch. Either another sandwich for dinner or not alot as I've been really bloated after lunch. Thank you for thinking of me though.

Sorry to hear about those who are in pain again. Roll on those surgeries! I'm also interested in the after surgery updates, thank you for them.

Glad to hear from you@HeyBwoss! The food is dull, and the bloating is a real pain, and so visible.

I had a sandwich for dinner last night too. You get stuck in a rut don't you once you find foods that don't trigger an attack.

No word from the hospital so 🤞 surgery goes ahead tomorrow.

You do get stuck in a rut. I'm ok for dinners if I am cooking at home for everyone (shepherd's pie, chicken wraps, stir fry etc) but if DC and DH have eaten out/relatives house/something quick and easy with fat, it's just me so there's no point cooking something like that so I just don't eat dinner. Last night I had a protein mousse for dinner. I had planned that spinach and ricotta fresh pasta from Aldi (roughly 3g fat for 1/2 pack) but picked up one from Morrisons again with was actually over 7g for half the pack!

Wishing you so much luck for tomorrow, @CleanQueen123 hoping everything goes well and you are back to normal eating soon! Let us know how you get on when you can

Good luck for tomorrow @CleanQueen123.

I had my first post surgery "uh oh" moment today. Had scrambled eggs for breakfast which I have been fine with, then went out for coffee with friends and had a blueberry muffin. Less than an hour later I had to run for the loo. I wouldn't have thought that a muffin would be massively higher in fat than some other things I have eaten, but my stomach just decided it was.

No more cake for me this week then!

Good luck @CleanQueen123 !!!

I'm still appreciating your updates@Lionoso but I'm sorry to hear it's not been easier. Still rushing for the loo is preferable to gb flare ups I hope!?

@HeyBwoss I'm really pining for a truly nice italian meal. The fancy stuffed pastas I've come across have all been too high, and i can have dairy or eggs.