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

Wow but that's doesn't sound like anything wildly out of usual and we are told to eat butter and oil.

It's still fatty inspite of 3 stone loss?

@Packageholiday apparently 🤷‍♀️ I had a scan on 20th June and it said "the liver appears normal" etc. I cut out fat after starting this thread and getting everyone's advice. And then my scan on the 28th Aug said "liver appears fatty" or something

Just had a phone call from the hospital.

12 October 😬

any tips for getting prepared etc?

Woohoo @whitewave ! I don't have any tips. Mine was really straight forward. I did get scared and had a little cry when i got to the operating room, but they were all right in their with comforting me and getting me to sleep quickly, so that was the worst part for me and it was only about 2 min. I also was allowed liquid up until 6 am for my 8 am surgery, so i got up at 5 and drank 3 large glasses of water and a small black coffee. I was glad i did as i was so thirsty when they woke me after the surgery, when i drank loads more water!

That's great Whitewave, not long to wait now and you'll hopefully be back to normal by Christmas. I have another episode starting, I can feel it. I've had a sore back all day, just felt sore and now I've got terrible indigestion and my stomach is making the most awful noises and the pain in the ribs is starting. I didn't even think I ate anything bad but I guess my stomach disagrees. The joy.

Not long to wait @whitewave. I was nil by mouth from midnight for a 10:30 surgery.

I had a little wobble when I got into theatre as well but the nurse was very good and I think they put me under before I'd even finished my sentence. The last thing I remember is telling them I deal with naughty firemen for a living 😂.

@CleanQueen123 you made me laugh! They got me taking about the food i looked forward to eating and they made out they couldn't hear me with the mask on so i was shouting CHEESE! HUMMUS! Like an idiot. And the anesthesiologist mentioned a new aubergine dish which I'm looking forward to trying at some point.

But on the serious side, aw @MiniCooperLover , it's so awful when they're coming on or threatening to. It's been a few hours since you posted. Hope you're OK. I had an uneducated theory that even by eating low fat my gb was already in such a bad way that it just had to occasionally rear up. Also we haven't spoken about it much on here but i developed biliary colic on my final 4 to 6 weeks. I don't know if this is something everyone gets? The dr when i was last in the SAU told me to just expect that from time to time. 👍

Been at the Hosp all eve, had terrible back pain and side pain earlier and was sick. They think I might now have a kidney stone getting stuck and I’m having a CT scan tomorrow morning 🙈🙈 They're giving me fluids before I go home as they said my kidney function is lower than it should be. App gallstones encourages kidney stones?

Wow that's awful, having more than one painful preoccupying difficulty at a time is certainly unfair. Hope this gets sorted quickly.

Blimey minicooperlover that is awful! Talk about a double-whammy.

yes lots and lots of fluid and with luck you can wash it out.

I have to be in by 12.30pm so I reckon nothing from midnight.

I’ve just booked my second blood test. So all systems go with luck. Can’t say I fancy it but needs must.

it has been reassuring though to read everyone’s experience - I’m going to make a Christmas cake 😄 when I am recovered - haven’t had cake since my last bad attack.

Had another CT as an and bloods today. Kidney function app showing better today, might have been bad because of my being 🤢 They’re worried about liver and think it’s all def gallbladder and talking about pot taking out today but talking more before they decide 🤷‍♀️

Good luck to you @MiniCooperLover if it's causing all this trouble surely it's cost effective to go ahead and take it out.

Hope you are feeling ok @MiniCooperLover and they make a decision soon! The quicker you get it out the better.

Thanks, the initial hideous pain is gone now, back ache is still there and now I've got my period too so am I miss taking pain for period pain ?!? Another CT scan this morning, they've told me to go in nil by mouth.

Wow, your body is going through the wringer at the moment @MiniCooperLover. Have they spoken any more about possiblly removing your gb?

It's been a rough couple of days for sure. It's mad how after a couple of days you feel normal again and almost 'silly' when doctors talk to you about it. Thankfully the Drs at my hospital seem to be taking it very seriously.

No op today. They said liver tests are improving and they are organising MRI to check where the stone that caused this one is gone, if it's not 'gone on it's own' then it'll be stuck in a duct and I'll soon know about it (joyful!) and I would need a procedure to remove it and then gallbladder op but MRI in about 3 weeks if I don’t have another episode 👍 Am going to stick to as bland as I can 🙈 My work were very patient this week but I could see that moving on quite quickly ....

It sounds like you're pleased with the care you're receiving, that's great. And your work, i mean, what could you do, this is just happening!

I have to say local hospital has been really good. I've got open access to the surgical assessment ward if/next time it happens during the day (A&E at night), they were so thorough the last few days and said to ring and cancel apt I was given for 4 Oct to 'discuss' gallbladder as there's nothing to discuss now, it's coming out just question of when so I'm feeling v grateful they've been so good.

Good to hear you are feeling better @MiniCooperLover

My op is on Wednesday, feeling quite apprehensive now it’s approaching. It’s been a few weeks since I have bad pains so the reason for having the op has almost slipped my mind. I know it’s for the best and will prevent any future attacks.

Glad to hear things are moving along for you @MiniCooperLover.

@Trollfeet I felt like that by the time I got to my op. I hadn't been in pain for weeks so apart from being starving I'd almost forgotten about it.

Good luck Trollfleet, hope it all goes well for you and you're eating without pain soon 👍

I’m going to be lucky to get away with what I’ve eaten this evening. Chinese takeaway - the dodgy thing is the chicken in batter. I’m keeping everything crossed that it is ok - now I’m wondering why I ate it😦

Good luck with it@whitewave , we all certainly are lots of things before the problems really kicked in, so you moggy get away with it!

I was feeling that way@Trollfeet .i was even thinking that since i managed to keep the pain at bay for so long maybe i just needed to stick with the diet and not have the op. Then i had the big attack the night before my op. The only thing i ate differently was some bread, the ingredients of which were fine but it had that warning that it may have been made in a place where there were seeds and nuts. That kind of thing makes life too precarious. How do we travel long haul, or even grab a bit when out on a day trip? How do we go to friends for a meal. The op is worth it for the ease of living. I'm now in ye other side. Because of my heart diagnosis i have to maintain a careful eye on cholesterol, but at least i can still eat more easily, and the gb diet was good training for low cholesterol eating, which is good for us anyway!

Good luck on Wednesday trollfeet I shall be feeling like you in 3 and a half weeks time. 😬

I got away without pain but was slightly sick, after eating the takeaway. So not too bad. Shan’t do it again though.

What have people done when they get home? My DH is assuming that I will go to bed for the rest of the day etc? I guess everyone is different, and recover at different times. So I expect the younger you are the quicker you recover.

For me, I felt the need to rest. I slept a little, but mostly I felt the need to rest deeply. I don't know what else to call it, but I think it was the effect of all the drugs. Although I hadn't been asked if I was in pain, I was given two doses of pain killer, one straight away when I got to the room and another maybe 2 hours later. I think it was too much and unnecessary but I was out of it and just took them. I struggled to walk when leaving hospital it was that weird, so lying in bed with the tv on was all I could manage for a little while. My surgery was at 8, I was discharged at about 2, and about 7pm I made my way down to the sofa and was happy to sit up for a little.

I slept a lot over the first few days. Got annoyed that I wasn't healing at lightening speed on day two, then started feeling really much better by day 4.