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

I didn't know a thing about fat before last weekend so I'm learning a lot at the moment. The fat content of food has never been on my radar. I associated it with eating too much fast food, crisps, sweets. I'm overweight but not because of those things. I mostly eat home cooked food but my portions are too big, and I've joked for years that my weight consisted of butter and fried chicken. The fats we have to avoid are trans and saturated, the unsaturated are ok but for now I'm still keeping them to 3%or less.

The other guidance I've read is 6 small meals rather than 3big ones. That's going to be tough. My appetite still hasn't returned so I've been struggling to eat even 3 times a day in order to take the penicillin, but I'm going to give this a go. It's the opposite to how i like to eat so I'm actually going to plan it out.

The saddest thing for me at the moment is that my birthday is coming up. I didn't want any presents, I just wanted to go out for a nice meal at a French restaurant and have a Betty's grand cru chocolate cake. I look forward to this cake every year, but I'm so scared I'm not even going to just have a little bit, same with fat, if somethings 4% rather than 3% or less I'm so scared of it. And the menu of the restaurant i wanted to go to has two salads i can eat. So depressing. I'd happily have a salad at home but eating out is something that to me should be a little decadent, and the element that makes things decadent apparently is trans and saturated fats!

That's great news i do love beetroot @ScribblingPixie .

More for the food discussion: i whole heartedly do NOT recommend hellmans low fat vinaigrette. Just had a salad with tuna fish and matzo crackers. This is the gloopiest most bland stuff I've ever tasted! The crackers are totally dull too but not as offensive looking!

Thanks for the food tips. I've added some beetroot and bitter salad leaves to my food shop.

I stupidly thought I might cope with a cupcake at a wedding yesterday and I'm paying the price.

Eating anywhere other home is proving to be a nightmare.

I feel so rubbish today. So bloated, stomach cramps and am upset stomach. No idea if it's related but assuming it is. Unfortunately I hate beetroot.

It's a shame about your birthday @dudsville. Definitely get that cake once you have had surgery! There's no way I could eat 6 small meals a day. Even the meals I am having are smaller then what I was eating before. I've lost 6lbs in a week, which is another worry as I don't want to lose it too fast and trigger another attack.

Are you still in hospital @Trollfeet? I hope you're feeling ok.

Oh no @CleanQueen123! I'll admit I've been tempted, even gone so far as to have the stuff in my mouth but spit it out before I chew it in a panic. I'm dreading going away/on days out.

It was really hard. Plenty of food, none of which I could really eat! I think I'll be largely avoiding meals out until after surgery. I like salad as much as the next person but they're not always on a menu and I'm with @dudsville that a meal out should be at least slightly decadent.

@HeyBwoss there weren’t any ultrasound spots today so I was discharged and will be back for a scan tomorrow morning and then need to go to the surgical assessment unit to discuss options. I’ve been given a few doses of tramodol in case the pain returns and have also been told to take regular buscopan.

@Trollfeet , does that mean you don't have gall stones? I don't know if i have gallstones, i didn't know to ask and i was so tired by the time of that ward round. I found my SAU really helpful, hope your unit is useful. I'll be curious for your update tomorrow.

How are you doing now @CleanQueen123 ? Whenever i hear this i twitch, terrified of the smallest amount off diet content.

I can't shake the bloat @HeyBwoss . This morning i woke to the least bloat I've had, but every bite I eat bloats me so i spent the rest of the day lowering my trouser waist band. I think I'd be similar to you, willing to spit out a bite of food to save me from pain.

I'm anxious about tomorrow. After taking a couple of sick days I then worked from home. But tomorrow i go in. I'll take smart food choices with me but I'm scared to be away from home.

@dudsville The consultant thinks I do have stones, will find out tomorrow.

As I was typing my last message another attack started. One tramodol didn’t work so I took took two buscopan and another tramodol, I then fell asleep and have woken up pain free. This just feels so relentless right now.

I wonder if I have a gallstone playing silly beggars atm. I've had a bit of a flare up the last 2-3 weeks with regular (manageable) pain and feeling very tired. The last 2 days I've had a few episodes where I've felt very hot and nauseous and my mouth starts watering as if I'm going to be sick. A lie down for ten minutes seems to calm it down. Anyone else had this at all? Could be totally unrelated to the stones!

So I've taken a bit of a turn. I'm currently queuing in the corridor in A&E. I had another attack and nothing was touching it so we made the executive decision that an ambitious was needed. Morphine has worked and we'll see what happens next.

I mean ambulance. Morphine and auto correct don't mix!

@HeyBwoss if you're ok with the Aldi choc mousse, this is from Morrisons
It's like a chocolate pudding with a mousse on top and is the nicest I've ever tasted!

I hope you're ok. Let us know how you get on, if you are able to of course. I hope they get a move on and get that gallbladder out!

Omg @CleanQueen123 , I'm so sorry. Any updates? How awful to be in A&E getting that way.

Ooh, and you've had a rough time too @Trollfeet . How are you now?

My goodness, these events are so painful and scary, and @MeinKraft , sorry I'm not reading properly, just waking up.

Thanks for the suggestion @bonfirebash, I'll lookout for that one.

I hope it didn't come back again @Trollfeet.

@MeinKraft I don't think my gallbladder attacks are like that but I have had episodes like that before, but didn't think it was related to my gallbladder. Maybe it was and this has been going on longer then I thought? Definitely worth talking to your GP I think.

@CleanQueen123 I hope they give you the treatment needed.

I’ve already had my scan and has gallstones confirmed. Just waiting to be booked into the surgical day unit.

So after 12 hours in A&E I'm now up on the acute surgical unit with the good drugs, antibiotics and fluids. A decision on surgery and when that will be is pending.

I hope you both get your surgery as soon as possible.

I'm feeling nervous reading about you all ending up in hospital! It seems like it's inevitable during the wait to get seen, and the only way you get any help is in an emergency. Not great.

What a long wait when you're in that condition, at least it's moving forward. We'll all be interested in your updates @CleanQueen123 .

I'm nervous too @HeyBwoss even being on the other side of an admission, it seems like it can be so much worse than what I've experienced so far. I'm really grateful to you for your thread. It's helped so much.

I had another attack while waiting for the surgeons, by the time they came my pain was at its peak- by the time they finally prescribed oramorph it had gone!
I’m being admitted, on IV fluids and antibiotics. Will have an MRI soon as my bile duct is dilated so they need to hunt for the stone.

Hopefully soon!!

How awful@Trollfeet . It's difficult to be where you need to be but still suffering. You're in a much worse condition than i was but when i was in I kept repeating to myself that i had to stay and see it through. Oromoph did nothing for me. Good luck.

I was at work today and was a little windy which is normal for me at the moment, but one burp left a feeling/taste that let me know vomit was a possibility. It hasn't transpired, thankfully. I had just had lunch, and after every meal i now feel my gb. We live in fear.