Gallbladder attacks advice PART 2, where heybwoss gets ready to celebrate

[dudsville]

In June 23 Heybwoss started the thread titled "gallbladder attacks advice". I don't know how to do links, but that thread helped a number of us through some really dark and scary times. Now heybwoss is finally getting her gallbladder removed this Friday! This thread is to have a space to check in about that, and for anyone suffering the awful physical and psychological pain and suffering while waiting to have theirs removed, for all those missing all the celebratory and holiday meals, missing the ease of simply eating when hungry, and simply missing the ease of enjoying eating without The Fear. Come on heybwoss 🥳🥳🥳

I've tried to link posters names but i can't work out how to do this.

I definitely felt low at around that time @HeyBwoss, in adoring to ask the drugs and your body coping with having a surgery, apparently the body continues swelling a few days after the surgery. You will hourly turn a noticeable corner soon!

I still feel low this morning, I know I will feel different when I can use the toilet though! I've started on laxido now and trying to drink even more water today but haven't eaten much in 2 days. I think surgery was such a light at the end of the tunnel, but obviously it was never going to be a quick fix. It's just all so frustrating. Sorry for my continued moaning

So I never really had a gallbladder attack until I suddenly developed acute cholecystitis last year with a gallstone blocking the duct, a bacterial infection, involvement of the liver and pancreas, it almost killed me and would have if I hadn't gone into hospital when I did. I had been told the day before that I was just having an attack of biliary colic and had been sent home. Nothing worked, not painkillers, not buscopan. It got so bad that I couldn't even swallow water without throwing up weird stuff. Luckily my GP saw how serious a condition I was in and he arranged for me to go straight to the surgical ward where I was admitted with acute cholecystitis and suspected sepsis and I had the emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder the following day and was kept in for 5 days on IV antibiotics.

It isn't too dramatic to say that if I had waited another day I probably wouldn't be here to be typing this so if your gallbladder attack goes on for more than a few hours, if your pee turns brown, or you stop being able to pee, poop or fart, if you can't swallow anything without vomiting, if you develop a temperature, or start hallucinating yet to a doctor asap and make sure they understand just how ill you are.

Been pretty much fine since my gallbladder was removed, it was a massive shock at the time but things are ok. Eating lots of fibre and drinking plenty of water seems to help with any excess bile / reflux I get and I can eat as much or gorge on too much bad stuff anymore which isn't a bad thing I suppose.

Good luck everyone!

@ladyborchester - bloody hell, that sounds terrifying. It's scary that you didn't have any warning signs before getting so ill. I'm glad you're OK now.

I've just had an ultrasound. My gallbladder is 'full of gallstones', apparently. So relieved to finally know what I'm dealing with.

Now waiting to see the dr.

@HeyBwoss - I hope you're feeling better now. Sounds like you've had a tough time.

Thanks @Rarewaxwing, I'm much better now. I've had a few fatty things, too much still worried about a gallbladder attack even though I have no gallbladder! I'm glad you finally have an answer, and hope you don't have too long a wait to see the doctor. My experience was they just instantly referred me for surgery, so fingers crossed it all happens quickly for you.

@HeyBwoss - glad you're feeling better. It's probably a good thing you're avoiding fatty food for now. From what I've been reading, this can be an issue post-gallbladder surgery.

Update: I've been referred for surgery. This seems the right course of action as my gallbladder is apparently 'full of gallstones' and causing symptoms. However, I've been reading about the likelihood of having an issue with chronic diarrhoea after gallbladder removal. I really don't want that! I suffered IBS when I was younger and it had an awful effect on my life.

I may start a separate thread on this, but, in the meantime, is this something any of you were / are concerned about?

@Nothankyou22 - I see you had exactly this problem. I'm glad you found a solution.

@Rarewaxwing I had mine out in August and I've had no issues like that at all. I too was quite worried about ending up with ongoing issues but thankfully I've been fine.

@CleanQueen123 - thank you - that's reassuring to hear.

I had a tiny smear of butter on toast as a snack this evening and it's triggered another bout of pain. Thankfully, it's not too bad at the moment - just very uncomfortable. I can feel the pain all the way up to my shoulders. I've taken two Buscopan and I'm cuddling a hot-water bottle. Feel sick too, so I have a bucket by the bed 😔. I can't live like this, so I shall have to have the operation and hope I'm one of the majority who don't have any issues afterwards.

Sorry you're having a flare up @Rarewaxwing but glad to have a diagnosis and plan for surgery. I also had mine out in August and also haven't had a problem with loose stools. I was able to eat fat straight away, all food was OK, but I'm sticking with the healthy diet anyway as it's been a side benefit of the nightmare.

Glad you're now on the other side and feeling better @HeyBwoss 🥳🥳

@dudsville - thanks for the reassurance. That's good to know. And I'm happy for you that you can now choose to eat normally again (even if you prefer to stick to low fat).

I've woken up without pain 🙂. The Buscopan and hot-water bottle seemed to do the trick.

I feel afraid of eating now, though. I'm currently drinking peppermint tea, then I'll try having porridge later. I seem to have been OK with that (made with semi-skimmed milk).

I was really worried about diarrhea after getting my gallbladder removed. It's only been a week but I've had a few fatty things (ice cream, cream cake, crisps, chocolate, cheese) and so far so good. I don't intend on pushing my luck with take aways etc yet so maybe deep fried stuff might be a problem but I wouldn't have eaten anything like this before. I do plan on eating low fat still, just got carried away this week! Being afraid of eating was definitely a rubbish side effect unfortunately. I used low fat olive spread from Morrison's, it's not great ok toast but fine in sandwiches. Hope you have had a pain free day.

@HeyBwoss - ah, that's wonderful to hear! And it must be such a pleasure for you to finally be able to enjoy all the food you've had to avoid for so long.

Good tip about the olive oil spread, thanks. I'm going shopping with a list of low-fat food tomorrow, so that's going on my list.

No pain today, thankfully. I was so, so careful about what I ate. Had peppermint tea first thing, then porridge with semi-skimned milk. Had low-fat soup for lunch. Was peckish in the afternoon, so had toast and honey minus the butter - it was actually really nice. Then had salmon and green veg for dinner. Was a bit worried that salmon would be too oily, but suffered no repercussions.

Then I allowed myself half a Crunchie bar because I'd read that this was generally OK (on a Facebook group for people with gallbladder disease). This was a bit of a risk, but I was fine.

I'm a bit worried about meeting a friend for lunch in a couple of weeks. I dread having an attack whilst I'm out. I'll just have to look for the lowest fat thing on the menu and make sure I bring some Buscopan with me.

I'm also steering clear of alcohol for now as the surgeon said it could trigger a flare-up. Do most people stay off alcohol whilst they're waiting for the op?

Hi all. Just thought you might enjoy seeing my tube full of nine massive gallstones. I was woken up after the op by the nurse shaking this in my ear!

Op was nearly 3 years ago and I have had zero after effects, I eat whatever I want with no ill effects.

Best of luck to those awaiting an op. It is the most common surgical procedure in the world I think!

Ooof @KingsleyBorder those are massive! I didn't get to see mine and they were sent off for testing, but i wish i could have.

@Rarewaxwing I read something about carbonated drinks (so beers, champagnes, etc) being bad, but can't recall why and that might be wrong. I read that wine was OK, but i planned to go without for the month leading up to my surgery, but then my attacks became more frequent so we seemed to think that wine staved off my attacks as i never had one on a day i had wine, but that might have been a coincidence. Maybe on those days i had something more fatty, but i was really restricted on what i could eat so it wouldn't have been much as i kept the strictest low fat diet. Once an attack began i couldn't stomach the thought of having even the smallest sip of course. Everyone on this thread has had a slightly unique tolerance for food.

@dudsville - that's intriguing about the wine. I'm too scared to touch a drop at the moment.

I've been very good about eating only low-fat food today and have been rewarded with a pain-free day. I stocked up on rice cakes, low-fat spreads, etc at Tesco this morning. I'm not at all tempted to stray from the diet, I must say.

I had my gallbladder taken out in 2020 after five years of attacks.

I am getting pain similar to gallbladder now its post cholesectomy syndrome and just as bad and I have diarrhoea issues most days now, so not to be a downer but surgery doesn't always give the relief you expect :(

I'm only 33 as well my attacks started when I was 24 before any kids so suspect Im a bit of an odd case anyway!

@notanothernamechange12 - I'm so sorry you're still suffering post-operation. Have you been investigated for more stones? I've read that some people have post-op issues because some stones are left behind and block ducts.

It's awful to have these issues at such a young age, too. I had IBS in my 20s and 30s and it had a profound effect on me.

Yeah nothing there its to do with the sphincter of oddi, pain is just a severe. The only plus side is that it lasts about 4 hours whereas my gallbladder attacks lasted 8/9. I can't take proper pain killers this time though as opioids actually set it off!

@notanothernamechange12 - that's awful. I'm so sorry you're living with this condition.

A bit of advice from everyone on here please

So I said earlier in the thread about having pains and then seeking an appointment and possibly wanting to go private etc

So I was taken to A+E as I had pain around the gall bladder but I think thats only because there was some worry that the pains in my arms might have been heart related, I did tell them that I felt it was radiating from my abdomen. ECG completed in the ambulance, all fine, saw the A+E GP who argued with me that it was likely a pulled muscle in my shoulder (the shoulder pain) but then said it was probably gall bladder related and the appointment I already had planned the following week at the GP should go ahead and get a referral for ultrasound

However..... in the mean time I have been taking these digestive enzymes,, usually before breakfast and then dinner (I always forget at lunch). They are vile but seem to make eating a bit more comfortable. I still have bad silent/acid reflux and my throat is sore a lot of the time.

I havent been careful about what Ive been eating, lots of fats etc and Ive had no pain

What I have had, is a constant feeling as if something in 'pulling' on the right side upper abdomen. If I didnt know about gall bladders it feels like Ive pulled something or perhaps that scar tissue from my weight loss surgery perhaps is causing problems. So now Im panicking about a hernia, what does a hernia feel like?

I have been referred for an ultrasound and the appointment is in December so Im thankful its so quick, but the GP said that it will see some sort of hernia (couldnt work out what he was saying) but not hiatus hernia but in the case of a hiatus hernia theres nothing they will do anyway.

None of that sounds right to me.

And I had blood tests for liver function, results not back yet

@bellac11 - sorry you're having a rough time. I don’t know anything about hiatus hernia, I'm afraid, but I don't get that pulling feeling you describe when I'm having a gallbladder flare-up. For me, it's pain across my stomach and especially on the right side under my ribs. I've also had pain up into my chest and I often feel sick too.

Hopefully, the blood test and scan will give you a clearer picture of what's going on.

I'm really struggling to get in touch with my consultant to find out what's the plan, is there a timeframe etc. they sent me for an MRI on 22 Oct to make sure there are no 'loose' stones but a month on I've heard nothing. On one hand clearly good news as I assume if any were loose I'd have heads, BUT it would be nice to get some kind of update. DH is cross I didn't go down private route as I could be resolved by now but up to this point NHS we're being so responsive. Had really hoped to have it resolved by Xmas but I guess not

@MiniCooperLover , my neighbour is a surgeon from another country and he berated the notion we're told her that no news is good news. He encouraged me to chase my records and the plan for my health. I'm sorry you're still in the quagmire of it all.