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'm very glad to hear you're doing so well @AlltheJays23 😊. Maybe you just had one stone and your body dealt with it. If you can eat anything you like without repercussions, then you're doing OK, I'd say!

Unlike you, I don't mind the operation at all. It's not the putting to sleep I mind - it's the being aware of what they're doing to you that scares me.

Now Ive been referred to the surgeons, but can expect to wait 66 weeks. This is only for a consultation, to determine I suppose whether I want it out or not. My scan came through quickly and showed stones, plus a slightly dilated duct/tube out of the duct (?) and thin walls of the gall bladder. Not sure what that implies. Liver and kidneys all fine, bloods all fine

I have been taking digestive enzymes as recommended by someone on here, or another similar thread and I have to say, Ive only had a few grumbles. If I dont take them, I get quite a lot of discomfort.

I admit I have not changed my diet, it is not gall bladder friendly

I've managed ok so far but the alcohol consumption has been a bit high and I've really wanted to eat eggs (but have avoided as I think they're a major trigger). I've been told it's 'the next month or too' so we'll see :.:

I'm in much the same position. I have been referred to a surgeon, but that was many months ago and I've heard nothing - not in the UK.

My diet isn't exactly gall bladder friendly either. I suffer from gastritis, which I take omeprazole for (marvellous stuff), but still have the odd niggle. I also get trapped wind on a regular basis, and while I know how to deal with it I'm finding that each time I get a bad episode it takes me three or four days to completely recover. I've had gallstones for around 18 years, but only two real attacks, and my scan - five days after my last attack - showed my gallbladder wasn't inflamed.

I'm not sure if I want my gallbladder out or not, but I guess a chat with the surgeon will help me decide.

My insides genuinely feel just 'rotten' all the time. It's hard to describe the it to people in an easy to understand way but that's all that works for me. Until I poo in the morning (apologies for TMI), I just feel rotten and sluggish and my hip and back hurt (kidneys I assume). I've tried really hard over Xmas to stick to it but alcohol's been too much: I've avoided rich foods but it's a bit much right now 🙈

@MiniCooperLover - I hope you're feeling better now?

I've now got to have two operations: one to remove gall stones from my bile duct, then another to take out the gallbladder. Can't wait for it all to be over.

Oh RareWaxWing, that's rough for you. My MRI showed none stuck in the bile duct thankfully so just the one op for me. I'm ok thanks, I have started eating more of the type of stuff I'm prob not supposed to (like eggs), I'm just so fed up with it I can tell I'm almost pretending it's not an issue and I think just have to put under with the resulting indigestion/almost diarrhoea ... (sorry TMI there).

I've been told I've had a date scheduled but not been told the actual date 🙈

@MiniCooperLover - how frustrating not to have a date yet! It means you can't plan anything. I've found it really difficult not having dates in the diary, particularly as I'm freelance and haven't been able to commit to any jobs. I hope you get a date soon.

I sympathise about the diet. I know lots of people with gallbladder issues can't cope with eggs.

I really miss chocolate, but I had so much pain last time I had any that I'm staying off it for now. I can cope with M&S rice cakes coated in chocolate, so that's my treat.

@Rarewaxwing Sorry to hear you now need 2 ops.

@MiniCooperLover Hopefully now they have decided a date it won't be too long.

Has anyone noticed that their gallstones play up a lot more if you have a cold/cough virus type thing.

I woke up Friday with a sore throat, cough and cold and my stones have given me hell every night since Friday for an hour or two.

@ihaveayod - no, I haven't noticed that. Maybe it's caused by inflammation. It's certainly the last thing you need on top of being ill!

Anyine else get a right sided tenderness in the rinds going all the way down their side? I've had it fo a couple days now..not excruciating, just a tenderness but still quite sore all the same. I'm on a very strict low fat diet (not to control my gallstones but because I'm massively overweight and trying to lose some).I've been dieting for. A week and half now so I can't think what I've eaten that must have triggered it. I'm not down for surgery as my attacks are few and far between and I needed to lose weight before the surgery anyways. I know this pain I've got is likely my gallbladder acting up. Anyone else get a similar pain with their gallbladder?

@AlltheJays23 - I sometimes get a soreness on the right side under my ribs. It's always after eating, so I assume it's the gallbladder grumbling. Do you have Buscopan? I've had it prescribed by my doctor and it helps to calm down the gallbladder contractions. Peppermint tea and a hotwater bottle might help too.

@AlltheJays23 Hi, I have just come back from the GP regarding this, and also gallbladder attacks every night for the past 4 days. She told me that there is not much they can do except painkillers but she is going to write to the surgeon to expedite my surgery. She said that if you have a fever with it or jaundice you need to go to A&E.

No fever or jaundice I don't think..I've had it for a few days none stop. Its not excruciating just tender, so tender to touch, tender on stretching and bending and movement. I haven't had any bad gallbladder attacks for almost 14 months so that's why I'm a bit taken by surprise.

I get a tenderness in the area of my gallbladder often, and as my diet could do with a lot of improvement I know that it's because I'm not eating the right foods. I had an attack at the weekend, it wasn't as bad as the last one, but I had the pain for a whole day, and every time I took painkillers I would vomit within half an hour to an hour so I don't know how much they were helping. My gallstones are small, I really can't imagine what it must be like for people who have large ones.

@ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming my stones were small, I think my attacks were happening when the stones travelled out of the gallbladder. One got stuck in a bike duct and make me really unwell.

Just because yours are small doesn’t mean you are suffering less that someone with big ones.

My stones are small as well. The sonographer told me that small stones move around a lot easier. Mine seem to be doing the conga over the past few days.

Just popping in to say I'm having an ERCP to remove the gallstones in my bile duct tomorrow. I'm thankful to be having it under a GA, but I'm still surprisingly apprehensive. Can't wait for it to be over.

Maybe, but I don't suffer nearly as much as some of the posters on this thread. I have had eight months between the last two attacks - and the previous one was around 18 years ago! - and I eat pretty much whatever I want. There are so many horror stories that I actually feel quite lucky.

Yes me too. I feel lucky. When Mine first started around 18 months ago it was horrendous for about three months and then it's calmed down and practically given me no trouble up until now and I eat whatever I want although I've recently cut fat out and joined slimming world so I am eating better now, but seem to get away without having bad attacks. Its only the last few days it's been niggling me and sore and tender on my right side. Can I ask why you didn't get your gallbladder removed after all the this time? I really don't want the surgery and hope I can avoid it with no problems for this long like that!

When I was first diagnosed the doctor said just to wait and see as they might not cause any more problems, which they didn't for many years. I've now been referred to a surgeon, but it seems like a long waiting list.
After the weekend I am trying to be a bit more sensible and have cut out chocolate and ice cream. I've kept a bit of an eye on the fat content of things since my first attack, but have been out of control since before Christmas. Hopefully this was just a wake up call and things will settle down again.

@Rarewaxwing Good luck for today, hopefully this will relieve some of your symptoms until you can have the gallbladder surgery.

Rarewaxwing, hope all goes well. Glad they're doing the GA for you, it's one step closer to full Gallbladder removal which is great.

@ihaveayod @ihaveayod - thanks for the good lucks. It's all over 🙂.

I was so nervous that my legs were shaking when they took me into theatre. But, just as everyone says, I went from having a mask put over mouth for oxygen to waking up in recovery.

The surgeon said he got all the stones out of the bile duct.

Next op will be gallbladder removal.

Good to hear it is all over @Rarewaxwing one op down, one to go.