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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Gallstone pains, please help..

46 replies

Potatoooooo · 25/11/2016 14:50

I apologise as I have posted in general health but not getting any responses.
It's causing me some bad anxiety so I really need someone to clarify whether they had the same issue or if it's even a symptom of gallstones.

I was diagnosed January this year, referred for surgery, got scared and backed out.
Since then I have a gnawing, cramping type of pain in the upper centre of my stomach, it's like someone gripping my stomach tighter and tighter and then it eventually goes and then comes back again.

This comes on several times a day, everyday, sometimes omeprazole works and other times it has no effect.
The pain comes on when it wants, whether I've eaten or not (sometimes its worse when I haven't eaten)

I am scaring myself witless thinking its something more serious, its making me feel depressed. I know I need to go back to the GP but would just like to know if anyone has had similar experiences with gallstones.

OP posts:

RB68 · 25/11/2016 18:47

there is no alternative you need the surgery, if you don't go you can get an infection or the system can back up and you end up with pancreatitis which can be really serious and leave you diabetic in a worst case scenario. In the mean time you need to manage the pain better, phone the surgery back and get an urgent appt for painkillers as over the counter generally are not strong enough. The surgery whilst major isn't anywhere near as bad as years ago - if you are able to have key hole that has a great recovery rate and the percentage of people that end up with proper open surgery is very low these days as the surgeons are so skilled.

n the mean time get REALLY strict with your diet - if you google online there are lots of foods that can help you and many that you need to avoid - mostly its fat that is the issue BUT some people are also triggered by other foods e.g. for me its caffeine, for my sister its olive oil, for my mother its eggs!!! So I would start just eating bland food like chicken and rice and slowly add none spicy and none stimulant foods back in so you know what agrees with you and what doesn't. The Good news is once the gall bladder is out you can switch back to a normal diet pretty much immediately but the recommendation is that you do it slowly to allow your body to learn and adjust to working without the GB. Sometimes lingering effects can hang around my sister is still sensitive to oils but I have been enjoying coffee again no problem!! My body does like regular food though otherwise it overproduces bile which can give me a dodgy tummy for a few hrs.

Be brave and get yourself sorted as the pain only gets worse. if its any consolation I lost 4st before I could have the surgery (I was pregnant!!) so that was a bit of a bonus!

Original poster

Potatoooooo · 25/11/2016 18:52

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I realise I absolutely do need to do something about it. I can't believe some of your stories and how the doctors treated you. That is totally unacceptable, especially with that kind of severe pain.
I am lucky not to have experienced anything as horrific. But if I leave it, I probably will, and that's no good when I have a 3 year old to take care of.

I have my appointment booked now. My doctor is probably going to frustrated at having to put the refferal through again now but it needs to be done, I shouldn't have been so scared the first time around but I was struggling with childcare. I'm in a better position now.

OP posts:

AmserGwin · 25/11/2016 19:44

Get to the GP ASAP, you will be on a waiting list to get it sorted. I've had mine out few years ago, worst pain ever. The op was fine, went horse riding a week later with stitches still in

altiara · 25/11/2016 20:50

Go for it OP! My gallstones caused me acute pancreatitis and I nearly died whenDD was 9 months old. She was such an easy baby i could cope with any pain. So the first time I said anything about it I ended up going to hospital and put into intensive care

woodhill · 25/11/2016 21:20

Have it done, I had it done recently and am recovering:)

SauvignonPlonker · 25/11/2016 21:39

I was very unsure about having mine out; only ever had 2 episodes of pain & had a crawling/just starting to walk baby, so was worried about surgery & seriously considered delaying it.

So glad I went ahead with it; my theatre notes showed it had swollen up, and attached to my liver, bowel & stomach. I hate to think what would have happened if I'd left it.

The surgery was a piece of cake. Couldn't believe how easy it was; definitely disproportionate to my worry beforehand!

Mammylamb · 25/11/2016 21:42

Sounds like gallstones to me. Absolutely hellish. If it's unbearable have you called 111? If you get admitted to a & e they may give you something for the pain

Original poster

Potatoooooo · 27/11/2016 10:54

Thanks. I'm so sorry to hear that alitara that's awful, I've heard pancreatitis is worse pain than gallstone pain! I'm glad you got it sorted in time too.

SauvignonPlonker I was in a similar position, had a young child with no help essentially and wasn't sure how I was going to cope, I did end up cancelling the surgery. It's a good job you didn't, its crazy to think your gallbladder had done that with such minimal symptoms. Makes me worry as I don't get the bilary colic often either, but I get horrible cramping everyday.

I haven't called 111 yet Mammylamb I've been able to tackle the pain with omprezole and ibuprofen. My doctor said not to call an ambulance and to manage the pain with ibuprofen!

OP posts:

SauvignonPlonker · 27/11/2016 10:58

Potatooo, just asking if you had your DC by Caesarian section? I did & was thinking the recovery from gallbladder surgery was similar. I was very wrong! So much easier. I didn't have any support either. The only restriction was no driving for a week & my DC were in childcare 3 days a week, so that helped enormously. But I couldn't believe how easy it was.

littlesallyracket · 27/11/2016 11:07

I had gallstones. The pain was terrible and made me incredibly miserable with pain in my stomach, chest and shoulder, plus constant nausea, bloating etc. Then I had surgery (keyhole - had the op at 4pm and was at home by 9am the next day) and able to walk around and do stuff straight away with no problems. I could immediately eat whatever I wanted as soon as I got home.

Have the op. They recommend it for a reason! Gallstones is a horrible, painful condition that can be easily fixed with a simple keyhole procedure; there is no reason to delay.

By the way, if anyone tells you you can 'flush out' the stones by drinking some weird oily concoction, IGNORE THEM! It's an old wives' tale and will probably just cause more discomfort, followed by passing not your gallstones but simply lumps of solidified olive oil. Not pleasant!

Original poster

Potatoooooo · 27/11/2016 11:20

Haha yes I saw all the different types of methods, apple cider vinegar seems to be a common one and saw another that said Epsom salts as well! I darent drink any of that for fear of actually causing bilary colic.

I can't believe I've cancelled really at the time it felt like I wouldn't be able to cope. I know I'm in a better position now though, I'm gonna ring tomorrow and see if the doctor will refer me without having to see me through an appointment. I really want to hurry this up now.

Never had a c section but wouldn't have thought it was bad as that as I knew it was key hole surgery. Well unless there are complications anyway.

Can I ask, does everyone have regular bowl movements now and no pain? Can eat what they want etc? It was more the horror stories after surgery that put me off!

OP posts:

SauvignonPlonker · 27/11/2016 11:24

I've never had any issues with my bowels or eating since the op - totally fine.

rosieandjim2 · 27/11/2016 11:27

Please get this sorted my dp has chronic pancreatitis and it is not nice xx

snozzlemaid · 27/11/2016 13:33

I've had no issues at all since having mine removed. Got rid of the awful acid indigestion I suffered with too.

ladylambkin · 27/11/2016 13:42

I initially was unwell due to a gallbladder infection in January this year. I ended up being given a morphine injection to give me respite for the pain. I plodded on till March probably having one or two attacks a week. Then one night the pain was the worst it had been and I actually believed I would die. I called out of hours and was told to go in at 3am ..I drove myself to hospital, realise now it was stupid. Arrived for my appointment at 3am and was on a ward on morphine by 3.20am. I had a stone blocking my bile duct but it took them 3 days of testing to find this out, all the time my liver function was decreasing. I had an ERCP procedure under sedation to remove the stone. Eventually had my gallbladder removed in June and have not had any problems. It actually made me appreciate how unwell I had been for 6 months. No bowel issues and I can eat everything except eggs. Please get the operation you won't regret it

Flumplet · 27/11/2016 22:27

Since the op I've had no pains which I'm forever grateful for, but I do have post cholecystectomy syndrome which causes terrible urgent diarrhoea if I eat after a long gap - so for instance if I skip breakfast and have lunch I can be quite unwell. I just need to manage it better - eating little and often. I find that I'm able to eat most things normally and without issue so long as I stick to my little and often rule.

Original poster

Potatoooooo · 27/11/2016 22:46

Ah yeah they did tell me about that issue but they said it was rare? Did they say that to you?
It sounds manageable, I have read some horror stories though, it does put you off but I guess there is no other option.

OP posts:

Flumplet · 29/11/2016 20:53

Manageable and rare and I'd rather this than the unbearable pains!!

demonchilde · 29/11/2016 21:46

You have my sympathy OP- gall bladder pain is awful. Glad you've decided to go ahead with the Op - there really is no alternative to having it taken out, it will only get progressively worse otherwise, and you'll then risk some serious complications. Also, the operation is far more simple and easy to recover from when done as planned rather than an emergency.

I speak from experience - I had symptoms like yours for a while, but mistakenly put the operation off. It took a month of really string antibiotics and 2 stays in hospital to treat the cholecystitis, which was very painful. But the pain of that was nothing compared to the 3 subsequent attacks of biliary colic I suffered from - the pain was indescribable, even IV morphine and pethidine couldn't numb it. I then ended up with acute pancreatitis, and an emergency operation. By then, my gallbladder was so inflamed it had pretty much melted, meaning that they had to convert from keyhole to open surgery ( terrible scarring and a long and painful recovery) and part of my liver had to be removed as well.

So yeah - If I could go back, I'd have had the op when it was first suggested! I've known people who have had this done early on and it's generally a really simple process at that stage. You'll be fine OP. And while you are waiting, try cider vinegar - for a short time that and a low fat diet seemed to relieve my symptoms.

woodhill · 29/11/2016 21:51

Thanks Demon I put mine off for a few weeks too but so glad I've done it.

Hope you are okay now

Boobyroof · 29/11/2016 22:06

I had 3 bouts of gallbladder pain, each time the worst pain ever! The last ended up as acute pancreatitis and I had my gallbladder out as an emergency. All 3 attacks happen between 3wks and 8wks postpartum with breastfed baby. Awful time but since then I'm pain free, but do get loose bowels if I eat lots of fat. I'd prefer that to the threat of that pain again. Good luck and go for it

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