To ask for gallbladder advice?

[ninesixteen]

Anyone with gallbladder issues?
Doctor thinks I may have them.
A dull pain for a few months under my right rib.
Feels like a heavy dragging feeling and throbbing at times.
Sometimes no pain, sometimes throbbing, sometimes a dragging ache.
Sometimes progresses to a niggle in my back behind the aching area at the front.
Not had an “attack” though, that people always talk about.
My mum said when she had gallbladder issues she only had pain in her back?
Got a scan booked, but does this sound familiar?

Also pain killers like paracetamol never really help.
Still stays a dull throb.

I had really odd, mild symptoms - like issues swallowing, but no attacks whatsoever or any pain really.

My scan showed I needed mine removed immediately.

So symptoms vary in severity very much. Good luck with your scan.

Yes, could be. I had that for months before a bad attack, thought it was my IBS to start with. Suggest you eat low fat until your scan, may help?

Drink plenty of water. Helped lots with mine.

Eat low fat, low spice.

Felt loads better after mine was removed too.

It’s so uncomfortable.
Not severely painful though.
Just a pulling feeling and throbbing.
Agony when the doctor pressed on it tho.

Always presumed gallbladder was when people end up in a&e after an attack begging for morphine.
Hope to god mine doesn’t get to that stage.

I had similar symptoms. Got a gallstone about the size of 5p. I found low carbing helped with the symptoms. Also, careful about the position you sit and lie in. I find it puts pressure on that side if I'm not careful.

Biliary colic is horrifically painful. For me, it woke me in the middle of the night a couple of times, and I then spent a few hours thrashing around . The pain is very strong, and something you need powerful painkillers(like morphine) to deal with. I also had an infection in my gall bladder, which was a constant dull pain beneath my ribs, plus a tempersture. It is easily diagnosed with a scan, and the op these days is very quick, with a couple of weeks recovery. Get a scan and if it's your gall bladder go for the op ASAP.

I panic at the best of times.
I’m an awful patient/poorly person!
So hopefully find out soon what’s going on.

I have gallstones and get attacks regularly. It's the worst pain, worse than child birth. I've ended up in A&E when the pain was unbearable. I was given morphine and sent home.

Some doctors will have you refered to have them out asap others, like mine, see no issue and do nothing to help.

This is why I’m questioning if it’s gallbladder?
No attacks, no horrific pain.
Just a dull aching throb for months and months on and off.

I had my gallbladder removed in September just gone. I had lost a lot of weight quite quickly (8 stone in 9 months) and it messed up my gallbladder function. If I ate anything with the slightest bit of fat in it, I had the dull throbbing that you mention. Paracetamol and ibuprofen helped a little.
In September, I had my first Sunday dinner in 9 months and had a full blown attack. I managed 3 days of pain before I went to hospital. The pain was worse than labour.
On day 2 in hospital after a scan, the surgeon told me it was coming out the next day. I’m so glad it’s out because I never want to experience that pain again. After a week, I was back to walking everywhere and carrying on as normal.
The only problem I had, is I am allergic to opiate based meds, so I couldn’t have morphine, codeine, tramadol etc before or after surgery. That would have helped my pain so much, but no. Only paracetamol
If you are having mild symptoms, I would get them investigated and don’t leave it until a full blown attack. It’s honestly horrid!

It sounds like it is, it's how mine started (sorry). I know now when I get that heavy feeling, I'm going to have an attack. Usually in the middle of the night. The pain wakes me up. I have had a few attacks during the day time too but it's rare.

@LisaLops wow well done on the weight loss that’s amazing.
I’ll definitely get it investigated before a full blown attack.

I had gallbladder problems and had it removed 2 years ago, thankfully. However, I did not have gallstones, not a single one. My gallbladder was literally dying and it's functionality was down to 8%. For a year I was sick nearly all the time. Vomiting, terrible pain under my ribs and hideous upper back pain. I was utterly miserable and what I ate had no bearing on my issues. I hope you get yours removed as soon as possible. I was immediately back to my old self.

Sounds a bit like mine - I put up with it for 7 years, variously being diagnosed with asthma/indigestion/musculoskeletal pain and, on one memorable occasion, being referred for a blood test for bone cancer, and it felt very much as you describe - I thought it felt as though something was tied down that shouldn't be and was pulling.

In the end we moved, I had a bad attack, my new surgery were on the ball, and it was removed about 18 months ago. It was so wonderful knowing I would never get it again.

Exactly like mentioned, I’ve been to the doctors about 4 times now.
I’ve been told bruised ribs from coughing, a pulled muscle, inflamed intercostal muscles, some rib problem that causes pain, and finally today they’ve said maybe gallstones.
It doesn’t feel like rib pain, it feels like an ache underneath everything.

I'm waiting for surgery to have my gallbladder out. I'm not sure but I think the type/level of pain may relate to where the gallstones are, and the size.
I have a whopper of a stone lodged firmly in the gallbladder so surgery is my only option. At times the pain is excrutiating, I've been jaundiced and I feel mildy nauseous most days.
Watching your diet definitely helps. My symptoms were much worse in the summer when we had two great British seaside holidays and eating things I rarely eat like fish and chips, donuts at funfairs, full English breakfasts etc. A cornish pasty on the beach overwhelmed me. I rarely drink at home but the cumulative effect of drinking a single glass of wine every night for a week with dinner was not helpful. Returning to my normal relatively low fat, non greasy, very low alcohol diet has helped. I had a small Bailey's last night though and have really felt it today.
Looking back I've had symptoms for a couple of years, always at night, usually weekends, on days when I have been exceptionally busy or stressed about something. I put it down to stress and indigestion.

That would make sense re different pain for different people.
I think you can get stones and sludge and infections too which may feel different.
I’ve felt mildly nauseous on and off for about a year too. Never been sick though and just learnt to ignore it!

Mine felt like a ball wedged under my ribs.

Bit like a baby hand/foot can too.

Yes, this is how I explained it too to a doctor, that it feels like something stuck under my ribs.

Heated bean bags can really help the pain, I can only have paracetamol which doesn’t always stop it. I also avoid alcohol now due to it

The thing is, that 95% of the time I can cope without painkillers.
It’s just a dull uncomfortable throb.
Today for the first time I took painkillers to see if it reduced inflammation but they didn’t work anyway!
I’m worried it’s not painful enough to be gallbladder and it might be something else.

Sounds a bit like mine, although I had attacks until I stuck to a low fat diet. When they removed my gallbladder it was very inflamed and DIL (who is am OPD) mentioned this to a surgeon for me and he agreed that it may well have been why I had constant pain

Well hopefully I’ll know either way in a few weeks.
I almost wish it was a bruised rib from coughing. It’s definitely not bone related though.