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?

I got gallstones when i was pregnant. I had horrific attacks, the pain was in the centre below my ribs. Honestly it felt like I was dying. I would break out in a huge sweat before the pain, then eventually start vomiting. Once I'd been sick the pain ebbed off.

I had an ultrasound which showed diseased gallbladder and I had it taken it out. I remember the surgeon presenting me with a test tube filled with stones when i woke up... amazing such tiny little things can cause so much bother.

I had a dull ache below my ribs about two years ago, my GP suspected gallstones but said as it wasn’t really bothering me, to come back if it gets worse. Got the occasional dull ache after that, but nothing else, until a couple of weeks before Christmas. Then I got steamrollered by a full on attack of biliary colic. Got sent home from A&E with oramorph, which took the edge off, and told to await a scan.

Fast forward a few weeks and after some back and forth, and wishing I would die, I’m currently in hospital with confirmed gallstones and pancreatitis, needing an MRI scan and possibly endoscopy to remove stone from bile duct before my gallbladder is removed.

Best you get the scan done now before it gets worse and you get the full blown problems. Good that your GP is referring you.

Weird question. You don't need to answer but how's your poo?
It's not a question I ask often, if ever!
Is it pale/floaty?

Wow. Yes I really want to avoid a full blown attack.
They sound horrific.
From reading all of these I think the dull ache probably is gallbladder related then.

Never pale.
I’ve had a bout of diarrhoea every day for the past week and the diarrhoea floats (sorry tmi).
But then I’ve also had really normal poos on the same day.
Randomly I’ve been double pooing, and doing one normal poo, then 10 minutes later a floaty diarrhoea one.
But then diarrhoea often floats doesn’t it?
Sorry if that’s too much detail!

If you get an attack ibs tablets can help as they are anti spasmodics

Uncanny! I’ve just posted in general health almost the same question.

On Xmas eve I had back and stomach pain and took painkillers thinking my usual back trouble was flaring up. Xmas day after eating dinner, drinking Prosecco my whole abdomen felt burning and bloated, I couldn’t stop burping. This continued for next few days with my taking occasional painkillers for my ‘back’ until the 27th when the pain travelled around to the abdomen and I was really very uncomfortable. I hadn’t slept overnight for days, the pain would be waking my up and I couldn’t lay in any way to get comfortable. On the 27th the OOH GP said I had gastritis from taking too many painkillers and I was given omeprazole.

It eventually settled although I was left feeling bruised, bloated and constantly full of wind, burping all the time. Fast forward to Monday night just gone and it kicked off again in the night, this time I thought I was having a heart attack, crushing feeling in my chest and severe trapped wind and belching. Pain now under my right rib, dull and heavy.

I visited GP Tuesday morning and he suspects gallbladder. Bloods taken and been booked in for a scan. He has advised a low fat diet in the meantime. Today the bloods have all come back completely clear but I still have dull, heavy feeling under my right ribs with burping.

Like the OP I haven’t had the huge ‘attack’ that people talk about so I’m now confused as to whether it is gallstones or not. Would the blood results show up an issue? Do they go away on their own? If not why does it settle then flare again?

I should also add that for years I’ve had what’s I thought was IBS. Large or rich meals can send me running to the loo with awful diarrhoea. Alternately I can not go for two days then go 5 or 6 times in one day. Never pale though, sometimes floats.

Could be chronic pancreatitis instead.

Glad I’m not the only one!
My mum did say that her gallbladder issues caused her to be very burpy and that rennies helped her.
I’m not burpy with mine.
Literally just horrible wedged, dragging, dull ache under my ribs.

Well I don’t know what’s going on, I’m completely pain free today. I have eaten very little, just a bowl of porridge and a cheese salad wrap for lunch (tiny bit of cheese, lots of salad) but this is the most comfortable I’ve been for a few days.
I’m flummoxed.

more advice here...................mine was due to fast weight loss too......Slimming World.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3471802-Gallstone-NHs-won-t-remove?pg=1

Firstly really sorry to hear your troubles,
Secondly... GET IT OUT, GET IT OUT NOW!
Thirdly... Don't read this if you are of a nervous disposition.

My Dp had a dodgy gall bladder last year. Destroyed our whole year and nearly destroyed her and us. She was in immense pain during weekly attacks, most leading to ambulances to casualty. It was a nightmare. I've never seen or heard anything like it, and I was in Nam.
My advice is get it taken out asap. On the NHS if you can or privately if able, it costs between £3000 and £7000 on the private. Go for it, get it out! It will only get worse and possibly kill you.
Dp had attacks while pregnant but they got 100% worse after baby was here. February last year was the first nightmare attack, I went to bed and was woken by horrific screaming from downstairs. I ran downstairs (ice axe in hand) expecting to kill whoever was attacking my family, to discover baby crying and Dp on the kitchen floor screaming. It was proper awful. This continued every week until the bastard gall bladder was removed in September. She is now recovering nicely, but slowly.
I really don't have the words to describe the horror, she was in so much pain all the time, she wanted to die for the pain to stop. She screamed and screamed every few days with horrifying attacks every week.
We were lucky that my employer was amazing, I could call and be given compassionate leave to look after baby while Dp was in hospital, this happened weekly. It was compassionate leave as it was deemed the attacks were distressing enough that I could not reasonably be expected to function at work and all I did was see the attacks, not actually have them myself.
As a result of my Dp's gall bladder, we both have mild PTSD now! I don't sleep well as I expect another attack. Its given me proper anxiety. I also go to pieces at the smell of cider vinegar. Dp is the same, cant sleep, too scared to eat, expects an attack at any moment.
Advice: Get it out.
If not taken out then advice is:
Get partners employer on board (lots of days off required).
Write all details on paper, name address DOB for numerous ambulance calls.
Partner gets first aid training as it helps deal with the symptoms and allows spotting of worsening symptoms. Need to know blood pressure, pulse, temperature, shock etc etc.
Keep hospital bag ready inc. mobile charger and mobile.
Get mother in Law ready for hospital runs. I stayed at home with baby, MIL went to hospital with DP. It helps minimize distress to baby.
Get Morphine and pills for your arse (I cant spell supositories!) and use them liberally at first sign of attacks.
Drink copious amounts of cider vinegar and indigestion stuff if it works. Cider vinegar is often the thing that helps.
Expect to wait hours for ambulances, if they turn up at all. ALWAYS phone an ambulance, dont drive to A&E (it will be taken more seriously if ambulance used and you dont have to wait in A&E, also will make people more likely to take it out). In reality there is huge scope for complications during attacks, victim needs to be in a an ambulance not in the passenger seat screaming the whole way.
If the pain is diffuse which it will be, its important to ensure that any chest pain is clearly mentioned to ambulance people, even if unsure if it is chest pain then best mention it. ALWAYS MENTION CHEST PAIN IF YOU CAN! Ambulances respond quicker to chest pain. Dont lie though as its important not to take an ambulance away from someone worse, but if the pain can be classed as near your chest than say so loudly.
Tell ambulance that its Gall Bladder, ensure pain is described in the right place, but also in diffuse places.
It is a nightmare! Hope your year goes better than ours!
Otherwise good luck.
(sorry about the caps... but I am actually shouting!) (also sorry about the ambulance/chest pain stuff... but when its your partner and baby's mother screaming in pain and ambulances don't turn up then...anything goes!).

Sorry about the essay... couldn't think of a way of saying it! Actually feel better now!

Pancreatitis can also be a sign of upper right quadrant pain. I’m sure they will find the cause soon x

So, went to the doctor again today (just for reseat prescription of the pill that I totally forgot to ask for at my gall bladder appointment and they wouldn’t prescribe without a blood pressure check!)
But anyway, it was my regular doctor, so I told her about my suspected gall bladder issues. She had a feel and said she doesn’t think gall bladder. She thinks more stomach related, perhaps gastritis.
So blood tests etc ordered and she’s asked for them to scan that whole area, not just my gall bladder.
I just want to be better. It’s so frustrating.

I had gallstones for years before I had an acute attack. Occasionally I got the throbbing or dull pain, similar to a broomstick handle under your rib cage. Then I had an attack and went to A&E. I didn't have an ultrasound then, though. I started to get pain again some months later. This time I went for an ultrasound and was diagnosed, but elected not to have surgery. After I had a second attack some months later, I asked for a surgery referral and got one. I had a third attack while waiting, had the surgery, and have been largely pain-free.

Gallbladder pain doesn't always present as an acute attack.

I guess only the scan will know for sure what’s going on.

Posting on here so it comes up on threads im on so u dont forget to reply later when ive more time. Very similar situation may have some answers !

I got fobbed off with “gastritis” for over two weeks, despite being in agony. It wasn’t gastritis at all. I ended up seriously unwell. The scan will tell you, at least.

I think it varies person to person to a certain degree. I had similar symptoms to a lot of people that have posted - they rumbled around for years & I was always putting them down to various other things.

Then, one hideous Sunday afternoon, I was ambulanced to hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack! The pain was sudden & utterly overwhelming - like a fist pressing into the middle of my breastbone, right through to the middle of my shoulder blades. It was worse than labour & I just didn't know what to do with myself.

Turns out I had a ton of gallstones stuck all over the place & an 'angry' gallbladder!

Had to spend best part of 2wks in hospital, nil by mouth, hooked up to oral morphine, saline, antibiotics & anti sickness meds, waiting for it all to calm down enough to undergo an endoscopic procedure to dredge out as many stones as possible & insert a stent to attempt to stop them getting stuck again.

Then had to wait a further 6wks till I could get my gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery. During that time, the consultant told me not to eat ANYTHING more than 5% fat or it would severely irritate things & give me more pain. I stuck to this RIGIDLY & I was absolutely fine! They whipped the bloody thing out & the recovery wasn't too bad at all!

Since then, I do still get a lot of upset tummies & niggling discomfort from time to time etc but it's nothing I can't cope with & it's DEFINITELY better when I watch what I eat & drink plenty of water.

I'd advise a 5% fat diet immediately & insist on a scan to check for gallstones - it can so often 'hide' as other things. Good luck!! X

So, I’m not in agony. But just a dull niggling pain.
I think it may be slightly worse after eating but not 100% sure as it’s there pretty much all day.
Randomly when I wake in the morning there is no pain whatsoever, but when I get up moving then it starts niggling on and off throughout the day.
Also feels like a fullness or like something is wedged/stuck under my bottom right rib.

I had my gallbladder removed last year. I had one attack which resulted in a trip to A&E. It took them 24hours to diagnose an infected gall bladder. I was given antibiotics which solved the pain issue very quickly. Three months later (without any further problems) they removed it. The surgery was at 9am I was discharged about 4pm and had no problems whatsoever with my recovery. I eat exactly what I like when I like with no issues. (Well obviously I still put on weight) Considering everything I had read beforehand I was surprised how seamlessly it all went!

I (think) I had an attack, all the women in my family have had them.

I woke up one night with intense painunder my ribs on the one side and all through my back, I could only manage but curling up into a ball with my bum in the air.
I rang 111, they told me it's uncommon for a 20 year old girl to get it in too young and it's not hereditary.. it bloody well is in my opinion!

Ended up with a doctors appointment the next day, went in, told him I repeat his profession but not to tell me it's not hereditary or I'm too young because every single woman on my mum's side of the family has all had then removed from ages 19-23. I had a scan and they said I probably had one pass through.
I occasionally have little niggles now and then since, but anything like that again I will cut it out myself!

Hi OP, I'm not from the UK so my terminology might be a little different.

I was also suffering from long term abdominal pain, not what you would normally consider for a gallbladder and my dr at the time dismissed it completely (nothing in my blood work, nothing showing on scans to show a gallbladder/kidney stone). I continued to have pain, which then developed to also having pain in the back. I was like this for ~6 months, with levels of pain that no pain reliever would solve. Dr sent me to multiple specialist for various things but never for gallbladder. I went to a new dr, basically crying for some help and asking him to check my gallbladder (thank Dr Google ).

New Dr was great. He sent me for a HIDA scan (not sure if what it may be called elsewhere) which basically checks the gallbladder function under a ct scan with dye. Turns out my gallbladder didn't have any stones but was failing to empty and was only functioning at less then 50%. Had the gallbladder removed and no pain since. Day surgery, had to end up staying one night for observation.

Also this suggestion may not be for you, but while I was waiting the 2 weeks for the surgery my new doc suggested that I switch to the FODMAP diet. This helped great as it cuts out food that is hard for the body to process without the gallbladder (also recommended for IBS sufferers). I still follow the diet (as it also helped me lose weight )