Is there anything you can do to fix gallstones??

[StillMe89]

Sorry, posting here for traffic! I woke up in the night not feeling sick, but with a super bad pain under my ribs and radiating all round my back. I thought it would fade off through the day, but it was getting worse and ibuprofen wasn't even touching it. So I called 111 and they told me to go to an Urgent Care Centre. I know that's going to sound like I was being OTT, but it was hurting so much!

I thought it must be a muscle thing, but the doctor at the Urgent Care said it was a typical onset of gallstones and told me I need to contact my GP asap to arrange an ultrasound and figure out what needs to be done. She prescribed some codeine (which was helped!!) and said that there's not much to do in terms of diet, etc. which would help at this point. I'm stressing out because I seriously can't take time off work this coming week and... urgh. I just can't believe it. Such bad timing!

Has anyone had this and was there anything you did that helped, if so? Anything - in terms of pain relief, diet, lifestyle...?

@LizzieSiddal

Please get some proper diet advise. Although you should try to avoid fatty food you should not try a very low fat diet. That can make gall bladder pain worse!

This is incorrect, a fat free diet is recommended. I work and treat patients with gallstone disease.

I'm sorry about the horrible experiences everyone has had or is having with this. It is soooooo not fun!

I haven't had much sleep as I've has very bad diarrhoea... sorry tmi...! A lot of running to the loo. The pain and the spasms is still just as bad and I'm fed up that it's still going on. I've dosed up with buscopan (which hasn't helped) and tried lying on one side (which has).

I'm in a dilemma over work. I should go in, and yet yesterday was miserable and unproductive!

I've left an econsult for the GP, but on current form I'm not particularly expecting to hear back! They are running no face to face because of Covid anyway...

I also got them while pregnant and it took them awhile to recognize them.

While I was waiting for operation they gave spasmex to help me (I think it is called the same in uk), but operation was the only thing that took my pain away. Best day of my life.

@StillMe89 Diarrhoea is a normal side effect from gall stones. Although for me the act of straining helped the pain.

I used to use two water bottles, one in front and one at back and secure with a dressing gown belt. Being distracted helped so talking to someone- so long as they don't necessarily expect much sense back - helped me. At the end I had a stone get stuck and ended up being in almost constant pain for two weeks before by op (which was brought forward by 3 weeks). That was not fun.

Gall stones are the worst pain I've ever felt, much worse than labour as its constant and can go on for longer.

I had a gallbladder attack. As others have said it was the most pain I've ever been in. I've given birth twice without any pain relief.
Now if I start to feel the pain coming on I take two table spoons of cider vinegar and it goes away

I am generally pretty pain-tolerant and it is unusual that I struggle this much with it. I don't really take painkillers often and it's worrying me a bit that I'm now popping them like smarties!

The doctor I saw at UTC diagnosed it very quickly! Which doesn't seem to have been the experience of others.

I had to call off work... sitting and moving is hurting so much and I'm still having crazy bad diarrhoea. I've been to the toilet about 8 times in the last hour

Both my wife and SIL have done the apple juice cleanse and have both passed the gallstones. I only saw my wives and it was pretty yuck but it worked! I was totally "yeah right" but she's never had a flare up.

I can't remember the details but a google will sort you out. It's worth a try if you're not gonna get a referral soon.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45513012

I don't have anything sensible to add but if gall stones are anything like kidney stones ! Strange but true science. 😊

Just realised I missed the word HOT water bottles 😂 the heat helps.

The only thing that will properly fix it is to have your gall bladder out but in the meantime eat as little fat as is humanly possible.

Managed to get my GP to send a prescription for some lansoprozole to my chemist, as apparently that should help. Fingers crossed!

If you're in significant pain you should really go to A&E, a gallstone stuck in a duct can cause numerous problems (like pancreatitis). When I presented like this I had my gallbladder removed within 24 hours of presenting at A&E.

If Buscopan isn't helping, then ask at a pharmacy for some mebeverine (Colofac).

I got a call from my GP too... they said they will book me in for an ultrasound and in the meantime, just wait for it to improve (which it should in a few days).

If it gets worse ... or if I go yellow.... go back to the hospital. I'm not sure how much worse "worse" would need to be, though. Or how yellow I'd need to go, lol. I'm imagining literally lucid yellow, the colour of a banana, but I guess not!!

@SimplySteveRedux

If you're in significant pain you should really go to A&E, a gallstone stuck in a duct can cause numerous problems (like pancreatitis). When I presented like this I had my gallbladder removed within 24 hours of presenting at A&E.

If Buscopan isn't helping, then ask at a pharmacy for some mebeverine (Colofac).

Ah, thank you... that's useful to know. I feel absolutely grim but I'm not actually writhing in agony or screaming with pain, so will wait it out for now! The GP said the pain can be caused by a stone being passed and it will usually go in a few days...

Op trust me you will know if you have to go to hospital I know this sounds crazy but don't wear anything restrictive I used to have to take my bra off when I was having an attack the pain will disappear pretty fast

OTOH, you are speaking to someone who almost gave birth to DD1 at home in the shower, as I didn't think I was in enough pain to be in active labour

I found the same thing with the bra. It is just as well I am pretty flat-chested

Morphine and gallbaldder removal were the only things that helped my gallstones.

They were the worst pain I've ever felt, so I'm sending a truckload of sympathy to anyone suffering from them.

I'm sorry you're having so much pain. I had mine out a year ago. Please be careful of doing any of the gallbladder cleanses or using alternative methods of getting rid of the stones. I was petrified of having the surgery to remove mine, so I tried a cleanse which involved drinking grapefruit juice and olive oil. Worst mistake ever as I ended up in A&E with the worst attack after doing that. I think the only real option is removal and as fat free a diet as possible. I also found not eating too late in the evening and trying to eat a smaller lighter meal in the evening helped too.

Just to add, I recommended the beetroot recipe as an alleviator of discomfort & not to get rid of gallstones - and it was ok'd by my hospital specialist. It does seem to improve the function of my gallbladder, and you're only eating a small amount together with lemon juice and olive oil - no more than you would in a salad. Not at all the same as a gallbladder flush which I'd never attempt.

I am smuggling a commercial quantity of marbles in my gallbladder... theres nothing in there BUT stones..

I also can't have surgery.

Think about food before you prep meals, if your planned meal is likely to trigger a reaction, just THINKING about it starts your gallbladder prepping for digestion... if it hurts, don't eat that.

Typically super high fat and spices do it but not always, I find pulses, legumes and raw veg also does it. Ditto very carby stuff, chips, bread, pasta.

Don't ignore the onset of gallbladder pain in the hopes it will go away, take pain meds the SECOND you realise whats up and keep on taking them a while after its gone, the sooner you hit it with pain meds, the better.

I manage mine with either morphine or tramadol (i switch between the two so im not finding either becomes ineffective) and buscopan and paracetamol but if it comes on in the night and I have missed the boat as far as oral meds are concerned, its an a&e job with iv paracetamol and morphine for me, plus bloods test to be on the safe side (quite what they willd o if i do get a stone stuck or infection I don't know... watch me die I assume?!)

Current waiting time is over a year for gallbladder removal die to Covid 19.

My gallbladder no longer works properly after microstones in pregnancy.

Avoid dairy, avoid batter mix anything (pancakes, Yorkshire puds etc.) Some spices, but not all upset mine too. An occasional glass of red wine before bed brings quite a bit of relief though. Dehydration will also cause problems and pain.

But likelihood is a long wait for an operation.

@WiddlinDiddlin

I am smuggling a commercial quantity of marbles in my gallbladder... theres nothing in there BUT stones..

I also can't have surgery.

Think about food before you prep meals, if your planned meal is likely to trigger a reaction, just THINKING about it starts your gallbladder prepping for digestion... if it hurts, don't eat that.

Typically super high fat and spices do it but not always, I find pulses, legumes and raw veg also does it. Ditto very carby stuff, chips, bread, pasta.

Don't ignore the onset of gallbladder pain in the hopes it will go away, take pain meds the SECOND you realise whats up and keep on taking them a while after its gone, the sooner you hit it with pain meds, the better.

I manage mine with either morphine or tramadol (i switch between the two so im not finding either becomes ineffective) and buscopan and paracetamol but if it comes on in the night and I have missed the boat as far as oral meds are concerned, its an a&e job with iv paracetamol and morphine for me, plus bloods test to be on the safe side (quite what they willd o if i do get a stone stuck or infection I don't know... watch me die I assume?!)

Do you have another medical condition that makes any surgery too risky?

I'm feeling a little depressed now The idea of feeling like this for a year or more waiting for surgery is not exactly joyous... I guess I'm also feeling lazy and unenthusiastic about dietary changes. I've always thought my diet was quite okay, but I guess it can't be that great if it has given me gallstones! But I don't each anything fried or greasy, I'm vegetarian, I have my 5 a day... I hate cutting out food groups and having to think about what you're eating all the time!

Hoping it's going to wear off a little bit soon. Sorry for the massive moan!

I laid off fatty food, fizzy drink etc. But god the hideous bastard pain of them when an attack starts is something else! Doc gave me co-codamol 30/500 to manage the pain. It was excruciating. I rarely have an episode now.

I'm definitely pro low-fat - it reduced the frequency of my gallbladder attacks from daily to once a fortnight or so. I didn't have to cut it out completely though - I worked out I was ok with about 10g of fat per day (so long as it wasn't all in one go).

Along with Buscopan, the most effective pain relief that I found was a very hot bath - as hot as you can stand.

The worst attacks did leave me in pain for a couple of days, but they weren't all like that - some passed within 15 minutes or so.

Good luck