To ask you to describe your gallstones issues please?

[TheVolturi]

I have had sort of upset stomach for over a month now. Crampy upper abdominal pain usually followed by needing the loo. I have been needing a poo up to 4 times a day, always with this pain first. Finally consulted Dr and she's sent a stool sample off, not had results yet. However I have just had a really bad 'attack' of cramps that I can only compare to labour pains, literally took my breath away. Its going away and coming back in waves, just like labour. (definitely not preg) seems to be coming from upper abdomen and radiating down through my whole stomach. I have been on the loo to try and ease it but even though I've had loose bowel movements twice now it's not eased it at all.
Waiting on Dr ringing me but tempted to go and get seen urgently?

Go and get seen urgently. Sounds like gallstones and riding it out will only delay matters. If you go now they'll likely scan you to see if they can see anything.

Sympathies. It's fucking awful

I’m due to have mine out at the end of the month via keyhole. I had an attack in feb and one in may, collapsing with the most horrendous chest pain through to my back, felt feverish and lost vision with the pain, blue lighted to a&e both times. Heart issues ruled out, tests run on pancreas and liver- all ok. Got referral to gastro and told 6 months plus wait on NHS in June. I managed to go private and in a matter of weeks saw a gastro, had ultrasound, now surgery is booked. Following a low fat diet in mean time to try and prevent another attack. Seriously worried to have an attack in school holidays when I have 2 littlest ones (one with ASC and learning difficulties). Good luck

Thank you. Jemima I am the same, got three young kids here on my own, one with asd, dh works an hour away and I can't get hold of him. I will go and be seen today hopefully, don't want to ride it out anymore especially since it seems to be worsening. I actually felt great today up to this happening. Right after eating lunch it was.

I hope you manage to get referred 🤞🏻🤞🏻. Take care

I would go to see your GP as a matter of urgency. I was told that my trouble sounded like gallstones but it couldn't possibly be as I was too young and far too thin. This went on for over a year and some doctors said it was PND another said it was attention seeking. Eventually after eighteen months of agony and awful sickness it was found to be gallstones. Because it went on for so long I developed a fistula which then caused me to develop gallstone illeus, a gallstone trapped in my bowel. I was dreadfully ill and it took ages to recover. Its the worse thing I've ever been through health wise and really regret not kicking up a fuss but I was of the mindset that the doctors knew best. Hope you get it it sorted soon, you really have my sympathy,good luck

What you describe sounds exactly how my gall stone attacks were. I had one at uni before and the staff called an ambulance and were convinced I was in labour! Took several trips to the doctors for them to finally click and refer me for a scan. Once that was done I was quickly referred for the op and had it done keyhole. Was a huge relief!

Mine pressed on a nerve so I had agony in my shoulder, then (while at a new boyfriends house) it caused me to black out, when I had gone downstairs for a drink and he found me sprawled stark naked amongst the contents of his large kitchen bin which I'd knocked over as I went down and a massive egg in my head where I'd taken in the radiator on my way to the floor. All rather dramatic art the time but way more funny than yours which sounds ghastly! We're married now so we can laugh. The stone passed itself luckily. The doctor told me it was usually middle aged overweight fair haired ladies who suffered more commonly, whereas I was not that, it can strike anyone.

Did anyone get upset stomach or did the attacks make you need to poo? I'm thinking maybe the cramps cause my stomach to spasm and that's why I have been going the loo so much. Nowhere seems to say gallstones can cause loose stools. But if you look at gallbladder disease it does say needing the loo after eating. Still waiting for Dr to ring!

The cramps have eased for now I'm dreading them returning!

@PieceOfString 😂😂

@TheVolturi sorry to hear about the pain you're in! I was diagnosed with gallstones last year, had attacks on and off for about 6 months. Eventually ended up being admitted to hospital with pancreatitis and had emergency gallbladder removal a couple of weeks later. My attacks were horrendous but they didn't come and go, the pain was constant and would last 5+ hours at a time, usually triggered by eating something high in fat. I can't remember having loose bowel movements with it though so not sure if that's a symptom or not. Def keep pushing to get checked though! I was having attacks for 6 months and still didn't get referred for an ultrasound. Also, if the pain gets really bad, I'd go to a&e. That's what I used to do and they would give me liquid morphine, it was the only thing that relieved the pain x

Gp just rang and doesn't think it is gallstones. He's requested more stool samples so I will be waiting even longer now and I can't help worrying if it's something more serious.

Hmm - I'd be tempted to request her refer you for an ultrasound - rule out (or in) the gallstones

I've had my gallbladder out on Tuesday. There were over 200 stones in the bugger.

Tbh your pain doesn't sound like mine. I often vomited but there was no issues with pooing. I had very severe pain, in my case. It was central so above the belly button but below the sternum, but usually its too the right. It is really off the scale, I would honestly end up crying and screaming, have ended up in a & e with it. After about 2 hours it would ease off but I'd end up with a cross between a hangover and mild flu for about 24 hours, so a bit queasy, drained, aches and pains especially in the gallbladder area e.g. if I laughed or coughed.

It's often triggered by high fat foods but tbh its a bit hit and miss, e.g. one happened after a wedding so a lot of rich good, one after a chippy tea, and one after eating cheese, but pizza was strangely ok. (Above were eaten before I was aware of diagnoses).

I have gallstones (waiting for an ultrasound to see what's going on) but I never have any pooping issues. Just pain.

Thanks everyone. Just been and collected the sample forms and the Dr has put query Ibd. To be honest I'm really worried its something even more serious than that. The pain today did seem to fit gallstones but I don't know. I feel so worried and numb!

I did a urine sample while I was there and they've just said it shows infection but it's been sent to the lab for analysis. Don't know what to think now 🙄

I had horrendous pain on Monday right across the top of my stomach and the girls in work seem to think it could be gallstones. No Poo issues though.

Could you have acute pancreatitis? Or giardiasis I think both of those include loose stools.

It really doesn't sound like gallstones to me (voice of experience, I had my gallbladder complete with 200+ stones removed on Tuesday). My pain was severe and intense and would last for about 2 hours, then ease off. Mine was just above my belly button, though it's usually to the right. Ive been known to throw up, but there has never been an issue with bowels.

Obviously I'm not a doctor and even if I was I couldn't diagnose online, you'd need an ultrasound scan and bloods to diagnose it properly, but I'm just speaking from my own experience. I think your GPs suggestion of some kind of issue with your bowels is more likely.

But I hope you get a diagnosis soon as you then get the appropriate treatment as it sounds horrible x

Also the fact that it's been there practically all the time for the last month doesn't sound like my experience either. I would have an attack lasting a couple if hours, it would ease off, then I wouldn't have any more for weeks or even months. In fact I didn't even think there was an issue for about 18 months or so when they started getting more frequent and severe, but even so there was usually as few weeks of being symptom free. First I just thought "oh it's just bad stomach pain or indigestion" and forgot about it once it was over. It was only when my husband dialled 999 cos he thought I was dying I realised there was an issue (didnt go to hospital then as they were really busy, I was treated by phone by a paramedic an hour or so later and it had eased off so I cancelled it....but realised it did need follow up.)

I see patients with gallstones as part of my job, your symptom of having bowels open are not typical of gallstone pain but upper abdominal pain definitely is, especially the right upper and shoulder. Please eat a fat free diet, the bile which digests fat squeezes out your gallbladder every time you eat fat. If you are desperate, as biliary colic is horrendous, and you can afford it I would get a private ultrasound scan, cost about £100-150.
Good luck.

I've had symptoms like you, I've got a gallstone and diverticular disease, which caused the bowel problems, an attack of diverticulitis was crippling. All brought about by a history of disordered eating/anorexia. The pain with both the gallstone and DD is horrendous, hope you get it sorted fast..

My pain was in my stomach and up my back to my shoulders. . I was literally rolling around on the floor with the pain. In my 50,s! No toilet issues. It was horrendous. Each time mine was set off by coffee but l am quite sensitive to coffee even since removal of gallbladder. Doctor said most people are set off by one particular food, mainly fat. Could you think of anything you are eating that is setting it off. Your symptoms sound a bit different than mine. Hope you get sorted soon.

My pain felt like heart attack. Centrally located, radiating through to right shoulder blade. Unable to stay still mid attack - almost made me feral in that I had to writhe around on all fours to try to ease it. All the classic symptoms. No need to poo more though.

Had gallbladder out through keyhole which helped but later discovered I was also having severe acid reflux attacks so both conditions at once. Which is why they’d tried to treat me for acid issues first, not realising both conditions were present at same time.

For months i had an intermittent pain in my chest which felt like trapped wind. Drinking cold water eased it. No sore stomach .Then one morning i felt the pain again immediately followed by loose stools and this time the pain took my off my feet and didn't go away. Rushed to hospital with pancreatitis caused by gallstones. Gallbladder removed and all good now thankfully.