Talk to me about your gallbladder

[Caerulea]

So I had some kind of insane pain attack the night before last, posted here at the time -
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5072067-help-kidney-beans-trying-to-kill-me?reply=135151099

Much consensus that it sounded like gallbladder pain but some sympathising with trapped wind (burps). Booked in for colonoscopy in two weeks & the nurse seemed to think the attack sounded gallbladder related too.

Today, still got a bad stomach - diarrhea & burps & discomfort around my diaphragm. Scared to eat (low-fat Greek yoghurt & stewed apricots only yesterday) & trying a dry muffin now. No nausea or anything, everything going down. But I've still got the gripping pain in the middle/upper back, beneath by bra strap & above the bottom of my ribs. It feels like a hand around my spine.

Does this sound right for gallbladder issues? Should I be pushing in the meantime for that to be looked at?

This does very much sound like gallbladder / gallstones attack. I had the same thing last year had three attacks (one a week) and the pain was awful. I don’t fit the profile of having gallstones but I am so lucky my doctor recognised and I had a scan straight away after a A&E visit for the pain. Get yourself a scan to see if they can see gallstones. I had to have my gallbladder removed two weeks later. Look after yourself and hope you get it sorted soon x

I had gallstones previously that led to pancreatitis, my gallbladder has been removed now (thank god) but I still get the occasional complaint from my pancreas, it feels like having a belt pulled too tight around my internal organs just under the ribs when it's kicking off.

Best advice I can give you if you might think it's that is avoid alcohol and stick to lean protein and veg for a few days and you might be able to calm it down. Ibuprofen helps too.

Yep, sounds like gallstones. I had it after the birth of my 3rd child and had several bad attacks (always at night!), some leaving me vomiting with the pain and crawling around on the floor. I went to a&e a couple of times where I was given painkillers and referred back to my gp who did nothing! It wasn’t until I had a septic gallbladder and was admitted to hospital for a week that someone did something. I’m now gallbladder free, after a 6 week wait for the infection in the organ to resolve and haven’t looked back.

You must push for a scan. Removal of a gallbladder is an easy outpatient operation (although the referred pain from trapped wind afterwards is something else!) and personally, I’ve had no real problems since having mine removed.

Thank you both. I'm being investigated for ongoing gut issues (bloods all clear for scary stuff) which I've always had to some degree in terms of pain & trapped burps (everything seems to specify wind as farts, not so for me) but the this year it's gone into overdrive & the past few weeks have been dire. Daren't not be near a toilet.

Gallbladder is not something that's been suggested before, it's been IBS, GORD & gastritis. Now I don't know if it could have been this all along, a gallbladder that despises me.

My daughter described the pain as someone repeatedly stabbing her in the back. Prior to surgery, she had to eat a very low fat diet. Since surgery, she's pain free and able to eat pretty much what she wants.

I had a single gallstone (unbeknown to me at the time) that caused mild, but very uncomfortable symptoms for about 3 yrs. I thought it was just trapped wind. I had extreme bloating and pain under my ribs. It took 2 attacks that were simply agonising, and a visit to A and E before a diagnosis was made. I paid privately to have my gall bladder removed, and the surgeon told me that my gall bladder was raw and ulcerated, caused by me ignoring my symptoms for so long! I wish I had sought help much earlier...so please push for an investigation OP

@SwingTheMonkey can I ask how you felt for the few days after the attack & if you had other gastro issue (mucus etc).

You need an ultrasound to check your gallbladder. Sounds like classic gallstone symptoms.

Had mine removed about 10 years ago after horrible attacks. I haven’t missed it at all. My fat digestion seems to be fine.

Try to stay upright during an attack so the bile duct is straight to help the gallstone move, and for gravity to help. Buscopan tablets can help. Low to no fat diet is generally recommended to reduce attacks.

Worn out and exhausted. I’d get weird diarrhoea/frequent bowel movements during an attack. Yes to mucus for a few days afterwards. My whole body would be sore. Probably from clenching my muscles trying to deal with the pain.

Avoid codeine. It can aggravate the pain.

of course!

Absolutely drained, sore in my abdominal area, diahorrea. I’m not sure how I got through those weeks with a small baby actually because I felt dreadful!

I’ve had them for years .. I probably need to have my gallbladder out.

I answered in your last thread .. but yes the “hangover” as I call it, last throughout the next day. The severe pain goes, but it feels a bit like a “pulled muscle” sort of ache. I go back to eating normally once it passes. TBH, my food & the attacks don’t seek particularly related .. I’ve had them after high fat and low fat foods. All I’ve done is learn how to spot them earlier, and not panic about the pain as I know it will pass.

It's your post that made me think of it. Tbh, the pain was so extreme it was beyond panic in the same way as childbirth is. My herniated disc can make me panic but this was beyond that.

I don't think (if this was gallbladder) this is the only thing causing my problems but definitely thinking it's in there alongside others. The only foods that have definitely upset me in the last 5 months are beans & soya protein, otherwise there's no pattern at all. Only Greek yoghurt & bon maman apricot compote definitely doesn't. Oat biscuits tried to murder me on one occasion.

This sounds like my experience, it went on for a good few years and was dismissed as IBS and I was told to try eliminating foods but it never led to a conclusion. At first the attacks were mild, then they moved to feeling like my bra was trying to kill me and finally to so bad I ended up in A&E on morphine. At this point they finally found the issue with an ultrasound scan. I immediately went on a low fat diet and had my gallbladder out soon after.

So, I had the colonoscopy & all is boring in there. They took a biopsy so will wait on results for microscopic colitis. The lady who did the scan agreed my attack sounds like gallstones. All the grotty bowel movements (5 months on & off then relentless in the weeks to this attack) stopped after that incident. Niggling pain ongoing though.

However - had another (milder) pain attack the other night after eating a halloumi burger (about 5 slices).

Saw GP today who agreed to an ultrasound of gallbladder & pancreas but obvs could be 6 months. I asked if I could pay (just for the scan, can't afford anything else) & he said they won't use the results. Didn't palpate my stomach to test gallbladder theory either.

Does any of this sound usual? Feeling really frustrated, this has been going on for years in one way or another. Woken up feeling really uncomfortable & heavy in the centre of my chest (had half a revolting GU panna cotta late last night) & burping loads today. Aching in my spine in my mid/upper back too.

Why would it be 6 months before you could get a scan done? Is that an NHS thing? Not from the UK so I don’t know how that works. Personally I’d pay privately for the scan to get an answer about the gallstones. At least then you’ll know. Next time you have an attack perhaps go to hospital and push for a scan to be done.

@BananaBender UK here so yes, NHS wait times for non-urgent procedures. Tbh, I thought it might be even longer

They will use the results thats bollocks. Is he honestly going to look at the scan results saying gallstones and say Nah, won't refer you, you need an NHS scan?

My DM is waiting on an op and we have paid for bits and bobs along the way to speed things along.

To update this -

Had the ultrasound today & the sonographer found lots of 'gravel' stones in my gallbladder. She was very thorough in the scanning & photographing the entire top & sides of my abdomen. I asked if she could see anything else & she said couldn't really but will prepare the report after analysis of the photos then for me to ring the gp next Friday.

I would have liked a categorical 'everything is perfect!' but she didn't seem to want to say that after I specifically enquired about my pancreas.

I'm still worried that all the diarrhea & pain on eating is something sinister (aren't we all scared of pancreatic cancer?) though I've not really had any of the former since that first insane attack. Still burping, though.

I parted company with my gallbladder some years ago, and I have never missed it! It was removed as an emergency procedure as I also had jaundice and pancreatitis at the same time, the latter of which can be nasty.
So keep an eye on things, OP, make sure you're on the list for surgery and be willing to accept a cancellation if one arises.

Please keep an eye on it. I developed gallstones due to pregnancy hormones and my only symptom was heartburn until I woke up and started vomiting. I took myself off to A and E where I collapsed and passed a stone. Pain worse than a c-section. I also developed pancreatitis and lost 8kg in 3 days.

I had a small number of episodes together that started out as a sternum trapped wind sensation but got worse and worse after eating. It was agony for hours (over 12 hours each time) right hand side radiating round to front and back. Burping and felt sick but I didn’t have a temp. The second time it happened I called 111 and saw a GP who said likely something gallbladder related. I was on Ozempic at the time so I stopped taking it and was careful with my diet. It has not yet come back. It was exactly like everyone said a gnawing pain, deep and relentless felt like I needed to burp and throw up and being stabbed. Buscopan did nothing!

it was hard to eat for days after as I was so afraid of it coming back. Bread made it a lot worse so avoid also. Lying flat weirdly was the only position that helped relieve it. I think I just ate the most plain bland small things mostly dry cornflakes and vegetable soup in small amounts until I felt more human again

Thanks all!

I'm definitely up for having it whipped out, I'm very much against a full blown attack again, that was incredible. Since then it's grumbled a few times & I've a days on/off of pain between my shoulder blades & under my ribs (today being one of them).

No weight loss & no yellowing or even nausea, just don't particularly want to eat cos I don't know if it will hurt, not a loss of appetite though.

Frustrating this has been going on for years really, and that what I was told was a polyp a few years ago wasn't one at all but a stone/stones 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have similar symptoms but ultrasound/CT/MRI showed liver and gallbladder was fine. Fatty lump on my pancreas though, could this be causing the pain? Has anyone had negative scans but then been found to have gallstones anyway? Or any other reason for this pain? Family history of gallstones so I wasn't surprised when it was suggested. Also elevated amylase with no explanation as to what's causing it...

@bobbykirby with that combo of scans I should think they wouldn't have missed anything? What is next on their list to try?

@Caerulea not sure really, gastroenterologist said I probably have IBS and told me to try a cutting out lactose or gluten. This was all done by phone. Haven't had any more follow-up even though I had some blood tests done and a fecal elastase test to check my pancreas function, which I never got the results of. I've asked GP for a private referral as I don't think I can put up with the pain much longer, but haven't done anything about seeing anyone yet as I'm not sure what else they can do/check?
Although the mass on my pancreas was deemed to be a fatty lump and nothing concerning, I don't know if it could be the cause of the pain??
The thought of potentially feeling like this for decades is depressing!