Managing pre-gall bladder op

[ChrissasMissis]

I wonder if anyone could share their experiences/advice at all?

After three years of being told I had IBS (or to quite my old GP, a "spastic bowel") I have recently been diagnosed with gall stones. My new GP has referred me for a surgical consultation, but in the meantime, I am trying to manage occasional attacks whilst caring for my 10 month old DS.

The hospital gave me naproxen, which occasionally works, but if I take it too regularly, gives me a pain in my stomach. Codydramol doesn't help. I was offered tramadol, but on the three occasions I have had this in the past, it makes me vomit profusely! The only thing that "helped" was the gas and air that the nice ambulance man gave me when I had my last attack and had to be removed to hospital in an ambulance.

I spoke to a GP at my surgery and she said to take paracetamol or ibuprofen. I'm afraid I laughed at her.

If anyone has experienced gall bladder attacks, how have you managed them? Is this even possible? I would greatly appreciate some advice/support here.

Thanks.

I had about three months between diagnosis and surgery. I didn't have any more attacks in that time. They were so painful, I wanted to do avoid them if I could. I was very very careful with what I ate, and cut out fat as much as possible. No butter, no cheese, nothing fried. No cakes, biscuits, chocolate.

I lived with this for about 18 months before surgery. Panadol worked well and buscopan. Though you need to work out through a food diary what your triggers are. Mine were bacon, greasy stuff like pepperoni/fried stuff. You need a very low fat diet with no treats really. I ended with emergency surgery because I couldn't keep anything down and even the low fat diet was triggering attacks. 4 days of I've fluids calmed my body down to allow surgery. I still have to watch what I eat or I get a slight pain.

It is best to stay on a very low fat diet. This will limit attacks. Cutting out caffeine will also help.

Thanks for all the advice - low fat doesn't seem to make a vast amount of difference, TBH. It's not always clear what is triggering the attacks. When I was hospitalized, I had eaten sausages, but then on other occasions, it can be hard to draw a correlation between the pain and what I have eaten.

How have you flet after surgery? I am worried that it might not helps, as I (foolishly) read a thread on Mumnset about pot-op attacks...!?!

When I was waiting for my op, I survived on plain boiled rice with scraps of chicken breast, peas and carrot. Very dull, but I did lose weight. I found that wheat-based starch (bread or pasta) made me feel worse, as did fatty or smoked food. And coffee was a disaster! I also had pain after eating soya in all its forms.

I did, and still do, feel much better after having my gall bladder removed. So not everyone struggles afterwards!

OP, I had no post-op attacks and I was able to eat completely normally afterwards. I was glad I had it done.

Op, when are you having your surgery? I had a two week wait to see the consultant and he told me that he didn't have a waiting list and did I want it done the following week? I explained that I was going away the last weekend in April for two weeks and it is now booked in for four days after I return! To be honest I was a bit "wow", it has all been so quick.

I have had periodic episodes for years and had always put it down to eating something which didn't agree with me. After the last, bad episode my GP sent me for an ultra sound scan and I was amazed to hear I had gallstones. I find that, for me, the only way I can cope is to make myself sick (this is something I have discovered because I was always better after I had thrown up), so making myself sick does help me. (Not a good thing to suggest, I know).

I hope you have your operation soon - must admit it is good to read above that people have not had any problems afterwards.

NUFC69 - I'm not yet booked in for surgery - I am still waiting for my surgical consultation...I know what you mean about being sick, I have found on occasion that this can help. It's by no means a regular fix though. I am trying to manage flare ups with naproxen, which I take very sparingly. My diet is pared down and I have trimmed a lot of fat out of it, but it's not easy, with a young son who keeps me on my toes! A quick bite of chocolate can keep me going...sigh...it's all a big pain in the tummy.

Orlistat stops attacks completely. It makes all of the fat you eat pass through your body undigested. Your gallbladder doesn't need to do anything.

Also recommend drinking more water to thin the bile and chewing your food really well so it is digested easier.