GALLSTONES

[MrsFrostgetful]

my doctor has suggested i have a bllod test/urine test and ultrasound scan to see if i have gallstones.

about every 5 days i get an attack which results in dark urine- and i'm worried that if the day the blood is taken i am not 'suffering an attack' then both the blood and urine won't reflect the problem???

or is it something that if present will get detected at any time????

also when they do the blood test...will they check my thyroid levels routinely...as they are getting lower- and i also wondered whether gallbladder/thyroid etc could be linked???

don't want to give you false info but as i understand it the liver function test will only come back abnormal if you have pancreatitis(?) bought on by the gallstones. i'm pretty sure the gallstones themselves don't affect blood results but as i say don't quote me. I went to hosp. about 4 times in late pregnancy with exactly the pain you are describing and they kept saying it was indigestion. eventually they took a blood sample and sent me home. The next morning i got a call saying come back to hosp immediately. You can imagine at 37 weeks pregnant with my first baby i was hysterical thinking there was something wrong with the baby but they were concerned about my liver function and arranged an immediate ultrasound and saw the gallstones. in a way i'm glad it was when i was pregnant as it seemed to mean that i got sorted quicker. Luckily i have private healthcare through work (couldn't afford to PAY for it!) and had gallbladder out 2 mths after ds born. You have my total sympathy as the pain is unbearable - worse than labour at times! The reassuring thing is that you can live without your gallbladder!

don't want to give you false info but as i understand it the liver function test will only come back abnormal if you have pancreatitis(?) bought on by the gallstones. i'm pretty sure the gallstones themselves don't affect blood results but as i say don't quote me. I went to hosp. about 4 times in late pregnancy with exactly the pain you are describing and they kept saying it was indigestion. eventually they took a blood sample and sent me home. The next morning i got a call saying come back to hosp immediately. You can imagine at 37 weeks pregnant with my first baby i was hysterical thinking there was something wrong with the baby but they were concerned about my liver function and arranged an immediate ultrasound and saw the gallstones. in a way i'm glad it was when i was pregnant as it seemed to mean that i got sorted quicker. Luckily i have private healthcare through work (couldn't afford to PAY for it!) and had gallbladder out 2 mths after ds born. You have my total sympathy as the pain is unbearable - worse than labour at times! The reassuring thing is that you can live without your gallbladder!

thanks for both your help...have spoken to the nurse at the doctors now....

she says what you said ... my bloods could be normal and still have gallstones... she says i am still on the waiting list for a ultrasound- and basically....as i understand...untill such point as my liver fails...pancreatis etc....and i am classed as an 'emergency'... theres no point me dragging myself out the house when i have an attack- as the doctors will at best 'just' offer pain relief....which though welcome....when i am 'mid- attack'..like you said it is worse than 'mid-contraction in labour'...and i cannot move.

so she suggested that i watch for any changes to how i have felt with it b4...and try to get to doctors b4 it really sets in. that's ok when it gradually comes on in the day....but 3 times now in the middle of the night its awoken me once it was bad enough...and the last time i actually got up at 7 with the pain and it was constant till 5am...i actually made myself be sick as i felt i was bursting...and amazingly after being sick 4 times...and 'all' was emptied...i could sleep...and had NO pain.

so i am back to dreading eating...not understanding exactly how the fat etc effects me...either it looks like I can eat chocolate...crisps...etc..sparingly (only 1 or the other once a day)...and then after 10 days or so it has a knock on effect...and it has built up enoughof the 'bile' to cause pain.....or it's nothing to do with day-to-day-eating...in that one day i could eat 'anything' and be fine...and then another it takes just a glass of milk to trigger it....

i know to avoid all fat is ideal....but for 2 years i have been generally eating low fat...as i say usually only eating 1 'junk' choclatey...snacky type thing each day...and then at main meals having mainly NO FAT FOOD....hardly any butter etc...prob too many eggs....so know that my general diet is on the whole quite good..and most days the 'worst' fat i eat is say 1oz of cheese...a glass of milk ....and a twix or similar...and not all at one meal...and lately i've been deliberately eating 'diluting' foods...such as extra fruit/salad..to try to bulk out my food so the fat is less concentrated....

i used to binge eat...and i follw loosley guidlines set down for me by a psychologyst...so though NO COCOLATE etc would be a 'perfect' diet... i am encouraged to work on the 80/20 principle- that being 80% healthy...20% junk.... so that i avoid binging again.

sorry so rambling....this is first day since weds that i have felt ok.

Its a horrid horrid feeling isnt it.
Yossa, a liver function test will not show up pancreatitus it wil show liver function. A raised amalayse will show up pancratitus. Liver functions check for hepatitus (inflamtion of the liver) Specifically to Gallstones it would show up obstructive hepatitus. A gallstone blocks the common bile duct causing bile to backflow build up in the liver causing abnormal liver function and sometimes jaundice. Pancreatitus is caused in a similar fasion a gall stone becaomes loged (inanother duct) bocking the route of digestive enzymes from the pancrease and casing the pancreas itsself to become inflammed.

Essentially your liver function test would only be abnormal if there was a gallstone in the bile duct (or had been recently) or your galbladder was inflammed.

Ultrasound although sensitive is not a definative diagnosis. Poor imaging can come from inadequate fasting, an x ray will prob show up one where aultrasound has failed. (my dm was told she had sludge in her gallbladder, they did an X ray and sayw 3 massive stones!) the definative diagnosis would be an ERCP but this carries a risk of causing pancreatitis.

The fear f eating is totally horrible, fortunately my simptoms are still relatively mild but my ds got to the point where she could not leave the house with out painkillers and heat patches for fear of an attack. She used tramadol buscopan and lose, as sometimes reflux can mimic the symptoms of an attack.

Really hope you get some relief or answers soon sorry for long post but I hope this helps.

I spent a week in hospital 3 weeks ago due to a dodgy Liver function test. Neither an X ray or an ultrasound has found my stone but they believe it may be small and bobbing aroung in the common bile duct.
I had my gall bladder removed 4 yrs ago. They think it could be a fragment of a stone left over from then that may have snowballed to the point it is effecting me.
I am waiting for an ERCP. I am an urgent outpaitent, this means I`ll have to wait a month or so.
Not heard the thing about the ERCP causing pancreatitus chapsmum, would be interested in more info on that.

I spent last Tusday night in Hospital too as my most recent Liver function test had gone up a bit on the poor test before and they wanted to check out my pancreas. It was ok so they posted me out again on Wed morning.
Mrs Frostgetful my GP gave me ORAMORPH liquid. It is fantastic for taking the pain away. It is a class A drug so your GP may be reluctant to prescribe but one 5ml spoonful takes the pain away in about 10/15 mins and lasts for hours!. Tramadol is slow, not as effective and stays in your system for longer making you feel really queer/swimmy.