Tell me about gall bladders - I'm suffering!

[highfive]

About 3 weeks ago, I woke in night with terrible upper right pain behind rib cage. Ended up in A&E as it was horrendous. Was told that they thought I was passing a gallstone. After a night with no relief, it went away and I was sore for a few days in that area but otherwise fine. Yesterday late pm, I felt it start again, not as painful this time but bad enough. The pain last most of last night - very little sleep - today I am sore again - feel a bit sensitive around that area but much better. Does this definitely sound like gall bladder problems? I haven't been to GP - A&E was in a different town as we were on holiday when it happened. I know I need to go but extremely busy work wise at the moment so put it off as had no pain til last night. Presuming it will come back again shortly? Anyone with any experience of similar?
Thank you!

Yes, sounds like gallstones!

Get to a GP ASAP - you can at least get some prescription painkillers to help you feel more comfortable (although, be warned, they don't eradicate the pain completely, sorry).

What you need to do immediately is switch to an ultra-low-fat diet. Gall bladders produce bile to help digest fat. Eat grilled fish, grilled chicken and salad/veg without dressings. The pain will be triggered by stuff you eat.

Buscopan is available from pharmacies and supermarkets and can help to take care of some of the cramping pains.

I've read that apple juice helps. It helped me during one attack, but not at other times.

You need an ultrasound to get a proper diagnosis and the likely outcome after that will be keyhole surgery. I'm waiting for surgery at the moment.

Surgery is usually the best option as gallstones can cause pancreatitis/pancreatic cancer.

Get referred privately if you have insurance - it will be properly diagnosed and sorted very quickly if you do that.

Good luck!

P.S. you don't actually need your gall bladder to digest fat as the liver also produces bile. But a low-fat diet will help regardless.

There is tons of info online.

I have had no gall bladder for the last 15 years. I can eat whatever I want -unfortunately. I was glad to have it out and I recovered within a week of the surgery. Gall bladder pain is horrific. Agree with the low fat diet.

Much the same as albert above, but only two years ago. Yes to low fat diet until surgery - I cut out all butter, cheese, fried stuff etc etc because I was determined to prevent any more attacks as they were so painful - but once I'd had the surgery I was able to eat anything again.

It wasn't too long a wait for me - first attack in Feb and visited GP who referred me, ultrasound and proper diagnosis few weeks later, then surgery in June. This was under the NHS.

Another one who had it taken out! Low fat (chocolate was a trigger for me), until then. No repercussions since

Thank you everyone. Really not pleasant is it? Is it normal to feel continuing crampy pains after an attack - for a day or so? Today feeling pretty sore in that area but not pain exactly. Also burping a lot!
thanks again

I had mine out a year ago. The attacks were vicious but thankfully I could go a couple of months between them so it took 18mths from first attack to surgery.
Surgery is straightforward and I was fully recovered in a few weeks.
Go to your GP and get an ultrasound.

OP, I am completely averse to going to the GP. I usually put up with all sorts of things that other people would take to the docs speedy quick but, with the horrible horrible pain that this involves, I went very quickly.

I thought it was going to be gastritis or an ulcer, but I described my symptoms very clearly to a clued-up GP who said it sounded like gallstones. He referred me straightaway for an ultrasound, plus recommended a low-fat diet and Buscopan to manage any future attacks. I had no intention of suffering any future attacks so I went completely low-fat (lost a bit of weight in the process ) and did a bit of research to understand what it was all about.

Hope all goes well.

Sorry, I'll go away in a minute!

Two more things..

Horrible pain - a bit like contractions but didn't really go anywhere. Kept thinking that if I could burp or fart or poo or be sick it would go away. It didn't though, just kept on hurting.

The aftermath of an attack was odd; I felt like my liver was aching. I now realise that it was my gall bladder. I definitely felt sore in that area, like you describe.

Yes, the ache is normal. You might get constipated too. You feel like if you keep eating, it will help. It won't!

There was another gallstones thread a few days back. It does seem to be very common!

A hot water bottle might help. A secondary symptom of gallstones is "biliary colic" ie wind.

Just had my gallbladder out a month ago. No regrets. The pain is abysmal!

Yup- all that sounds familiar plus you can get a pain radiating into one of your shoulders- I forget which one.

i was about to post when saw this. Been in pain with sickness for several months, farting and belching for England, gp no clue. New gp on Mon as every meal eaten esp high fat leaves me sweating and done for about one hour, then pain. Also terrible itching all over head to toe..... thought this was menopause but new gp who has arranged scan for gallstones asap says itching pos due to bile salts in the skin.

Yes, the shoulder pain (supposedly it can feel like a heart attack) is very typical of gallstones. Very scary, I've had it a couple of times.

Sounds Gallbladdery to me too, i have polyps in my Gallbladder and can go for months with no pain whatsoever, then have 3 days or so of flare up (mainly evenings and night time).

Have found being upright, moving around and drinking warm water really helps you to burp then it calms down again.

I'd go to GP and get it confirmed/ eliminated via ultrasound.