Gall bladder, could it be anything else?

[toddlerbob]

Have been feeling rough for a couple of weeks now. Mostly nauseous in the middle of eating something, uncomfortable after meals, pain at top of stomach. But much worse last night (had a large glass of wine and thought I was going to die)and still bad today and so went to emergency doc. who reckons I have gall stones. I have to go for Ultrasound to confirm it.

Could it be something else? I've only just recovered from my sinus op. I really don't want to go back to hospital quite so soon.

Obviously am not a doctor,but have very similar symptoms to you. Been admitted to hospital twice with suspected gallstones.

The ultrasound SHOULD confirm whether it is gallstones or not.

I have had two ultrasounds and a CT scan (to look for gallstones - sometimes they are v v tiny) and an endoscopy (to check whether its a stomach ulcer).

They cant find gallstones or an ulcer and my pancreas looks ok so they dont think its pancreatitis.

However, I'm being referrred back to the hospital again as I had another "attack" two weeks ago (first in about 5 months). The pain level is horrendous, v v frightening and yes, you honestly think you are going to die. It terrifies my husband when it happens.

As no gallstones have been detected, I may have to have the "more invasive" tests the hospital said they wanted to avoid on my last two stays.

I am convinced its a gallbladder problem - you can have gallbladder disease without gallstones.

I don't know how quickly you'll get your scan, but in the meantime, avoid alcohol completely and keep your fat intake low.

Hope you get it sorted out. I really sympathise because I know how dreadful the pain is.

I've got gallstones and am waiting for an operation to remove my gall bladder. Does anyone in your family have them as it can be hereditary. As far as I have been told, the procedure to remove it is keyhole surgery and very straight forward. I got a really bad attack and I had to be admitted to hospital. They didn't know it was gallstones at the time but they suspected. I would rather have my gall bladder removed than go through that pain again. Twogorgeousboys is right, the pain is horrendous and I did think I was dying. It was about 2 weeks after DS was born and I thought something was going terribly wrong.
Hopefully they get to the bottom of the problem. It's horrible when you have pain that comes and goes with very little explanation.

I should be able to get a scan very quickly as we have private healthcare (we're in NZ, and you have to really).

My mum had her gallbladder removed about 7 years ago, so I guess I've got her to thank for this.

Until 2 months ago I was on a dairy free diet, which kind of made everything low fat as it's hard to get dairy free biscuits etc. here. Do you think coming off that could have triggered it?

tgb and gs, hope you both feel better soon.

Agree with all said here, I had my gall bladder removed 2 years ago, it was horrendous for threemonths until diagnosed properly. Had not been in so much pain since labour with ds1 and told woman at NHS direct who thought I was having and etopic preganancy!!!

Had keyhole surgrey to remove the three of them, and have been fantastic since. Hope all goes well

It might have something to do with it toddlerbob, but I know that whilst you can aggravate and set off an attack with fattier foods and/or alcohol, sometimes there's no obvious trigger. That's what's so rotten about it, it seems to come out of the blue and so fast!

Glad to hear you'll get your ultrasound quick. Keep us posted won't you - hope you get better soon.

You too gscrym, glad they've got to the bottom of the problem and you know its going to be solved. As you say, an operation to sort it out is a far better prospect than waiting for another horrid attack!

I had gallstones last year and had to go on an extremely low fat diet with no alcohol to control the attacks. What also helps, is Granny Smith apples (not other types) and from what I remember, artichokes. Don't ask me why, apparantly there is something in them which controls the spasms. The other thing which sets off the attacks is onions - keep off of them completely, difficult when you're following a low fat diet I know, but it works.

I found the pain killers useless, as they don't kick in for at least 40 minutes, by which time you've been through 40 minutes of hell. What did actually work though, was dope - it goes into the blood stream immediately, and although it doesn't stop the pain, it distances you from it (v. similar to pethadine). The disadvantage is that it is still illegal and it stays in your body for ages. Also what helps when you get the attacks, is a very very very hot bath - as hot as you can stand. I'm not sure it reduces the pain that much, but you're so busy worrying about scalding that it gives you something else to think about. Good luck all, it's so dreadful, but if you manage the diet, you can cut the frequency and length of the attacks.

Scan on Wednesday morning.

HI toddlerbob

I had gallstones and had attacks, once I passed out the pain was so bad, it was worse than labour!

I had keyhole surgery last July to remove my gall bladder and feel 100% better. I was in hospital for a couple of days and was fully recovered in less than 2 weeks. I would not normally recommend surgery but in this case it was worth it and have never looked back.

If you want to know more then please contact me through MN and I will fill you in!

Glad to hear you have your ultrasound on Wednesday. Let us know how you get on.

Hi tb, my dh had gallstones and got his gall bladder removed 3 months ago. The largest stone was the size of a black olive! No wonder he was in pain! not of course that he got much sympathy from me
Hope all goes well- he recovered quickly and is absolutely fine and can eat anything, altho' his alcohol capacity has decreased- all the more for me!

That reminds me - eventually, if you don't have the op, you can get panreatitis, which is a slow and painful death, so you don't really have much option about whether to have surgery, you more or less have to. But it is very low risk, and afterwards you are totally better, as if nothing's happened. Except that actually, Sammac, my alcohol capacity has also gone down, I'd always put it down to old age, but maybe it was the op...

Well I don't have stones anywhere, good job they have ultrasound or I would be on an operating table! So that just leaves the question of what the hell IS wrong with me then. I love it when the sonographer says, "well you are fine". Oh, that horrible pain must be in my imagination then.

I had something similar a few years ago, eventually, the hospital decided that the tube from my gall bladder to my stomach wasn't wide enough. The pain and nausea was coming from my gall bladder trying to work and my stomach not digesting fats properly. I went on a low fat diet for awhile and now as long as I don't pig out on something fatty on an empty stomach it's fine

toddlerbob, it could be anything from a long list of gastro - intestinal things. My mum had similar symptoms, and after endoscopy, barium meal (poor mum ) and other tests, found that she had diverticulitis. I think it is something to do with a partial blockage in the intestine??

Will google for you....

here is a link www.diagnosishealth.com/discussion1/tic.htm

message withdrawn

My doctor has given me omeprazole (lozec, losec?), but I'm not sure if I can take it while breastfeeding so I haven't taken it yet.

They've also done a blood test.