Gallstones and orange urine

[NoManJan]

I had gallstones confirmed after an ultrasound last week. I spoke to the GP who said to manage with a low fat diet.

I have been doing so but yesterday suffered another attack (sore back, tender tummy) and today I've had light/mid orange colour urine despite drinking plenty.

I've googled and am now panicking. I had a blood test before the scan and my liver function was slightly high.

I was unable to get a GP appointment this morning but will try again tomorrow in hope of getting referred for surgery.

Has anyone experienced the same? Also I'm still ebf my 5mo DD...is this safe?

Hi NoMan.. I had my gallbladder out yesterday. Such a relief. Just got home and very happy to be, quite sore but fine really. I've been told to keep to a low fat diet, under 5% and no eggs, dairy or gluten for a while. Also to avoid all meat except plain chicken.

I have been eating like that in the lead up to the old mainly and it has really helped. I've been so uncomfortable the last few weeks in particular so I really feel your pain.

Buscopan, and colpermein (peppermint oil capusules) help, only drink water or peppermint tea.

Thanks for your reply Internets hope you have a very speedy recovery.

I'm following the low fat, just chicken, lots of water regime at the minute so hopefully it helps.

I had a blood test earlier and apparently my liver function is 700 - it should be 40! Very worried but Dr said it could just be that I've passed the stone as I'm no longer in pain.

Did you have to wait long for your op?

Sorry.. I went private as was told by NHS gp that there is a 6 month waiting list for urgent cases!

It will depend on where you live though, so good luck getting yours out asap xxx day 3 today, zero regrets!

Oh blimey. That's crazy. I asked the gp and apparently it is 4-6 weeks to see the surgeon/consultant then usually a couple months after for the op. The Dr said referral will mention my liver function results.

Glad you've had no regrets. How are you feeling? Do you have to stick to low fat forever more? Thanks again for replying

As the gall bladder and the liver are connected there is often "deranged" results as my surgeon said to me.

Had mine out 5 years ago and life is so much easier. Took a year that get diagnosed and then had to wait 6 months on surgery.

I'm feeling ok. Struggling with sleep, as laying down is uncomfortable, but it's getting easier each night that passes. My biggest problem is getting up from laying down- this is incredibly painful!

Food wise, I'm not too worried. My consultant explained that if you eat a meal high in fat with a gallbladder, then there will be bile stored in there which your body fires at the food to break it down. After your gallbladder removal, you won't have this stock pile of bile anymore (it just drip feeds out slowly constantly instead) so if you eat high fat foods, you'll probably be unwell. With that said, my gallbladder was so full of stones that there was no room in there anyway for a stock pile of bile, and I've been so poorly after eating high fat foods before this operation I honestly can't imagine wanting to eat them again. My very worst pain came from a croissant!

I've done lots of research into living a low fat lifestyle and it's totally manageable, just a few tweaks, but I'm surrounded by people who have had theirs out (my boss, two colleagues, niece and sister in law) and all say they sat whatever they like these days. (I personally could definitely do with losing weight so am using this as my motivation to try!)

Groovee that is reassuring. I'm glad my GP seems to be on the ball, he rang at 5.30 on Christmas Eve to make sure I was feeling OK. My urine is back to normal and I don't feel so tender now so I'm hoping the function results will be much lower next week.

I'm glad you're doing OK internets. The explanation about fatty foods after the op makes sense. I have read online that some people who've had their gallstones removed have diarrhoea after fatty foods.

I can't believe how common gallstones are. I think mine were triggered by pregnancy not helped by the fact I had gestational diabetes!

I had my gall bladder removed last monday, only had to wait 3 months for the operation from the diagnosis, sadly its taken 6 years or so to get a diagnosis that wasnt IBS related.

They found just the one large stone and a thickened wall to the gall bladder, so hasnt been working properly for years either. I'm still tired too with strick instructions not to do anything (also had my hernia fixed).

I've been told that I can eat what ever I want, just to increase fatty foods slowly. Some people on teh internet seem to struggle with fatty foods, but those I know personally eat whatever they want with no issues (and some have very fatty diets), so I am guessing its a trial and error now.

Good luck with your surgery and hope its a short wait.

Oh Pericombobulations I'm glad you didn't have a long wait for your op. Which part of the country are you in?

Sorry you were messed around for so long before diagnosis though, that's terrible.

It's interesting that some people can eat fatty foods no problem yet some suffer. I hope you recover quickly and heal well.

Hiya, Im in the East Midlands, there doesnt seem to be a huge waiting list over here, but did feel slightly like a conveyor belt as they had one lady before me, and I suspect another one or in the afternoon, and again the next day (they offered me Monday or Tuesday). The nurses were lovely tho, cant fault them at all (and Im a nervous nellie).

I keep googling still, and reading all the bad stuff, know I should keep away and just wait and see. One bloke I work with who had his removed a few years ago lives on a daily doughnut or pastry! I managed a small Christmas lunch with all the trimmings both Friday and yesterday, but as I had IBS before so it is difficult to tell what is post op and what is IBS (bloating and trips to the loo).

Thats why they kept telling me it was IBS colic, even after a trip in an Ambulance to A&E with it (Morphine did not touch it, just relaxed me enough to not be so bothered). It was only after my first proper day time attack that I got sent for the ultrasound and they found my stone, it was about 2cm, which confirms I've had it years and was most likely to be the cause of my pains.

Good luck to you too, hope its swift and easy!

Read this thread if you haven't

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1585369-Gallbladder-Removal-next-week-does-anyone-have-any-POSITIVE-stories

They found out I'd got gallstones doing a scan for something else. The consultant I saw (privately) told me that just about all woman ( and some men ).over the age of 40 have gallstones. Unless they are causing an issue they leave them be. I had an attack about 3 months ago (which was hell on earth) but been alright since then. It's 2 years ago they found them so at the moment I'm carrying on regardless.

I'm in Yorkshire, I only waited 2 weeks to have an ultrasound so I'm hoping that it isn't too long a wait to see the surgeon or have the op.

I'm a nervous Nellie too and constantly read things - I think this makes the attacks worse sometimes as I stress. I will check out the positive thread though. The mini Xmas dinners sound lovely. How have you found the gas after your op? I know they pump you with gas.

notapizzaeater that's good you've not had many attacks since the stones were discovered. I had a baby 5 months ago and it seems pregnancy is what has triggered mine. I'm only mid 20s. I've had an attack about once a fortnight since DD was born and they're getting worse so I definitely want it sorting asap.

I read that once they start causing trouble, they always will. Hopefully yours don't cause any issues.

Ahh the stress, definately doesnt help.

The gas actually was a minor thing, did burp a lot to start with, but hardly noticed it as an issue, but then I was pumping myself full of pain killers for the first couple of days to prevent the pain attacks, but am unsure how much was my gall bladder and how much was my hernia repair.

I've read that too about people trying to prevent surgery and eventually had to have it because anything sets off their gall stones. My surgeon did say he prefered to operate sooner rather than later as the bladder shrinks with all the attacks and can get damaged making his job a lot harder but that it is always the patients choice to wait and see. I knew the longer i waited the more chance I had of refusing the operation.

I've been sent a referral letter and I don't know what to do for the best.

I can see the consultant at my local NHS hospital in 6 days or I can wait 3 weeks and see (probably the same) consultant at my local private hospital.

I would prefer to have it done at the private hospital as they have no restrictions on visiting (I'm still bf) so if I had to be in overnight or there were complications it would be much easier.

I don't know what the waiting time is after I've seen a consultant at either hospital. I'm glad the NHS give choices but it's made it a hard decision.

I had the results from yesterdays blood test, my liver function has dropped from 700 to 200, still high as it should be 45 but obviously much better than before. I've got to go back for more bloods in 3 weeks which is around the time I see the surgeon - I decided to wait a bit longer to see the surgeon at the private clinic.

I'm currently checking the fat count in everything and hoping this prevents another attack.

Sorry to hear you are waiting but understand your reasons. You need to be stressed as little as possible about your decision.

Take care, and I hope you dont gt anymore attacks between now and the surgery.

Thank you Peri. How are you feeling now?

Hi NoMan. I'd definitely wait for the private (i see you have). Eat almost fat free if you can for now, avoid eggs and dairy and bread too.

Day 10 for me and I feel pretty great. I have eaten things this past week I would normally be ripped to pieces eating before, it feels so good! It's my thirtieth birthday in two weeks and I can't wait to et a proper meal out at a restaurant, haven't been able to do that for months out of Food Fear.

I know 5 people who have had it out and they all went home the same day, NHS- 4 of the 5 said they thought they were dying that first night. I was in a Bupa hospital where you're not allowed home til at least the next day and there's no way I could have gone home anyway that night, I was sick every time I moved/went to the toilet etc, from the GA! There was a lady in the next room whose husband and newborn stayed overnight with her cos she was breastfeeding.

Glad you're recovering well Internet's, I've been following a really strict diet, no eggs and the only dairy is some skimmed milk in my porridge.

I completely understand the food fear feeling! If I eat anything slightly out of the norm, I feel worried for hours that an attack might be on the way.

Glad you think I've chosen the right option waiting to see the consultant at the private hospital. The own room/en suite and baby friendly care makes it a no brainer. Your aftercare experience sounds much better too.

My DD was born by EMCS and I'm wondering how the pain is going to compare.

My SIL had hers out after an EMCS and says it's not even comparable (as in, the EMCS was LOADS worse!).

Hiya, glad you are doing ok still. I cant tell you how the pain compares as this was a first for me, although the pain was certainly less than a GS attack, so thats a positive.

You definately sound better going private, I could have happily stayed in the first night, but didnt really feel it was an option although we were the secound last to leave. Sleeping those first few nights was very difficult, finding any position that didnt hurt was very hard. I too was sick from the GA, but was given an anti-emetic immediately and it all stopped.

And you too toomuch.

Im now 14 days after, have taken my DVT stockings off to much relief, pain is now only after doing too much, but I suspect that is related to the hernia repair more than the gs removal. Also my recovery is slightly slower due to them fixing both at the same time, and was told after surgery I would almost certainly need an extra week than most to recover (and have needed to take this week off work too as Im still not good enough).

Food wise, I am trying the little of what you fancy if its fatty, and so far touch wood its ok. I've been getting the delights of loo trips, but as I had IBS to start with, its not unusual for me.

Glad your recoveries are going well. A little bit of what you fancy sounds perfect. I've missed out on a few celebrations with friends lately as I just can't face going out and risking an attack.

Interesting to know that it's not bad compared to a section, I recovered pretty fast from that so fingers crossed it will be the same once I finally have the op.

Did anyone else find that they got diarrhoea. It's usually orange/yellowy coloured...wondered if that was down to the gallstones?

Hiya again. I nearly missed a few celebrations but checked low fat options before I went and most places will do their best to cater for you including our local Chinese who were very helpful.

I've had diarrhoea at times but also normal and slightly constipated. However I had IBS before all this (nearly 15 years now) and is pretty normal for me so I couldnt tell you what is or isnt normal in that respect, unless of course my gall stone was that old. No one seems to know, but that is pre-child as well.

Good idea about asking the restaurant for low fat options...I get a bit nervous when eating something new or different.

How is your IBS since the op?

I had another attack last night as I ate a bit too much. Regretted it pretty much straight away. Luckily it went within 2 hours.

I see the surgeon Thursday, I can't wait. I hope I don't have to wait too long for the op.