What is this upper abdominal pain?

[BillyDaveysDaughter]

I've had a lot of abdominal pain, on and off for years, but more recently concentrated behind my sternum and around my ribs - sometimes it goes around to my back, on both sides.

I take omeprazole occasionally for reflux and regurgitation, so I doubt it's heartburn or indigestion and the pain doesn't necessarily correspond with eating. Rennie and Gaviscon don't really help either.

I can relieve it most nights by curling up into a foetal position but it never really goes away completely and my whole chest aches when I take a deep breath.

I'm reluctant to see the GP, I'll only be written off as fat anyway. Is this what gallbladder pain feels like?

It's not common to be sick after. I was only sick with my gallbladder before they put the drain in and then subsequently removed it.

I got a horrid burn on my boob from trying to soothe the pain with a hot water bottle, before I knew it was gallstones!

Bascopan and codeine helped with my pain.
I've started getting gallbladder symptoms again after having mine removed a few years ago. Bloody stones!

That makes me feel better thanks...yes buscopan and paracetamol are keeping me going at the moment!

Billy - I'm phobic too and have had two recent GA, the last one was 5hrs. Ask for anti sickness before the anaesthetic. I woke up starving and scoffed two plates of food and not even queasy in the slightest! I told them I was worried about it and they were happy to give me the anti sickness

5 hours, bloody hell Olliv! Well if you didn't feel ropey after that much anaesthetic I feel much more confident, cheers for that. I hope you're alright after such a lengthy op? God I'm a wuss aren't I.

I haven't had a GA since I was 12 and had my tonsils out - I was very frightened but my mother sternly hushed me and it wouldn't have occurred to either of us to ask for anti-emetics. I felt very faintly sicky went I was brought round so quickly went back to sleep, was fine after that and that would have been after no anti-sickness plus a belly full of blood...

Did you find the anaesthetist sympathetic? I gather that they prefer you not to be puking for England as it hinders recovery...

I'm ok now, i had cauda equina so needed spinal surgery. Anaesthetist was absolutely lovely despite my terror and even went to look up my notes to give me exactly the same as my last GA
Honestly I felt fine, just wired and couldn't sleep that night! Sore throats from 5hrs of a tube but a McDonald's milkshake was the best cure

Wow, that's quite rare isn't it? Glad you're alright now, sounds awful.

I know everyone's experience is different but that has made me feel a bit easier, so thank you! I am but a novice at the GA thing.

Yeah it is, I had a 15mm herniation to my disc and they said 48hrs before I lost use of my legs and bladder
My first GA was last year and I tried to walk out the anaesthetic room and leave but they asked if they could give me a pre med, I said yes and got midazolam and then I didn't care about anything just laughed a lot
Both of the anaesthetics were fine, I just woke up starving! I would just tell them, they might give you a pre med too say yes, it's great fun

Sounds like they caught you just in time. No problems since?

I vaguely recall being given a pre-med when I had a tiny procedure inside my nose when I was only 7, which made me dozy but I was still aware of what was going on. Can't remember if I had one at 12 for the tonsils, not sure (would have been about 1984) but I remember counting from 100 down to 94 then saying I'M NOT ASLEEP YET. They laughed kindly and said yes, we noticed, just as I sank into oblivion.

I'm not especially worried about going under, or of medical procedures as such - not fussed about needles, blood or even a bit of pain. I'm generally quite stoic and good at deep breathing to handle anxiety and physical discomfort. I'm just irrationally scared witless of vomiting, and if I really thought it was going to happen no amount of rational reasoning or deep breathing will help as you know!

I've got some foot and leg numbness but they said that can take up to a year to resolve so it's a bit wait and see

Incitatis "Buscopan will help with the pain."
Yes, it does. Take one at the first twinge. That's usually enough.
Take another one an hour later if pain persists. After that you have to stick to the daily maximum on the pack.