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Original poster

gall stones

28 replies

Babyramone · 26/04/2007 16:58

just had my gall bladder scan today and there's loads
Suppose it's time to sort myself out of this rut diet/mood wise, stop comfort eating (funny I eat health during day jusf cant stop picking in evenings)and lose my baby +++ weight.
Anyway has anyone had gall stones and what treatment did they have.
I've to see my G.P in week to decide treatment but I sort of want some info from first hand experiences.
Would google but last time did that tkought I had cancer

OP posts:
lucyellensmum · 26/04/2007 17:29

get them out! i dont have time to post properly now - but i promise you , best rid! they fecking hurt and when they gone, no problems. In the mean time avoid all fat, when i had mine i lost 3 stone in 12 weeks i was in so much pain even if i ate the tiniest amount of fat.

October · 26/04/2007 17:30

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lucyellensmum · 26/04/2007 17:38

yes october i was the same, couldn't afford to go private though so had to suffer!! Baryramone, gall stones can cause varying levels of pain, some people don't even know they have them. They are often made worse by pregnancy and fat triggers an attack as it causes the gall bladder to contract and this makes the stones jiggle about i guess. Defo keep away from google, i did exactly the same as you and i was climbing the walls.

pudding77 · 26/04/2007 18:06

Would anyone minded if I jumped in here? I was just wondering if anyone could describe where the pain was and what it felt like?

I've been having pain on and off for the last year and the last time it happened I nearly passed out, called NHS direct and they said most likely gall stones.

I did google it and thought I had appendicitis (sp?)!

bundle · 26/04/2007 18:12

right hand side, just under ribs, v severe pain, sometimes with vomiting. appendicitis usually much lower down

pudding77 · 26/04/2007 18:51

sounds v similar, problem is it happens and I think must go to GP, then it goes away and I don't do anything

Original poster
Babyramone · 26/04/2007 18:52

Thanks everyone.
Your all right the pains awful. Should've said on OP but I've already had one attack. I thought I was having heart attact, then like Pudding thought it was appendix. I was rolling about on my bed climbing the walls it was so bad.
October give me labour anyday.
In the end I had to go to the out of hours clinic and nice DR there gave me pain killers and injection in the bum.
I have been keeping of fatty things too so not worth it, even though only had 1 attack very nervous about geting an other.
Interesting what Lucyellensmum says about pregnancy. Didn't know that but my DDis 7 month so thats a possibile reason for attack.
Def going to go for removal.
Do you think removal of stones (is this possible)od the whole thing.
Is removing the gallbladder safe, I mean I know if you didn't have a pancrease(SP) you'd be ??? diabetic

OP posts:
October · 26/04/2007 18:57

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margoandjerry · 26/04/2007 20:11

I had my gallbladder out in Feb - four months after having my baby. Apparently gall stones are highly correlated with pregnancy. In fact those at risk are usually "the five Fs"

Fair
Female
Fertile (meaning recently pg)
Fat
Forty.

Hands up to all of those except I'm 38!

My pain was across my back like a tightening. Absolutely agonising. I was writhing around in bed and couldn't find any way to relieve the pain. It happened twice and I was terrified of it happening again so I avoided all fat till I could have the op. No pain at all since the op. The stones were only the size of peppercorns but apparently there was a lot of inflammation there too so it's not just size of stones you need to worry about.

It's also quite strongly hereditary. Both my parents have had their gall bladders out so I didn't stand much of a chance.

Original poster
Babyramone · 26/04/2007 21:10

I'm nearly all the five F's. I am 39 so nearly 40, only I'm dark haired, olive skinned so wouldn't say I was fair.
Must ask around and see if in family.

OP posts:
lizziemun · 26/04/2007 21:49

I would say i have it out, my sister had hers out about 9 years ago, she was realy ill before she had her out went from about 14 stone to about 6 1/2 stone in about 6mths.

I think her was an extreme case as she matched 2 of the following "the five Fs"

Fair - NO
Female - YES
Fertile - CANT HAVE CHILDREN
Fat - YES
Forty. - NO ONLY 26 YEARS

October · 26/04/2007 21:51

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lucyellensmum · 26/04/2007 21:52

Babyramone, my pain was so bad the first real attack that had to call ambulance, i couldnt get my breath, i had never been in so much pain in my life. Had a really shit 3 months after dd was born because of the pain and constant sickness due to the pain killers. Nightmare. BR without your pancreas, you would be more than diabetic, um, you would be dead it does a whole lot more than produce insulin does your pancreas. It also produces all the enzymes which break digest food in the stomach, and other stuff that i can't remember.

You can live without your gall bladder, eitehr that or I am a medical miracle!!! The gall bladder stores bile which is produced in the liver, so the only difference will be that you dont have a store of it. Bile emulsifies fats ready for breakdown but for some reason you dont have any alterations in diet after cholecystectomy (posh word for having gall bladder removed). It is much easier just to whip out the GB than try to dissolve the stones etc as there is a likely hood that they will reform. People with gall stones tend to have sluggish GBs and its often hereditary. I got so anal about fat, i stopped having milk in coffee, checked absolutely everything i ate, even low fat meals had too much fat in it and would trigger an attack. Despite that i still had alot of pain but cutting out the fat def helps. I kept my stones, they were quite small but there were loads of them, some can be the size of a hens egg apparently, but the small ones are the worse, if they get in the bile duct then you turn bright yellow and need the doc ASAP! not that likely though. My doctor told me that gall stones give all sorts of weird and wonderful symptoms and banned me from the internet, cos im a hypochondriac. The op to have them removed is really simple too, some hosps even do it on day care but i couldnt get that, had to stay over night after, i kicked up a bloody stink about that! They do keyhole surgery mostly and you end up with a few little scars and a pain free tummy.

lucyellensmum · 26/04/2007 21:54

october, interesting, i was on marvelon for some time in my life too!

October · 26/04/2007 22:00

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lizziemun · 26/04/2007 22:14

october

Interesting, we were both on marvelon for periods of time during this time as well (she didn't know she couldn't have children then). We also found out afterwards that our nan had her gal blader out in her 40's.

She has since found out because of taking marvelon she has a cyst on her liver which get bigger if takes any hormones.

October · 26/04/2007 22:15

Message withdrawn

lizziemun · 26/04/2007 22:20

I know it is shocking, but luckly it is being controlled at the moment, it did get to the size of an egg, but has now very small and can be managed as long as she does not have any hormones.

merlotmama · 26/04/2007 22:31

The 'fair' part doesn't mean you have to be blond, but just caucasian!

I had an episode of biliary colic about 12 years ago. It was exceptionally painful. They couldn't find anything but thought I must have passed it. I was so terrified of it happening again - and I did get grumbles for months afterwards - that I cut out all fat. I didn't eat much in the first place, but thought 'I'll show them low fat'!

I went down a whole dress size without even trying, BUT it isn't good for you not to have some fat in your diet. I then read that people prone to gall bladder troubles should eat a moderate amount of fat to keep the gall bladder functioning at an optimal level and everything moving through.

As soon as I started eating fat again, I started looking much better, particulary my skin. Women especially need fat nearer the menopause.

Original poster
Babyramone · 26/04/2007 23:00

Ah wondered what the fair meant, thought it referred to northern european types. Well I now pretty much tick all boxes.
Cant remember what pill i was on but it was a mini one in purple box. Was on depo provera for 6 years to.
Pretty much decided going for removal. I seem to have lots. Going by my scan it's surprising there's room to store bile.
This is also giving me kick up backside to stop snacking on crisps and dips at night. It's mad but after attack cut out high fat meals, indians, frys etc but still snack on those. Bit of a bad habit.
I've only had one bilary colic attact but have had ache in that area and have been quite sick om occasion too.

Lucyellens mum thanks for info on pancreas, knew it was important but never knew how much it did, think the body is amazing.

OP posts:
lucyellensmum · 27/04/2007 09:07

merlotmamma , as soon as I started eating fat again, i put all my weight back on but people did tell me i looked better for it, me, i think they are just being polite .

lucyellensmum · 27/04/2007 09:13

I tell you what though, the whole sorry episode told me i COULD diet if i wanted to, so no big jump to lose it again, but im happy with my body, my boobies came back!!

BettySpaghetti · 27/04/2007 09:14

I had a recent gall stone/gall bladder problem -I didn't get to see the GP as we were snowd in but spoke over the phone and at a later appt. Worst pain I've experienced next to childbirth.

On top of the 5 F's you mentioned my GP added "Flatulent" !!!

popmum · 27/04/2007 09:14

hi i had mine gall bladder out couple of weeks ago and feel good now - the pains you've described are just like mine, you wonder when it will end?!
A tip for you, when you have the op, get some arnica tablets from health food shop (not boots) and take these, i think they really helped post op recovery.
I've recently lost a dress size too and intend to keep out some of the fat from my diet (I didn't cut it out completely) to heopfully keep that dress size off too!!!
Good luck

pudding77 · 27/04/2007 09:22

See, my attacks seem to be quite few and far between, think I've had about six in the last 14 months. When it happens it is really really bad, close to fainting etc, but I don't know if I should make any changes or see the GP?

Btw I probably fit 4 of the 'F's!