Gallbladder issues - what does having gallstones feel like?

[Thegallofher]

I'm in bed recovering from what I had thought was a nasty case of food poisoning last Sunday. Still feel like I have been kicked in the sides by a horse,

It started by my bloating up quite a lot and having what I could only describe as a trapped wind feeling that kept shifting around to between my shoulders blades, under my rib-cage, right by my kidneys.

Also accompanied by a real tightness that felt like my chest but was probably more at my solar plexus, as if my bra strap was really tight around my ribcage. It was totally, totally uncomfortable, painful-ish but more of a really unpleasant discomfort - no position alleviated it and I ended up pacing around like a mad thing. Eventually I was violently sick. I thought that might alleviate it but I still felt 'blocked'. I felt as though I was going to have diarroeah - but although it was quite lively down there it was more a feeling of wanting to go urgently but not much coming through. I was sick again 4 hours later. Again very forcefully. I actually helped this along because I wanted a release of the pressure in my abdomen - brushing the back of my tongue with my toothbrush did the trick.

The next 24-48 hrs I just drank water and then had a little bit of natural yoghurt. (Thinking it was food poisoning still) Even though I felt 'better' I still didn't feel right and my insides just felt incredibly tender and bruised. I was worried that I might have some sort of infection so got an emergency appointment with a doctor on Wednesday morning (feeling guilty for taking up an emergency appointment).

However, the Dr listened, examined my abdomen, took a load of bloods and said she suspected that it was a gall bladder issue. She's referred me to have an ultrasound. She phoned back todaywith the blood test results and obviously the liver function test has shown something awry and she says it very much backs up the diagnosis that I have had an obstructive gallstone episode.

Now, I've been on MN for years and I've heard about gallstones 'being more painful than childbirth' - I realise the issue flares up around pregnancy and the old adage 'Fair Forty, Fat and Female'. I'm confused because it wasn'tTHAT painful (bad enough though!) and I'm wondering what's to come. Was that some gallstones passing through? Was it a gallstone getting stuck (she used the word 'obstruction'). If it was, where has it gone now? She was clear that if I felt the same sensations again and it was progressing to get myself to A&E.

I am still feeling sore and blocked. I've been told to eat as little fat as possible - this is hard as I tend to eat low-carb and usually have a lot of fat in my diet in the form of eggs, cheese, milk, avocadoe's etc. She talked about me having the gall bladder removed if I have a number of attacks. I just don't know what to do for the best. I'm terrified that I am going to end up writhing around in pain and being blue-lighted to hospital. OR do I simply ask them to remove it now (get on a waiting list am sure that will take FOREVER!) Anyone found any alternative solutions? What had been your experience with gallstones? Am all ears!

elementtree No Meat? (gulp!) No Dairy?(gulp!) No Coffee? (OK can live with that one!) No Cooking Oil? (double gulp!!) So everything you ate was baked or boiled?

Today I have had a bowl of Heinz tomato soup, two bowls of Special K with semi-skimmed milk, an orange ice-lolly and am about to have some low fat natural yoghurt. I feel like I may never need my teeth again .

I'm only eating like this because I am not convinced my digestive tract is up to properly processing anything more substantial like porridge or rice or chicken at the moment. I gave away all my WW diet books years ago when I abandoned the concept of Low Fat being the way to eat healthily, Am going to have go round the charity shops again and buy some more. I will do ANYTHING though to stave off that pain.

But can't I have an egg or a small piece of cheese or a smidge of butter on my bread?? I'm just imagining all these gallstones in my gallbladder, lined up like ball-bearings in a pin-ball machine, waiting for that teensy piece of egg yolk or butter to propel them in to my bile duct and unleash hell!

It might not be the same for you. I tried the low fat diet recommended by the nhs but still ended up in agony. I wouldn't have been able to manage it if it were just a diet but the thought of the pain kept me in line.

For me the pain was the worst thing I have ever experienced. I was crying with pain.

For me it started in 2015 when I had a handful of episodes over the course of a few months in the summer and again in the Octover but didn't go to the doctor. Then in the January I had a really bad bout which lasted a few hours but left me feeling like I had been kicked in the ribs.

After that I probably had bouts every few months until January last year when it was the worst pain I have ever known (worse than childbirth/neuralgia/sciatica/severe kidney trauma) and I had no choice but to go to the doctor. She referred me for a scan and it was 10 months after that I had it removed.

The attacks continued every few weeks - some worse than others - until October when I had the op.

The op was absolutely nothing. I had no pain, no discomfort, just a couple of paracetamol off and on for a couple of days. It probably took about 6 weeks before I could last all day without having a sleep but it has changed my life completely. I have so much more energy and it is great to know that I can plan to do something without the anxiety of worrying that I might be in too much pain to do it.

I lost 40lbs of weight over a year (so slow & steady ) but got told this could have caused gallstones and then hit the classic fat female and forty &bingo had horrendous attack (ambulance called) they didn’t know what it was. Had massive bruise appear on my tummy front from the inside? Then had second attack and GP straight away clocked what it was. Saw a consultant who said just manage it with diet. After a few months of feeling on/off awful went back to GP and got put straight on the surgical list to remove my gallbladder. I didn’t wait long 3mths maybe? I was wavering about having surgery but the GP said if you were my wife I’d tell you to have it out tom. He was so right, I don’t regret it. I eat mostly medium fat diet but wine does upset my stomach so I drink very little (it was 5yrs a go) but its good to not have that fear of an attack looming over me anymore. I read somewhere that astronauts have it removed along with the appendix so it can’t be that needed.

Mine started once a month every month after I had my first born. Ranging from 20mins - 4hrs. Felt like I was having a heart attack. Like a belt being tightened around my chest. D&V, vomming, sweating. Went to A&E after a year and found it was gallstones. Got gall bladder out after a further 7months 👍

I had my first attack in 2009 and had no idea what it was but it was very painful. Then nothing for years until I had frequent episodes, attacks every months for almost a year. My gp said possible gallstones and a scan confirmed it. I was on the list for removal but fell pregnant so operation was postponed.

Only one attack while pregnant thankfully but it was a bad one. I had 3 horrendous attacks after my twins were born and just a few weeks old. I ended up in A&E on morphine, sweating and vomiting violently. They must have felt very sorry for me with two newborns as they removed my gall bladder the following week.

Hi don't know if I'll get a reply, but here goes, I'm waiting for gallbladder op, been in pain for 2-3 yrs. Most of my pain is in left side of stomach under ribs, but I have multiple stones in gallbladder, has anybody else had that happen with there pain.

I have same symptoms herendous pain and tight feeling in chest called ambulance happen 10 years ago too. Got bloods took at docs waiting for results.but had my wee tested it brought back blood and protein wee, did anyone else get this