Suspected Grumbling gallbladder but nothing on ultrasound, what could it be? Reflux?

[Whyismycatanasshat]

I’ve been having lower level grumbling abdominal pain on predominantly my right side for weeks and weeks and up into my chest too. Sometimes it is left side and right across my stomach but initially I thought I’d pulled a muscle on the right. I occasionally get agonising pain in my right side just under my ribs that I take codine for.

In the last two weeks I’ve been having left side chest pain occasionally; it feels like it’s behind my breast. This can last a few minutes to a few hours at a time and can be sharp or dull.

I can’t find rhyme or reason for my symptoms; no triggers from foods, although I have tried to reduce my fatty intact.

My GP referred me for an ultrasound but that has come back clear. I have a telephone appointment with my GP for next Friday so he is obviously not too concerned.

I have health anxiety which isn’t helping at all.

I wondered if it could be reflux and heartburn? I’ve never experienced heart burn in the left side though. Only very mildly once in chest centre whilst pregnant 2 years ago; and it didn’t compare to this pain wise.

Thank you for any ideas and input!

I had "hidden" gallstones - it took three ultrasounds for them to be visible as they were tiny (yet painful!). I was told that bile sludge can also cause pain.

@12BottlesOfVintageChampagne Oh no, that must have been awful! Hope you’re now pain free.

My first scan showed nothing either though it was quite clear I had gallbladder issues. 7 years later I ended up in pancreatic and liver failure from gallbladder infection.

Keep whinging and get it out, once they’ve got grotty no amount of fat free diets will clear it.

@Dmtush oh gosh, how horrendous!
I will speak to my GP next week and if I’m not happy with the outcome I will be persistent. The GP was convinced it was gallbladder issues.

My diet is very low fat as it is so I’d struggle to reduce it even more!

Second Dmtush....keep making a fuss about it. Bile sludge might not be as easy to spot as gallstones but it can still irritate your pancreas and may set off a milder form of biliary colic.

Have a look on Guts UK charity’s website and get informed so you can stay aware of when you may need to skip the GP and go to A&E with a grotty gallbladder.

I agree with triballeader, I wish I’d gone to A&E instead of soldiering through years of biliary attacks. I’d have had it out much sooner!

Fatty foods trigger gall bladder problems, and you say no trigger or rhyme or reason.

Have you had your heart checked? Chest pain and mysterious indigestion symptoms can indicate a heart issue.

My grumbling gallbladder turned out to be an allergy. I only twigged after DD was diagnosed with a severe allergy and the digestive symptoms the consultant advised us to look for matched mine. A food diary identified the culprit.

@triballeader At the moment, tough wood, it’s never been anywhere near bad enough to warrant A&E; more a semi- constant irritant than anything else.

@PlanDeRaccordement I’d not thought of heart issues; I guess I would hope my GP would pick up on that, but I’ll mention it for sure.

When my ultrasound came back negative I was then referred for a gastroscopy. So I would make sure she knows you still have symptoms. I have a hernia and my stomach gets inflammed from what we've narrowed down as dairy. I take omaperazole every day.