Gallstones

[jjg2022]

Recently been diagnosed with "quite a few gallstones" had an ultrasound which found them and the blood tests.

Doctor just said she would refer me, but very vague: so what happens now?? The pain is unbearable and I'm getting flare ups once or twice a week. I'm only 30 and 15 weeks postpartum. I never had this type of pain ever before in my life. What's the treatments other than removal if any? I'm quite worried because the pain is excruciating and comes on very suddenly and then peaks and when it does I can't do a thing. Not ideal when you've got a little one:

Any recommendations/personal experiences?

I had this for a couple of years not dealing with it after a first dismissive experience at A&E. I ended up being sent to hospital after a horrendous acute 48 hour attack - I was sick 12 times. The NHS refered me for surgery but it would've been a long wait so I used private insurance via my work. Lucky really as Covid hit a few weeks later and I think I'd still be waiting. I'm very overweight and had keyhole too.

No comfort at all but I think the waiting lists are very long right now.

@Wheelyweddingwipedout I am fair actually, I'm only 30 also

@torthecatlady I also thought I was going to die and first time thought I was having a heart attack. Even though I know what the pain is I'm very anxious and worry it's more serious cos the pain is so so bad as you all know

So I'm currently mid flare up right now!! However the pain has moved (it's still central griping high up tummy pain) but also a full ache lower down kind of where one might feel period cramp?? Should I seek medical advice or wait it out for now. Not sure if this new pain is related or not..

Go and get help, they need to know how often youre in agony otherwise they won't think its that bad. Get it logged.

@Thruandthru1 it's so bad. Hospital two mins from me. Reception desk asked the nature of my problem as they do. Explained everything And that if anything I need pain relief. Matter if factory said there's a seven hour wait and any one not deemed serious (me) maybe even longer. So I've come home. I don't know what else to do ☹️

I would go back. Right now in 7 hrs you could either have better pain relief if you stay at the hospital or nothing if you stay at home.

Pack an overnight bag with a change of clothes, toiletries, chargers, a book and some drinks/snacks.

I had a bad flare up this weekend. I took paracetamol as soon as the pain started and put a hot water bottle on the middle of my stomach which really helped. Had not used heat before and it really made a difference.
I'm also a few months post partum - I've heard of so many people who have got gallstones during or after pregnancy 🫠
Hope you can find some relief. Sending solidarity xx

@FatAgainItsLettuceTime I really wish I could do that but now I have no one to take care of my little baby and he's a bit under the weather too. It's not as bad as the one I had last night but I'd say it's a solid 8/10 on the pain scale , I've barely eaten anything at all today. Just a piece of whole meal bread and lots of water yet it seems anything I eat sets it off.

@PeaceLily2000 I was just thinking I'm going to take some paracetamol now, make a hot water bottle and get myself off to bed. How frequent are your flare ups? I'm getting them a few times a week and each time they seem to be getting much worse. I'm going to try hot water bottle and see if offers any relief

I had to have mine out on holiday in Spain as an emergency. Initially they tried keyhole but eventually I'm afraid I was given an OP and a pretty hefty scar, (this was 27 years ago though and things have come on a lot )

As someone said above, keep fat content very low but I think sooner or later it will need to come out if you are getting attacks that frequently, i had a few over the 6 months prior to surgery but doctor didn't identify it as gall bladder!!! Not send me for tests.

@Crikeyalmighty it only flared up about four weeks ago and I remember I had two attacks the first week, one the week after, then a week later and then this week I've had two already and it's only Wednesday. I was up all night last night with it and it's been niggling all day. All though I can't say that it's my gallbladder that's jiggly as it's to my lower tummy and feels like a bad bloat.

My GP knew instantly and told me it was biliary colic over the phone and sent me straight to a and e with a form for a blood test. Had an ultrasound a week later and sure enough had gallstones.

Im due to go on holiday to Estonia at the end of the month and am very worried about having a flare up whilst I am away ☹️

I had gallstones caused by pregnancy! First had an ultrasound at 5 months and they found a fair few! The pain was horrendous, even worse when pregnant and I couldn't take any strong painkillers.
I still had to wait until my dc was over 2 before I had keyhole surgery. By that point I was on a pretty low fat/carb diet and only drinking flavoured water! I was having attacks a few times per week no matter what I ate/drank. I presented myself to A&E nearly every attack as the only thing that helped was morphine! I had a really bad attack that lasted a few days, ended up in hospital for a week with jaundice, hooked up to iv antibiotics for 3 days before they removed it. I was overweight as well at the time and they still done keyhole. In my experience if it's going to get worse it will, with or without the diet changes.

On the other hand my sibling has them (due to poor diet) and after a period of having a few attacks over a few months a few years ago, they've had nothing since!

I had gallstones in 2020 and it was the worst pain I ever experienced.
I ate no fat at all. Lived off rice, veg and egg white omelettes and still had attacks a lot. I lost 3 stone in 2 months.
I spent a lot of time in hospital for pain management with morphine. After 3 months they gave me emergency surgery as I was in so often because of the pain.
Honestly the surgery was the best thing I've done. Life was miserable with gallstones and you have my full sympathy. I also got them after pregnancy.
It seems the more you bother doctors for help, the quicker they'll get you fixed up.

@Idontneedausername all I ate yesterday was some cous cous and vegetables and I was in agony last night possibly the worst it's been ever. I've been meticulously planning meals to include little fat content and it doesn't seem to make the slightest bit of difference

@SouperNoodle I'm living of veg and cous cous, or whole meal bread and bananas. I don't understand why it's just flaring up all the time so badly. I can't go to a and e constantly because DP works full time (long mixed shifts) and I can't be carting my LO with me each and everytime. Also these attacks tend to be late and night or wake me in the night. I just sort of sit on the edge of the bed bent over double. It peaks and then gradually passes but the pain in the middle of my back lingers. I can't believe it's as common as this as I'd never even heard of it before.

@SouperNoodle where do you live? I can't see my docs or hospital doing that unfortunately. Last time I presented to a and e they basically told me unless I presented with severe signs of nfection or complication that the pain was to be expected, would pass and nothing they can do. Maybe that was their polite way of telling me to stop wasting their time

I had my gallbladder removed 3 weeks ago after my 2nd bout of pancreatitis.
I really feel for you OP the pain is just hideous. Plus it's the lottery of not knowing when an attack will happen. My stones were small so got stuck in the ducts which caused my pancreatitis.

When I was diagnosed I went low fat which helped reduce my attacks.

When I did get an attack I found drinking lots of water whilst pacing up and down helped as it can dislodge the stone causing the attack. It's not guaranteed and really you don't feel like pacing amd downing lots of water but I did find it helped sometimes.

I am overweight but had keyhole and it was fine. I had to have an ercp first to remove the blocked stone that was horrible as the sedation didn't work for me. But all nearly recovered now and so lovely to not be scared of food.

Oh and also not eating can cause attacks so you can't win really.

How much fat exactly shouts we be having /not having with gallstones. Does anybody have any examples of foods that might be okay to eat. I either don't eat at all or eat very little and beat cause of that I'm lethargic and have zero energy. I've only just recurved from complicated c section too so this is really not helping!! In top I have bad anxiety as well so the whole thing is mentally and physically draining

@Mehjustmeh exactly!! The not knowing is hideous in itself isn't it. My doctor said the pain is temporary! Yes it passes but it's excruciating. I was induced with my DS with the drip and back to back labour then EMCS. I'd rather do all of that again a million times than have this pain for 3 hours

I’m very overweight (BMI of 40😳) but I had my gallbladder removed by keyhole. However I need to prepare you, I had to go on a vlcd for 2 weeks before (SlimFast….horrible!) This is because if you’re overweight it’s common to have a fatty liver, and it needs to be shrunk before the op to make it easier. It can’t be 800 cals of food….something to do with releasing glycogen.

My wait wasn’t to bad, considering it was all during covid. I approached the GP summer 2020, had the ultrasound October 2020, referred to hospital, couple of phone appointments with the hospital over winter 20/21 and had the surgery summer 21. Sounds like a long wait but given we were in the throes of covid at the time, it wasn’t too bad.

you have my sympathy…..gallstones is horrible. I’ve not had kids so can’t compare it to that , but it was 2nd in severity to breaking my shoulder (which I did a month after having my gallbladder out…2021 wasn’t my best year!)

@jjg2022 I really feel for you, no matter what I ate, nothing helped at all.
Nearly 2 and a half years I suffered for and if it wasn't for the jaundice I do believe I would have been waiting even longer.

I have had 9 'attacks' since May. They tend to happen in clumps (like a few over a 2 week period, then a big gap until the next).
I've noticed now that bending over seems to a trigger particularly if I've only just eaten. Not sure what that is all about but I'm thinking it's perhaps squishing the gallbladder when I bend so trying to avoid that (easier said than don't with a baby to tend to).
Hope the hot water bottle and paracetamol helps and you can get some rest.

OP, sorry I haven't read all of the responses - have you been told about buscopan for the pin?

*pain