Potential gallstones

[younfo]

Starting last year when I was pregnant I started getting these episodes where I'd vomit so much that I'd think i was dying and get extreme pain just between and under my boobs (where your bra joins) as well as under my right rib.

The pain often gets so severe that I am literally screaming in pain for hours and feel like I can't cope with any position.

The first time it happened I went to A&E who said I had indigestion and sent me to the out of hours GP who said it was gastritis and gave me omeprazole.

These episodes have been happening about once a month.

I am now thinking it's gallstones and had a GP appointment yesterday. I have had my bloods taken and been referred for a scan.

However I am now starting to feel the pains starting again which will be my third attack in four days.

I just don't know what to do or how I'm supposed to cope with the pain. I'm currently studying an intensive course and have already had to miss yesterday.

For the last few days I have hardly eaten anything except for bland food like plain rice, potato, vegetables, pasta etc. but apparently it makes no difference and it's still happening.

If it gets worse and I go to A&E will they do anything? Will they scan me to check if it's gallstones? I have a young baby and don't want to wait for hours again sobbing in pain if they are going to tell me it's indigestion again without any tests.

I can't even imagine how long the waiting list would be to get a scan, see a consultant and then get it removed - how am I supposed to last that long with this pain as well as continue with my normal life?

Is anyone has any experiences to share I would really appreciate it.

I take pain relief as soon as the pain starts. I also do some stretches as though I’m trying to move them down my body. Heat on the area helps but do it immediately as soon as you start to feel the pain. My pain normally goes in less than 30 mins if I act upon it immediately. Limited cream, fats, etc in your diet going forward. Good luck.

As above pain relief asap after the pain starts, buscopam relieves spasms and I find it very effective. Low fat diet remove any triggers, i found when I was stressed it was much much worse. Breathing exercises and gentle abdo massage with heat also reduced intensity.
A&e will do bloods maybe refer for a scan which might happen sooner than your gp referral but not definitely and give pain relief but you might be waiting some time.

My husband has gall stones he's been to hospital and put on a drip with very painful episodes and scans have shown them . He also has previously had 2 strokes and an irregular heartbeat so he is on bloodthinners . The surgeon therefore could not recommend the operation to remove the gall.bladder due to the risk of another stroke. I researched online and found a lady online who said Apple juice Apple juice Apple juice to help with gall stones . So he drinks one child lunch box sized Carton everyday . Touch wood since then he has had no more painful episodes !

I was exactly where you are with a young baby. Get some codeine from the GP. As soon as you feel the pain take two buscopan and two codeine set the timer for 15 mins on your phone lie on your back stretched out as long as you can bare it. Watch the timeee go down and hold on - after 15 mins, once tablets kick in, you will be over the worst of it

No codeine is breast feeding though I'm afraid

Sounds like gallstones to me. I suffered for years and had my gallbladder removed last week. It truly is miserable, you have my sympathy.

See how you are but it's really unbearable you can go to a&e for pain relief. Unless they think it's infected they probably won't do much more but if you get a temp with it you need to go in.

Around here, the wait for most types of scan, including US is 6 weeks, that's been the case for a while and is pretty good. You will probably find the wait for surgery is much much longer. I waited for 20 months and by the end wished I'd taken out a loan and gone private. Thankfully lists are coming down now so you probably won't wait that long.

Personally I didn't find codeine helped much but it did take the edge off, I mainly relied on very very hot, hot water bottles front and back, that's the best relief I could get. Also breathing techniques to try and relax, though it's really hard.

Good luck, I hope it passes soon. I found often attacks came in clusters and would then go away for a while.

To minimise the attacks, you need to go zero fat (not just low fat). So not even a splash of semi-skimmed milk in your tea, it has to be skimmed or not at all. Literally you have to cut out all fat while you're waiting to get this looked at / resolved.

It does sound like gallstones. As well as painkillers try beetroot juice. Or tiny amounts of grated raw beetroot with lemon juice (and olive oil if you can) every hour is also amazing at getting your gallbladder working again. Google it and you'll find info. Drink a lot of water too, dehydration makes everything worse.

DH had his gallbladder removed after frequent gallstone attacks. It took a while before anything was done, as quite often the pain episodes are the stones passing, and so it took a few attempts for any stones to show on an ultrasound.

My advice to you would be to keep pushing with your GP if you suspect gallstones and none show up on your first ultrasound (DHs consultant at the hospital confirmed this does happen and is a common occurrence)

DH is now completely free of pain since the removal and as far as surgery goes, it was a fairly quick recovery - good luck op x

It sounds like typical gallstones. I know a few people, especially after having children, who have waited and waited for a diagnosis, despite displaying all the symptoms, and pregnancy being a huge trigger. So frustrating!

I went to urgent care when mine had flared up badly. I was tentatively diagnosed immediately and admitted (it had triggered pancreatitis) and got bloods, ultrasound and MRI done within 2 days! Op was just over a month after that.

One piece of advice I was given was look for anything 3% fat or less. That helped with specifics - don't just choose 'lower fat'. And do t assume - there is more fat than I thought in quite a lot of foods!

*don't assume

Sounds exactly like gallstones. If you go to A&E during an attack they can give you decent pain relief. The attacks are horrific. You really need a scan, so hospital is a good place, as gp referral will be a while.

If you can't get to hospital, take Buscopan. It's an anti spasmodic and will settle the attack. You can buy it over the counter.

Be careful with codeine. A very common side effect is biliary colic (which is the pain you have), and it can even cause attacks.

Good luck op!

Thank you everyone. I'm currently in hospital at the moment as I went to A&E yesterday morning and they admitted me. They've given me fluids, antibiotics and pain relief and i am having an ultrasound this morning. They thjnk it sounds like gallstones.

They said my gallbladder will need coming out at some point but maybe not this admission so I guess I might be put on the waiting list?

My experience is so different to last time. Everyone here has been so lovely.

I'm actually a bit embarrassed because by the time I got actually admitted (wait in A&E then another wait somewhere else for a bed to become free) the attack had passed. So all the staff in the other areas have seen me screaming in pain but the staff on the ward have just seen me sat here relaxing.

I really hope I haven't just passed the stone and nothing shows up on the ultrasound as i really just want to get the ball rolling with sorting it.

I had to use Voltarol suppositories for my gall bladder attacks. Everything oral just got thrown straight back up. They were amazing. I was having attacks lasting between 6 & 8 hours (always at night of course) and the suppositories took the pain right away so I could sleep! I attended A&E a few times but then my GP just constantly chased for an op date. I waited 6 months. Hope you’re feeling ok today. x

My doctor phoned me early one morning to tell me I had gallstones (scan the week before). He then told me to cut out as much fat as I could till the operation - I did well -no cheese, cut out all sweet puddings etc and had no discomfort till a few days before the op when I had a few treats (as the op was coming up). It was well worth being strick with myself as really had no pain. However, after op, I started doubling over in pain - like you describe. Fast forward a few weeks and weekly referrals back to hospital - I saw my surgeon at one clinic (a Friday) and he found a gallstone had been left (did another scan). He operated again on the Monday and been fine since. Cutting out all fat allowed me to carry on for c 6 months without difficulty but in hindsight (and the pain after), I think it will depend where your gallstones are lodged. Hopefully it's resolved soon. 🤞

Finally, my cousin's daughter was in so much pain she refused to leave hospital after one admission till they operated on her...... Just a thought. She was operated on within 3 days

I hope it's sorted for you now, OP, but if not it's worth knowing that a lot of gallbladder attacks are triggered by one particular food, an intolerance, not necessarily just fat in general. Eggs is the most common so have a think about whether one particular food set off each of your attacks and it might help you if you have to wait for an op. Good luck!