Gallstones - your experience please!

[Moose46]

I had an episode of severe pain this week, that led to an ambulance being sent, as I was on my own looking after 2 young kids. I had taken paracetamol and Buscopan but nothing helped. Ended up having morphine.

Been back for an ultrasound today which confirmed gallstones. Consultant left the decision totally up to me as to whether I opted for surgery or wanted to manage it with a low fat diet. I opted to go on the waiting list (8 months) but it’s difficult to know what to do at this point as we have no idea if or how often i’ll get more flare ups.

I’d be grateful for anyone’s general experience or any advice please.

Did anyone ever just get one flare up and then never again? Or how often after your first flare up did you get further ones?

How have you found managing a low fat diet? Do you ever eat anything like chocolate or takeaways ever?

Does anyone have any useful links for good recipes for low fat family meals?

If you only get 1 flare up, would you still consider surgery?

Might it be worth me looking into private to get it done sooner anyway?

Is it worth me contacting my GP for more advice?

For further info, i’m in my 30s, i have 2 children aged 3, and 4 months (currently on mat leave). And my flare up did happen on a day when I admittedly ate a high amount of fatty food, including indian takeaway.

TIA :)

I only ever had one (horrendous) full-on attack and was referred for surgery. I waited 8 long months and controlled it through being super-strictly low-fat. It was not fun! I had a few grumbly stomach ache occasionally if I had something with a bit more fat than I'd realised. I tried to stick to no more than 10g fat per meal. Surgery was 100% effective and recovery quick. Absolute no-brainer imo.

Thank you. It’s really reassuring to know that i’m not being a baby by opting to go on the surgery list after just one attack.

@AllProperTeaIsTheft @Moose46 yes im definitely going to ring on Monday and explain my anxieties around it. I understand why they wanted me to wait but I won't be any good to my daughter if I'm constantly anxious about another attack! X

I've had probably two severe attacks in the last four years. The first was four years ago but I didn't make the connection with possible gallstones. Then last year I had grumbling pains on and off for a few months before a big attack in December pushed me to see the GP who suspected gallstones and referred me for a scan. Obviously I'm still waiting for that scan, so even if I get the confirmation, goodness knows how long I'll wait for any surgery.

I agree with previous comments that the uncertainty of the pains striking any time is not nice and I'd happily have a routine surgery to get rid of this if it means never having one of those awful attacks again.

@LadyDaisy42 i think I got extremely lucky because I went into A & E at 4am on a Wednesday night and they took me for a scan at 9am Thursday morning so I've a feeling they literally just slipped me in before other appointments. So hopefully I can get on the list for the surgery but when it was happening my friend they told her the more she was presenting to A & E with the pain the further she would be pushed up the list!

Yes exactly the same thing with me. My friend was with me and called 111, they sent an ambulance because i was looking after 2 kids under 5. The 8 hour wait overnight in a&e was only bearable because the lovely paramedics gave me morphine. They also called it that it was my gallbladder. I was then invited back for a scan the following day at 8.30am.

I ended up at the out of hours doctor with my last attack, so no opportunity to be scanned there. To be fair, they checked me over very well to make sure there was no infection etc. But our health board is in such a mess, they are constantly posting on FB telling people that A&E is full and not to go unless it is literally life threatening. My GP surgery has also been sending out texts since Monday to say they are short staffed and only urgent cases will be dealt with. Honestly, you don't want to be ill where I live! I hope you're sorted soon xx

Wow, that's a long time to wait for a scan. I'm not in the UK, but I saw my GP at 4.45 pm one day and had my scan at 12.30 pm the following day. (Not in the UK, but people complain about our health system!).

Following a pregnancy, i started to develop gallbladder pain. probably had 3 attacks at the most, but it was awful. I couldn't wear a bra it was that painful. No gallstones on ultrasound, but sought second opinion. Consultant was very straightforward, no messing - let's take it out. Turned out that my GB was severly infected. No issues since,no regrets. Quick recovery. Good luck OP x

Similar to most developed gall stones weeks after first baby was so horrible the pain was unreal and nothing really helps. I read about drinking apple cider vinegar which I did daily for the 9months waiting on removal. It is disgusting stuff but I took a shot of it with apple juice and it helped. I had a few attacks but not too regular. I took it when having attacks and you could hear the vinegar breaking down in the stomach. I avoided high fat foods for the most part.
fine after removal get some heart burn and indigestion after high fat dairy foods, but life is so much better without attacks!

Hi I'm 6 weeks post gall bladder removal but wanted to share my story, make an important point.

The point is that gall bladder disease is progressive. So whilst some people can manage it with diet ( I wasn't one of those), it's not going to go away. Please get on waiting list.

I had a 34 mm stone for more than four years and regular attacks. I'm a busy mum, own my own business and have a lot on generally so I swept it under the carpet and said "I'll deal with it one day when life is quiet "

Of course that day never came. A&E, diagnosed with acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis. Emergency gall bladder removal.

Because I'd left it so long my GB was chronically infected and I nearly perforated. I was left with a surgical drain and stoma bag, which I'm still living with.
I think they'll remove it this week. It's been tough but at least it's fixable.

Obviously this was an unusual complication. Most surgeries are keyhole, day procedures with a quick healing time.

For my part I have zero regrets getting the surgery. Only wish I'd done it sooner. Despite the drain, I'm sleeping better than ever, I've lost weight, my pain is gone, my constant reflux symptoms are gone.

Please don't ignore.

Can I please ask if anyone found any particular restaurants useful to eat out at with a low fat meal? I’m meeting a friend for lunch this week and i’m trying to think where we can go. I’m wondering something like wagamama

I never had gallstone pain but I did get pancreatitis because of small gallstones lodged in bile ducts.

I had several attacks of pancreatitis (misdiagnosed by A & E doc) and then one episode which wasn’t getting better. Went back to A&E and after scans they removed the stones from bile ducts and removed my gallbladder.

No noticeable side effects since.

I would have the op. Only 3 weeks off work to recover.

My dh had four attacks and said they’re the most painful thing he’s ever had.

Op was fairly straight forward. Just have to be careful with fatty foods now.

I had 3/4 attacks in the space of 5 months, but then nothing since and that was 5/6 years ago. Think they were triggered by pregnancy/birth of DS as they were quite soon afterwards. Haven't changed diet at all.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Yes apparently gallstones are common during/after pregnancy due to the raised estrogen.

Can I please ask why you didn’t opt for surgery at the time?