Help.....In the grip of a Gallbladder attack. Is there anything I can do other than take painkillers?

[LackaDAISYcal]

Been having a gallbladder attack since yesterday evening . Have taken ibuprofen and co-codamol this morning and still in pain.

Is there anything else I can do?

get to A & E and they will give you something stronger. Do you have attacks often? I have the same problem

Thanks AGal. It's the third attack in four weeks. I spent three days in hospital the other week and they wouldn't give me anything stronger as I'm BFing

I'm waiting on a date for having my gallbladder out.

Yes, get to A+E they can give you pain killers by injection and stronger pain killers at home. You have my sympathy - know how you feel and its fucking horrible.

Walking around helps, and so does massage if there is someone around who can rub your back for you - quite hard.

Definately see someone about it though.

Oh, i was BFing too - but had to give up in the end, the pain was too much and i needed the stronger meds.

oh sweetie, im sorry.

You need to avoid fat and dairy my love. Im waiting for my date too.

If you are BFing i doubt there is anything else you can take.

I find someone rubbing my back helps slightly

Oh Daisy sorry didn't realise you were bfing How long till you get your op? My bil had a completely fat free diet and still got attacks. How old is your lo?

Oh you poor thing. I have had two but compared to other people's they have been mild. I found the only way I coukld get pain relief was to lay across a pile of pillows on the bed, maybe not so easy if you have a baby and are bf.

Do you have someone to look after your lo?

Jarm, I was looking for you to say thanks for your advice the other week and to tell you it deffo was gallstones

I was in tears feeding my DS last night, with him lying on the sofa and me leaning over him as I couldn't even sit down.

I think it was a wee sprinkling of cheese on top of my baked potato at lunchtime yesterday that did it. Each attack I had before diagnosis seems to have been triggered by hot cheese as well. Last time a stone was stuck for nearly five days.

cocodamol seems to be taking some effect now.

DS2 is 17 weeks. I sooo didn't want to have to give him any formula. I failed to BF my DS1 and gave up sooner than I wanted to with DD as I was pregnant with DS2 and it just wasn't happening for us.

I'm at home with two under two at the minute. DH was going to take the day off work, but he only started the job in December and has had five days off already thanks to me and was off himself at the end of last week as he had a wee op.

He said to call if I needed him, but feel pretty shoite about it.

sorry for whinging

I get really, really bad heartburn after cheese, coffee, bananas, and any big meal. Is this a precursor to gall bladder problems do you think? I had a scan after my second attack of pain, my gall bladder was inflamed but no stones were visible.

DD's microwave teddy beddy bear is helping, but she keeps stealing it back from me, bless

mehgalegs, from what I understand there are varying degrees of problems, from fine sludge through gritty small stones to the big feckers that I have. Sounds like you could have some sludgy stuff that is irritating the gallbladder.

I had a pre-op assessment last week. The maximum wait here is 18 weeks from first referral so within the next 16 weeks!

I'm thinking that if I need to go to A&E again so soon, it might bump me up the list?

and don't worry about hijacking. Maybe we need a gallbladder support thread

I'm really struggling to cut fat out of my diet.

I found this website though, which is helpful, if a little depressing! I'm going to try the flaxseed tea

daisy - im i havent even had the pre-op assessment yet.

am getting quite ticked off with my drs to be honest, everything seems to take so long.

ring the waiting list people and tell them you can be ready to go into hospital at the drop of a hat if a cancellation comes along. So long as you are not mid-attack. Keep pressing them - sometimes spaces crop up in private clinics, same docs and you can get in there if you really can mobilise yourself to get there for the following day or something equally short noticified.

You know what though, you don't have to give up BF - if you have to give him some formula its not the end of teh world and it doesn't have to be permanent - if you have to take the meds you can express your milk while they are still in your system (youd have to check with doc about this) to keep your milk coming and be able to carry on with it.

Are you taking the max dose cocodamol? You can get them with 60mg codeine, but they are prescription only - can be taken whilst BF, you can take two i think so thats 120mg - plus the 1000mg paracetemol. You'll be away with the fairies which doesnt help with two little ones, but i did find these took the edge off a bit more.

ah, that's interesting about the size of the stones. That link is good too but yuk the flax seed tea sounds hard work.

I had surgery a few weeks ago (for a prolapse - oh joy). There wers two ladies with Gall bladder problems on my ward. One lady was in agony and was having to stay in over the weekend to have her gall bladder removed the following Tues. She had gone into a&e after collapsing with pain.

It has made me rethink my diet and I am trying to be good.

Hope your pain passes soon and the wait isn't too long.

I think the stay in hospital the other week pre-empted things here Jarm.

A friend who works in the NHS says that 18 weeks is the govt target for gallbladder ops so you should be done in that time. I'd chase them up if I were you.

LEM, I told them I was available at short notice at my pre-op assessment last week.

the doc prescribed 30/500 cocodamol. they make me loopy enough. they have kicked in now so pain is bearable for the minute. I'm bloody terrified to eat anything though.

I have thought giving some formula temporarily, but I was determined DS2 would be excl BF. But, needs must and all that.

Can't believe how common it is!

I'm sorry you're in the middle of an attack, my best mate had this and I know how much pain she was in. When this attack settles, if you're able to you could try the Bowen Technique - there are some treatments specifically for Gall Bladder problems and it would be good to keep you going until you get the date for the op. There's a link here to find a therapist- have a look at the website cos it explains what the Bowen Technique is too. Best Wishes and I hope you feel better soon. www.bowen-technique.co.uk/find_therapist.php

When I first had a gallbladder attack I thought it was my heart. I started a thread on here and was amazed at how many mnetters had had the same, or surgery. There were also about 4 mums at school who had had the same. Like you, I was amazed at how common it semms to be.

was at the docs last tuesday and he said its still too early to have heard from hospital. He wrote to them on 12th feb - a week after he said he would refer me.

Hoping for a pre-op assessment this month!

You poor thing -I've had a few (suspected) gall bladder attacks and they are horeendous aren't they.

I found the only thing that helped a little was a hot water bottle held on the area.

Good luck and hope you get your op soon

actually , it was 30mg that i was on too - i didn;t like them much either to be honest!

Wish i could do more to help, i couldnt eat either and lost four stone in four weeks - scary shit - shame the weight came back!

four stone in four weeks . I've lost half a stone already. I was wishing I was thinner the other week.....a classic case of being careful what you wish for

Hmm, I feel remarkable stoned at the minute after two cocodamol on an empty stomach. Not sure I should be in charge of children

thanks for that link hangingbelly (also lolling at your name )