Gall bladder trouble anyone?

[alysonpeaches]

I have been having lots of pain in my upper abdo, belching, sweating and nausea. The drop in centre doctor thought gallstones, my gp said either gallstones or stomach ulcer, and has ordered an ultrasound and some blood tests. In the meantime he advised a low fat diet, stopping my ibuprofen (which I take for bad back), Im already on omeprazole (which is an indigestion thingy).

Has anyone else been through this recently? Any words of advice?

Glad to hear that key hole surgery gets a thumbs up, got my cons appt a week on monday and privately through my husbands work so hopefully might not be too long before i'm sorted.

I celebrate the anniversary of my surgery with a meal I couldn't have even looked at before I had the op.

I agree, the four F's aren't always accurate - I'm fair, but I was a rather fit 19 year old when I experienced my first gallstone attack (which I thought was a heart attack). After changing my diet (less fried foods, I was your typical teen) the attacks went dormant... until the end of 07 when I was 23 I lost a lot of weight (about 16kg in five months), and had attacks on and off ever since. My scan in 07 showed my biggest stone is 1.75cm - which was scary to see on the ultrasound.

Creamy and spicy foods are a big cause of my attacks. I currently use co-dydramol (perscribed) when I start experiencing the start of an attack, which 95% of the time helps with just two tablets, but sometimes can need more (like tonight I had to have four) for it to calm down (you're allowed up to 8 in 24 hours).

I'd suggest going to your doctor and getting perscribed something like Co-Dydramol - I've had my box since April and I've still got plenty left (as you take them only as required, ie at the start of an attack)

If your gallbladder is inflammed warming the area isn't going to help - I'd recommend trying to cool yourself down or applying something cooling to the area, this has helped me in the past as well.

Apple Juice is also a big helper (since it's not acidic it won't aggrivate any inflammation) - it pays to always have some in your fridge!

alysonpeaches - finally got my gall stones sorted out about 18 months ago. I left it two years and that was far too long. My mother left it 4 years.

The ultrasound will show the stones then under no circumstances accept any advice to leave it and let it settle down. It won't. If you have to get yourself referred for the operation in a different health authority do so.

I had key hole surgery on the NHS at he John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. They were fantastic.

My mother waited 4 years, her health authority had a massive waiting list and her GP did not want to refer her. In the end she was in A&E in agony and emergency surgery.