My mum's in hospital

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Just got email from dad. She's been having bad stomach pain for a few weeks and couldn't eat without it hurting - gp yesterday thought ulcer, gave her some meds which didn't help so dad took her to A&E last night.
They are doing tests and apparently something liver relaqted showed up in her bloods so she is having ultrasound just now.

I'm going in to see her in a minute but would appreciate any reassurance if it is gallbladder or something...is it likely to be serious> She is only 57.

Thanks

Try not to worry she's in the right place now.

Good luck.

Thanks Coco.

Oh dear I am not good at this.

Want to take her something but they might discharge her today hopefully. If not will go get flowers later...we live 2 mins from hospital thankfully they haven't transferred her to the proper one yet. So will go and see if she wants anything, have got to report back to dad who is at work miles away and freaking out

poor dad

Hopefully is just gallstones or summat, I have heard that's not too bad to treat.

Thankyou, I didn't know about the flowers! Didn't take any but won't now i know.

She had her ultrasound and it seems to be gallstones so she is just waiting to hear what they are going to do...the 'surgical team' was mentioned so I suppose they are looking at removing her gallbladder.

She kept talking as though she'll be coming home today but I told her to wait and see because they may just want to whip it out and the quicker the better really.

Stayed about an hour and a half while ds2 sat patiently in buggy! (he never does that!) and bought her a guardian and some biscuits etc. She is very hungry but can't eat anything without it hurting, howevert he lan-something (drug they gave her) is helping a lot with the pain, she just feels very weak as hasn't eaten properly for weeks.

Will be going back later on if she's not discharged. Has anyone got any idea about what they might do next, or when? I'd be grateful for experiences with gallbladder surgery if anyone has got a moment, thanks.

Btw nothing abnormal found on the scan, no tumours or anything, thank God

Well she just rang and doesn't want us to go up again...she's still waiting for the surgical team or consultant to come and update her, she is so bored I think.

At least not in pain as the drugs are working.

Apparently they want to do an MRI as the blockage isn't in the bile duct, it's something goin on in the gallbladder itself which is a bit different so they need another type of diagnostic thing to see what's what.

I am a bit more worried now as she did look quite yellow. Does this sound dodgy? Anyone know?

she has gall stones which are blocking the duct from the liver to the gall bladder and she is yelow because she has gone jaundiced. She will have to be dealt with quite quickly so dont be alarmed. They will have to operate and will probably have to do an open procedure as she is developing jaundice.
She is going to need about 5-6 weeks to recover from the op so give her plenty of support. I hope they can do keyhole..but it sounds like the larger option. Keep me posted. Dont worry,it isnt classed as a major op now

Thanks Alypaly. You have been very kind.

She's home which I am about and also told me she is going to work today and I feel quite upset with her for insisting she is fine!

They didn't do the MRI in the end - one of the staff came and examined her and said there were no stones, then the surgeon came and said there were, but altogether it is a mystery. She has to see her GP in a couple of days and they will discuss what to do next - to me this sounds like they just want her at the end of the queue.

Anyway it's up to her and I did pass on what you said about being fobbed off so I guess I've done all I can

I hope she does get it out soon.
Thanks again for your help and support, I was in a bit of a state about it yesterday. At least she is claiming to be alright now. I can't keep up!

I had my gallbladder out following a bout of pancreatitis. I would not wish that on my worst enemy. the surgery I had was laparoscopic and I was discharged the next day. I had an ERCP, but not an MRI due to an anurysm clip in situ in brain. I would ask the hospital what they propose to do in the near future.

is she still yellow because if that is happening there are more than likely gall stones. If they are small ones they block and then unblock. She should stay on a low fat low cholesterol diet otherwise it triggers the gall bladder to squeeze and push ot stones.
Thats what i was saying before....the pain just disappears and you feel a fraud and then go home....til the next time.
I was on the phone to my BF when my final bout came and i thought i was having a heart attack..it was soooo painful.
I couldnt believe they could miss so many stones and especially 4 large ones,but ,bless the NHS(and private) they did.
My friend had the same problems as your mum,in that she went yellow and started vomiting because of the liver by products building up in her bloodstream.

dont let her sit it out at home....it can become serious.
I agree with kreecher having had pancreatitis myself ,due to a stone....it is the most painful thing in the world.10x childbirth without a lie.

dont let doc fob her off by giving her lansoprazole...it just masks the real symptoms

I ended up having mine done privately because the NHS waiting list waqs 4 months and i wasnt prepared to wait and go through that pain all the time.
Eggs are bad for her to....check out gall bladder diet,it will help reduce the attacks,and i cut out alcohol to reduce risk of further complications with pancreas.

www.gallbladderattack.com/gallbladderdiet.shtml

thankyou very very much - I am so grateful to you all.

I feel really frustrated as she doesn't listen to me and tells me to stop trying to tell her what to do.

I will put all the info you have given me together and make her look at it, then it's up to her - I guess we have to wait till she has seen the GP in a day or two, that will be her chance to push for something to be done, if she won't then there is nothing I can do

It's great to have proper advice from real people on here who have been through it and know all the ins and outs.

Thanks again x