Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Has anyone gone to A&E with a gallstone flare up?

27 replies

CantSleepWontSleep · 29/11/2009 08:00

And if so, what did they do? Did they operate there and then, or just refer you for later treatment?

I am currently having a very painful flare up, complicated by the fact that I'm almost 10 weeks pregnant.

Just trying to decide whether to wait and see my GP tomorrow, or go to A&E today.

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 29/11/2009 08:08

Go to A&E. They may need to give you antibiotics if it is infected and then operate.

Me and my mother were fobbed off by GPs for years. You are pregnant and you do not want this flaring up in a few months time.

Original poster
CantSleepWontSleep · 29/11/2009 08:41

Did you have the op in the end ABD? How was it?

OP posts:
tillyfernackerpants · 29/11/2009 09:10

CSWS, go to A&E, if its inflamed, they will wait until it goes down, then probably operate. I had the operation a couple of years ago, I think its usually keyhole surgery & I was in for one night.

Hope you're ok

piscesmoon · 29/11/2009 09:13

DH had his out, it was keyhole surgery and he was only in for one night and recovered really quickly.If he had known how easy, he wouldn't have deliberated so long on whether to have the op.

ABetaDad · 29/11/2009 09:38

Yes I had the OP. It was fine. In and out in a day after a year in pain every day.

Took me 6 weeks to recover and gradually sorting out my diet took another 18 months but pretty well now.

If it has to be done it has to be done.

GentleOtter · 29/11/2009 09:48

If you don't mind me asking, ABetaDad, how did you go about changing your diet? Did you go completely fat free?
Can I also ask if you got pains on your left hand side?

ABetaDad · 29/11/2009 10:18

I cut out fat a lot, stopped eating in the evening. Stopped eating gluten conatining foods, cut out all dairy. I am careful with alcohol - white wine only and only occassional spicey food.

The pain for gall bladder is in the right side under the right rib and spreading round the back up to the right shoulder blade.

You may have IBS which I also think is helped by getting rid of bread, dairy and fat in the diet. Sometimes fruit jucies are bad for IBS too.

ABetaDad · 29/11/2009 10:22

Oh and I lost nearly 2 stone by following that diet which is a happy additional benefit.

GentleOtter · 29/11/2009 10:22

Many thanks.

CantSleepWontSleep - I hope you get some help today and start to improve. Will you let us know how you got on?

Original poster
CantSleepWontSleep · 29/11/2009 10:27

Will do gentleotter - just off to A&E now.

OP posts:
gigglewitch · 29/11/2009 10:51

Took dh to A&E every time when his flared up, to see a grown man sitting in the bath sobbing with the pain was just unbearable to watch. IMHO it isn't that likely to improve on its own. Agree you may need antibiotics and figure out what to do for the pain.

Have you got your diet sorted atm? May be handy to nag for a referral to dietician, to make sure you're fat-free enough to manage the gallbladder ishoos and still getting the right stuff for growing babe.

Original poster
CantSleepWontSleep · 29/11/2009 12:38

in a and e. done urine test. Just had bloods taken - testing for full blood count, liver function, hormone (presumably hcg) and can't remember what else. Have been given paracetamol and codeine which is slightly taking the edge off, though not much.
Now waiting for a and e doc.
They've left canula in after bloods in case needed.

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 29/11/2009 12:53

Hug

gigglewitch · 29/11/2009 12:54

good luck

RTKangaMummy · 29/11/2009 13:06
AitchTwoToTangOh · 29/11/2009 13:09

oh here you are. glad it's 'just' gallstones.

Original poster
CantSleepWontSleep · 29/11/2009 13:17

well they've just taken my word for that so far aitch, but hopefully they'll get round to confirming it at some point!
They have checked a couple of times whether i've had any bleeding, but I've reassured them that I've no reason to think that anything is wrong with the pregnancy.
Thanks for your other messages btw.

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 29/11/2009 13:27

You need to have an ultrasound.

The bloods and urine tests did not show anything for me. If the pain recurrs (or even if it does not) you need to insist on ultrasound and indeed as you wil be going for ultrasound with the pregnancy you need to strongly pressure your GP/consultant/midwife service whoever to get you that ultrasound to check for gall stones too. I had a set like string of pearls just big enough to block my bile duct that sowed up on the ultrasound.

alypaly · 29/11/2009 14:13

hi i too have had my gall bladder out in june 2009. Went to A and E 3 years ago with abdo pain....which turned out to be pancreatitis. They sent me home and i was in agony for 6 weeks and then it settled. Had bouts of agonising pain for 3 years and was sent home with the usual IBS diagnosis until i collapsed at home. Went to A and E ,given morphine in march. They planned an ultrasound and found i was full of stones. Operated 3 months later and i had over 200 small stones and 4 x 1cm ones. After 6 weeks of being really ill post operatively(and 18lb weight loss ,i am now almost 98% ok) cant drink very much and sometimes tummy is a bit sensitive if i eat too much...as i found out this week.

If it settles whilst you are pregnant they will often leave until after delivery. It is very common to occur during pregnancy and post delivery. It is also common in the over 40's. I reckon its hormonal in origin.

AitchTwoToTangOh · 29/11/2009 14:14

well if they do an ultrasound get them also to check for free fluid (ie blood) round the tubes and ovaries etc.

Original poster
CantSleepWontSleep · 29/11/2009 14:34

they are sending me home with painkillers and instructions to see gp if it doesn't settle in a few days .

OP posts:
Mummymuppet4 · 29/11/2009 15:52

Hi Can't sleep Wont Sleep, don't know if this helps after I had my baby I started having attacks ( thought I was having a heart attack actually) never known pain like it, but after scan they said they were small stones and the neck of the gallbladder was ok which meant they wouldn't need to operate yet. I then had a bad attack which was also accompanied by high temp and shivers and I seriously couldn't get of bed for week( not allowed when oyu have 4 kids) and took 2 courses of antibiotics for it to go. Then the consultant said I needed it out as now infected so op was planned in the meantime altered my diet really carefully which helped, nothing fatty particularly bacon and peppers were my trigger factor. Had op in july in 2009 didn't go to well as they did accidently cut something and post op did look 9 months preg again but after a 3 weeks in hosp and slow recovery all good, there is a point to this tale ....when and if you do have your op you have to sign a disclaimer for this very thing ( ie accidently cutting parts etc ) if you are going to be done by key hole I would discuss with the surgeon that if he happens to cut parts by accident that he opens you up and not continue by key hole as gp mentioned afterwards this might have helped, obviously I'm not medically qualified but also would have liked this advise before op to know a little bit more about it . But hope you are feeling better today

alypaly · 29/11/2009 23:56

yes mummy mine felt like a heart attack too...in fact thats what i said when i called the ambulance as i collapsed on the floor whilst on the phone to my Boyfriend. But then just to make me look stupid,within 2 hours the pain had virtually gone. Felt such a fraud until the propwer diagnosis came. I thought something had gone wrong with my op too as i couldnt eat anything without excrutiating pain for the best part of 6 weeks. But alot of people i know have had no problems post operatively....

serenity · 30/11/2009 00:18

DH started having attacks of gallstone pain, but he's such a pita about being ill that he wouldn't go to the doctor with it (so we actually didn't know what the pains were at the time)

I only got him to see someone when he had an attack and then turned yellow (last time he had jaundice, I dragged him to A&E and it turned out he had Pneumonia and incipient organ failure) This time he had gallstones which were blocking his liver and causing (surprise, surprise) organ failure rolls eyes and grumbles at fucking amazing stubborness of DH, then hugs him He had the op two days later when they managed to stabilise him.

I would always get severe gallstone pain checked out at A&E, just to be on the safe side.

Hope you can get it sorted out permanently, soon Cantsleep. It's a sucky thing to have.

herewegrow · 30/11/2009 11:33

Hi Can't Sleep,

I had gallstones for quite a few years without realising (had been treating myself for IBS and wind ).

The short version of my story is this:

Had a flare up at the end of my last pregnancy, was treated for a UTI as no one knew what was wrong. Shortly after DD was born had another flare up and was again treated for a UTI. Then just before DD was 4 months old (end of april this year) I was in agony was rushed in to hospital with suspected pancreatitus (sp?) after a series of tests and finally an ultrasound they found I had gallstones. Was scheduled to have keyhole surgery the next day. However, I ended up with open surgery and was in hospital for 18 nights sent home for 10 days with 2 drains in and then another 2 night stay in hospital. However, I am now fighting fit and have made a full recovery.