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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Has anyone given birth whilst they've got gallstones?

16 replies

MillyStar · 11/02/2012 10:15

I'm 31 weeks now and getting a bit worried incase i lodge a couple of stones whilst pushing etc or is there no chance?

I had one stuck when I was abroad last year and I was so poorley ended up in hosp in Cyprus and was jaundice etc I can't face that after having my baby

Was gonna have my gallbladder taken straight out then found out I was expecting, they said they'd do it up to 28 weeks if I had another attack but I haven't and wouldn't risk the baby in an op anyway

The stones are still there though as I had an ultrasound on them after I was really ill so they didn't all pass that time! Unless I've passed them since!

I'm getting worried tho the last thing I want is to be taken to surgery because they're giving me pain with a tiny newborn to think about

Can labour effect them at all?

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lynlynnicebutdim · 11/02/2012 13:04

I had gallstones during my last pregnancy. Didn't affect labour at all. I was going to get them removed after the birth but never got rounds to it (only seem to give me trouble when I am pregnant ) and an now pregnant again.

Original poster

MillyStar · 11/02/2012 13:19

Aaaah that's good to know thank you!

I was having attacks about once a fortnight before falling pregnant and I've got the hosp baffled because they usually get worse in pregnancy apparently and mine haven't effected me at all for some reason, unless I've passed them since my scan on them which was when I was about 2 weeks gone barely pregnant!

I hope they have gone that pain is unbearable, at least at the end of labour you get a beautiful baby for your suffering!!

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room4another1 · 11/02/2012 13:23

I developed them during first pregnancy and had them throughout 2nd and 3rd pregnancy and never had a bit of bother with them throughout labour :)

Happenstance · 11/02/2012 13:51

No issue through labour at all with them, but i had my gallbladder out when DD was 4 months old because they flared up afterwards.

Original poster

MillyStar · 11/02/2012 14:30

I'm having them out ASAP after my little girl is born even if the stones have gone, not risking them coming back it's hideous!!

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Nearlycooked · 12/02/2012 09:13

just had a nightmare with gallstones. DDis now 4mth and since Christmas Eve had four emergency ambulance rides to hospital ,needing morphine on each occasion. Ended up with a 6 day hospital stay with DD in tow as I am breast feeding. Had a side room but staff were not happy about DD being on the ward as she was vulnerable to picking up bugs. Worst experience, worse than the forcep delivery in October! Now waiting for appointment to discuss removing gallbladder - cant come quick enough! I was unable to care for my DD, (single mum), my dad and brother had to help out. I have never had pain like it - thought I was dying.

Original poster

MillyStar · 12/02/2012 09:20

Omg so I've already experienced worse than labour then? Pleeeeeease tell me I have I'm a pro at gallstone agony so I can handle that lol

It took them over a yr to diagnose me I was told it was my spine and everything, I've had my appt for the op but was 15 weeks by then so I'm having another one in may after bubs is born, just hope the wait isn't too long after that x

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Original poster

MillyStar · 12/02/2012 09:21

Can't believe you've had 4 ambulance rides and and they've not taken you straight to theatre

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Nearlycooked · 12/02/2012 09:26

My consultant is old school and won't operate on 'angry' gallbladder - he wants it to calm down first! I pointed out that trying to cope with a first baby of 3 myths old with the threat of another attack hovering over my head was not ideal but to no avail! They really do think they are gods these consultants - woe betide they actually engage with the common man!!

Nearlycooked · 12/02/2012 09:37

The pain of labour is such a different thing - it comes in waves, you have gas and air to take the edge off, you know what is happening and you are mentally prepared for it surrounded by people ready to administer pain relief. Gallstone pain is constant and so intense - attacks happen outside of the hospital care when you are on your own and no immediate pain relief available until an ambulance arrives. On the fourth occasion I was shouting ' give me morphine' as the paramedic arrived through the door - already offering up my 'best' arm for the cannula !!! Felt like a junkie!!!

Original poster

MillyStar · 12/02/2012 10:02

Haha oh it's not funny it's horrendous!

I got it once on a Friday, flew to Cyprus on the sat, was a bridesmaid on the weds and my pain finally just stopped on the Thursday night so I had a 1.5 day hol really, I feel so sad when I look at the wedding photots I can see the pain etched on my face behind my fake smile, I didn't sleep or eat for the five whole days I just lay in a hot bath every night whilst my OH shored away worst week of my life ;(

I'm just dreading mine kicking off again once I've had my baby, I'll chain myself to the hospital door till they remove my gallbladder!

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LackaDAISYcal · 12/02/2012 10:19

In hindsight, yes, but I didn't know it at the time and had been putting the pain down to heartburn in thd last few months of my pregnancy.
The pain of labour eclipsed any heartburn or whatever, and having a hip joint that xompletely locked in a painful manner also helped!
Mine really kicked off 3.5 months postnatally though, and I had utterly debilitating attacks every four or five days that would last two or three days without respite until I had my gallbladder out about 8 weeks later.
Dealing with such a young BF baby through the attacks was really hard though, but St James's in Leeds were brilliant when I was admitted for four days prior to them being diagnosed, and found me a side room and got a cot from paeds so he could stay with me and the nurses gave him ebf a couple of times to let me get some rest.

Nearlycooked · 12/02/2012 10:33

Just want mine out!

Happenstance · 14/02/2012 09:28

Nearlycooked that was exactly the same as me right down to the forceps delivery in october lol (though mine was 2009) they wouldn't let me keep DD on ward so i ha to express :(, missed her first Christmas, they gave me a date for january then changed it to August then back to june, but on my last stay in i was told it was an emergency and had it out on february 6th 2010, best day ever

SAF1610 · 14/02/2012 09:36

Most people who have gallstones have no symptoms so they will not realise that they are there and would only be picked up by chance if you were having an abdominal ultrasound for another reason. So don't worry, best of luck!

Nearlycooked · 15/02/2012 10:00

Bloody hell ! Thought it was happening again last night! Woke up with very achy shoulder - lay awake most of the night waiting for it to kick off and finally fell asleep to be woken by My Lady at 4am presenting with a full blown pooy burst nappy - full scale clean up operation required! THIS nappy was possibly worse than gallstone pain!! Lol !

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