Gallbladder or Gastroparesis?

Digestive health
1

I'm looking for some insight on my symptoms and what other experienced.

About 6 weeks ago, I started getting nauseous at night but it came with some heart burn sensation so I began treating it like acid reflux.  After two weeks of Prilosec and countless zantac and tums, it wasn't getting better.  I began to try to alter my diet but started to notice other symptoms.  I made an appt with the gastro doc who did an upper GI scope thinking it was an ulcer only to find mild inflammation.  He also did an ultrasound for gallstones.  The results came back normal but the tech's comments concerned me so I am a bit confused.  She had a student with her who said "woah is it full?" the tech said "yes" and the student said "OUCH".  But still the results came back normal and my doctor is on vacation so I can't ask him.  He has scheduled me for a HIDA scan tomorrow and a gastric emptying test next week because he is thinking it may be my gallbladder not functioning correctly or gastroparesis.  I'm just curious if anyone has had these issues and gotten a dx of one of the mentioned issues?

- Nausea about 2 hrs after eating, sometimes faster. Especially worse after fried foods.  Zofran was given to help nausea but it is no match for the nausea that comes after eating french fries!

- Stomach pain in the upper gi area.  Ache at times but sharp pain right below sternum most times.

- Quick shooting pains on right side under rib, also felt in my back at times.

- Constipation.  Not eliminating well even while on miralax daily.

- Loosing weight from not eating.

Of these symptoms, the nausea is the worst.  I am not one to get sick but there are times that I have sat outside to keep myself from getting sick.  French fries which used to be my favorite food have become my worst enemy.  I am down to a limited diet of pretzels, crackers, and edamame =(

Anyone have similar symptoms?

 

2

My boyfriend had these symptoms and it turned out to be his gallbladder. Gallstones were shown on his ultrasound, but even without stones, your gallbladder could still be in bad shape. Nausea is both a major symptom of gallbladder issues and gastroparesis, but I'd say I'm leaning more towards you have gallbladder issues due to shooting pain on the right side that causes slight back pain (common with gallbladder issues). Gastroparesis varies on the severity, but usually only causes nausea and vomiting, not so much sharp pains. 

3

Thank you for the help!  It sounds terrible but I'm hoping its my gallbladder so they can remove the problem.  Gastroparesis doesn't sound to be such an "easy fix".

4

Hi I had all the symptoms you are describing. Possible gallbladder surgery. When you eat fried foods you get sick. Well that say it all. Eat bland for now. No soft drinks or alcohol. Remember fats are your worst enemy. Hey hope you get help. And Good Luck.

5

Your post seems to suggest you are not in the UK?  When my gall bladder symptoms were at their worst I swore I would never eat another chip and blamed my symptoms firmly at the door of the chip pan!  Not so I evaluated because it is not 'chips' as a singular item that is the culprit.......

Your doctors hopefully know all there is to know about treating your digestive system because while us on here have knowledge in varying degeas this is no substitute for professional medica acumen.

However if you are confirmed to have ANY gall stones I hope your doctor knows that Ursodioxycholic acid

will dissolve cholesterol gall stones to save the patient having to face having an operation.

It is interesting that in the USA dissolving gall stones that are cholesterol type is practiced more than anywhere else....... This may be due to education and a vast array of technical knowhow and of course research that can be seen on the internet.

It may be worth paying attention to the Gall Bladder flush technique that does get rid of the contents of the gall bladder....... Although some individuals do not believe in that method & that includes some so called specialists it does flush the gall bladder.   Half a lemon in quarter cup of very warm olive oil stirred rapidly & then drunk has an explosive action on the digestive system confirmed by the body's reaction to that 'drink'.

Although doing that is not nice at all as some would say --VILE ! it never the less is better than to have a gall stone stuck in the bile duct!   Gall stones can and do pass through to the intestine but when they are gone through there is no proof that they existed in the firs instance. Anyone who experiences the symptoms I went through are most certainly glad when they are clear of the offending stone or stones!

Ursodioxycholic acid does dissolve stones of type as quoted by an eminent G I surgeon her in Nottingham UK & I am the proof af that because I got rid of several stones by dissolution and I still have a functioning gall bladder......... I still eat the occasional plate of chips. As always though cooked in rapeseed oil never fat, to my knowledge anyway. 

6

Hi csg2mom  if you want to self test whether its GB or not drink a glass of milk!

Chinese food is good for GB so when considering your diet do not starve.   But what you will find is high fats are OUT, we are all different in what we can tolerate though.

7

Julian, What Chinese food? I thought most of it was high in fat? 

Thanks

8

Chinese food is very high in fat content. Also they fry everything. Not a wise choice. Don't do it friend.

9

Sounds to me like you still have problems.

10

Thats what i thought Fernando. 

Thanks 👍

11

You are welcome Matt.

12

I was eating Chicken or Beef Chow Mein as a variety so it did not get to boring.   My problems was when I was at my worst I could not ANYTHING in my food cupboards.  A friend told me about the Chinese and it worked for me as well, as for comments about the frying or fat in here, their food is cooked high heat and fast, not like us slow and where everything (fats) gets soaked up in the food.  I have to say I was dubious about noodles being high in fat and actually because they cook with Soy sauce which make it greasy which is why your stool remains loose I think, I call it fluffy.   When you consider £4.50 for a tub / portion and I made two meals out of it is not bad.  I used frozen Veg (microwave 4 mins) to bulk it up when splitting it into 2 meals.

But anyway it was a food that helped me get better and I was forever grateful for being pointed to it.   I do have to say your bowels stay very loose while on this diet.   And 4 months after I was able to re introduce things like Chicken soup, potato, oven chips.

The one thing I cannot eat still, is Dairy, cheese, milk and so forth. Also some forms of fish DEFINITELY not Prawns or Scampi.

Right now (Oct) I still feel sick when walking, I still get chest pain, the ache or pain in your right hand side and I still sweat.  But you have to consider I do not have stones, I have sludge?

I still eat lots of fruit and veg to bulk up meals but even still I eat little, when I buy a Chinese i make two meals out of the one, just to give you an idea of size of meal, Im still losing weight but not at the rate I was In Dec / Jan because I could hardly eat anything.

Anyhow once i started eating potato again my stool soon come back to a normality.and this was done gradually eating tins of new potatoes, just a few at a time, with chicken and veg.

Oh and yes I still have attacks of GB when I have been tempted to buy foods that I thought would be O.K and these still take a long time to get over.  The last attack I had was back in June in the heat, I stupidly brought a cake with no labels and it must have had dairy in it as I was as sick as a dog and it took way over a month to get over it. 

So here is a typical days diet for me.

A cup of coffee made with coffee mate

A bowl of porridge with Raspberries  made with Soya milk (used to be water at first)

A chicken salad or Chinese for lunch

A Banana, Apple, 2 Satsumas or whatever in store similar, a hand full of Nuts (Almonds (8) or Brazil (3) Approx for Dinner.

I also drink at least 2 liters of water a day but i have done this for years anyway.

I have eaten this all this year, yup I still suffer but I am not throwing up or have the runs.

13

It is possible that both could be linked. Gastroparesis slows down the digestive system which can create problems with the gallbladder. Often this won't show up on scans but might show dysfunction in the HIDA scan. If this is the case removing the gallbladder might help with some of the symptoms but not completely get rid of all the symptoms.

14

Thank you for all of the input!  I had my HIDA scan Thursday.  I am impatiently waiting on the results which I thought I would have by now!