Gallstone but no action required?

Digestive health
1

Hi all! I’ve posted on here ages ago about the same problem, a few months down the line and I’ve finally been diagnosed with a gallstone (went for a scan last Thursday and saw the 4mm thing with my own eyes) it’s right on the neck as well, which means it’ll be on the move anytime soon, and we all know how fun that is! 

Rang up my GP surgery for the results and apparently there is ‘no action required’ I’m angry and a bit lost as to what to do next because how can they say that when I saw it myself and I can’t have this pain/problem going on! 

Thank you 

Katie 

2

Hi Katie,

You could always ask to see another doctor or consultant.

I'm in a similiar position, was told I had two small stones on an ultrasound although I havent been shown where they are but I suppose if they are in the bladder they can move to the neck. I had my last attack of 3, three months ago and since then been careful not to have crisps , olives and normal fat cheese.

I have an MRI to see what else is going on and then see the consultant again. In my case I'm trying to not have an op, but of course if I were to have another attack I would beg them to operate.

Sorry not a big help but I know where you are coming from.

Tony

3

The good old NHS service!

I'm like you very, very, very angry and lost. I've been feeling really i'll and have many of the classic gallbladder problem symptoms.

My GP fobbed me off for nearly 8 months before i got to see a gastro in June 2017. The gastro was so obtuse i could of punched him!He sen't me for a CT which was normal and all i got was a letter telling me so and he was going to discharge me from his care.

I WAS NOT having that so i had to hassle him for a further 4 1/2 months until he sen't me for an ultraasound scan. I asked the sonographer if it spotted anything and she said yep i have a stone and my gallbladder wall is thickened. I asked if i could see the pictures and i saw the stone with my own eyes. 

After this the gastro referred me for surgery with no apology after telling me he can assure me it's not my gallbladder and all other sorts of cr#p, my G P will be written to as he has to do the referral.

I spoke to my GP about doing my referral and his exact words were "so you'd like your gallbladder removed" i could of hit the roof and said well no not really but i've got no choice have i!!!!!! What a muppet!!!!

I waited a further 3 months to see the surgeon who to be honest was great and was willing to take my gallbladder out but was shocked at the lack of testing from the gastro so he sorted an MRCP and MRI which i waited 4 weeks for and then waited 5 weeks for the results when i saw the surgery team again. The MRCP and MRI was totally normal and could see no stones. This time i saw a different surgeon who was an ar#e and now they arn't interested. I was referred back to the gastro from the surgery team and that was May and my appt has come through for Sept so another 4 month wait.

I know for a fact Katie that no scan is 100% accurate as i've read many stories here of stones and problems showing on some scans and not showimg on others for people.

I will also say that the second surgeon downright lied as when i was waiting to see the surgeon for the 1st time i deveveloped a big inguinal hernia that the surgeon was told to look at as it hursts. When i met him he thought it might be a double inguinal hernia and agreed they would do it as it hurts and when he pocked  it i nearly hit the roof. I have this in writing but when i met the 2nd surgeon he said they won't and wrote in the letter it's asymptomatic and not symptomatic so he lied!

They will try anything and everything to delay and palm you off Katie i know that sounds dramatic but it's happening out there. I even saw the NHS are going to stop giving people pain killing injections for back pain, breast reductions and taking peoples tonsils out. It's cuts, cuts, cuts. Won't be long before you're expected to walk around with raging toothache!!

Good luck Katie GP's are also hopeless👎👎

4

My boss has 2 big gallstones for over 30 years now , no pain and no other symptoms , surgery not needed.

But if you have symptoms and pain you must have it removed.

5

I had gallstones and had my gallbladder removed a few years ago.

I went for a scan then the hospital rang me and said I had gallstone and immediately put me on the waiting list to have my gallbladder removed.

I had to wait a few months and was in a lot of pain.

They said they could not put me further up the list and count me as urgent unless I became jaundiced.

At that point, I asked two of my friends if they had any yellow paint!!!

Take care and keep in touch.

Sarah

6

Hi there well it seems I've had nearly all the same problems it was Dec 2017 just before Christmas I had to phone for ambulance because thought I was having a heart attack ! my liver LFT test were through the roof but they Miss diagnosed me so after 1 week in hospital on antibiotics because they thought it was viral NO ! Was sent home was in pain all over Christmas !! after Christmas  called for ambulance again being and feeling very sick still Miss diagnosed sent me home with more antibiotics scan was clear MRI and ultra scans antibiotics again ! 3 weeks later saw my doctor I was tacky cardic and looked absolutely terrible lost 2 stone in weight urgently sent me to hospital I had a stone in my bile duct ! I had pancreatitis could hardly move with the pain. They then did an ERCP camera job down the throat took out stone widened my bile duct sent me home same day . The next 3 weeks in agony with to much bile going through my guts they didn't know about this I had to tell them I didn't care at this point so told them I needed some bile salts 4 days later I was just about ok ! Although still running to toilet because it all took time ! now I am to frail to have surgery anyway I have now got to wait to see if I need it out when I have put on some weight . So yes I have been through the NHS not listening to me all because I didn't look like the remit to have gall stones I have lost faith ! the last gall stone surgeon said I could have it out later and could then eat what I wanted when I had it out !! and I know that's rubbish too because you still cannot eat cheese or fatty foods ! and it takes you at least 6 months to get better if you ever do ! you need your gall bladder it's an organ you need although the liver takes over the bile giving digestive enzymes it's not the same as your gall bladder . I know take digestive enzymes to help break down any fats I have eaten although I do not eat many .So I could have nearly died .I have worked in the private health industry so,knew what I was talking about but they thought I was some type of big head I think hated being told I knew more than them .hope,you get better service and are out if pain soon  

7

Hi Katie same thing as you but not obvious stones but sludge, just had another attack of GB after 6 months free but on a strict diet.  I have to wait until Jan 19 before getting to see the hospital again, very let down and very angry but some get good care and some do not.  I argued with the consultant even before the tests and she had read my old notes and made her mind up.  The results of the scan were as the nurse said yet the report from Radiographer was totally different.  She told me that my Drs would have me well again, yet NOTHING from them, someone is lying and Im suffering but there you go??????

8

If it is a cholesterol based stone what about dissolving it with ursodioxcholic acid tabs? If it is smaller then obviously there is a benefit is there not re the smaller it is the easier to pass it? But will your GP's give you a course of those  effective tablets? 

9

Why isn't ursodioxycholic acid treatment well researched by all gastro doctors here in the UK.....  Taking a course of those tablets that raise the acid level within the gall bladder and dissolve cholesterol stones?

Surely this way of getting rid of gall stones would save the patients hassle but would also save the NHS

lots of money.......

Typical avoid the issue here plus lies lies lies.