just looking for some info..
so last year i started with severe upper abdo pains that spread into my right side into my ribs straight up to my back i honestly thoight i was having an heart attack it was awful then these pains were happenig near enough every week they would last hours and got worse as the day went on and the just like that it stopped. the last time i had these pains it was so bad i eas shaking, sweating, the pain was so bad i started been sick i took myself to ane nothing was found to be wrong blood test where fine xray of abdo was clear so they teffered me for a ultrasound which unfortunately was cancelled due to the current pandemic. ive now been giving a new app for next week but im petrified that its something really bad!! i just need advice
tia
xxx
hi Jenna,
I am sorry to hear about what you are going through. Unfortunately it does sound, from the symptoms you describe, like it could be your gallbladder. What you describe is consistent with gallbladder attacks, indeed, many people think they are having some sort of heart attack when they first experience a gallbladder attack - me included!
The best form of diagnosis for gallstones is an ultrasound, so hopefully once you manage to have this done, you will be a little wiser as to what is going on, and if it is gallstones, you will be referred to a surgeon to discuss a cholecystecomy.
I had my gallbladder removed about 6 months ago by key hole surgery and have been absolutely fine ever since and free of those nasty attacks!
In the meantime you should follow a very low fat diet. Keep a food diary to help you see which foods are triggering attacks. Drink lots of water. When you feel the onset of an attack try taking some Buscopan and ibuprofen, if you can tolerate this. Some people swear by apple cider vinegar, but that never worked for me.
Keep us posted about how you get on.
Hi Jenna, I am sorry to hear about your suffering. What you describe sounds exactly like gallbladder attacks. When I was tested with ultrasounds and CT scans the results were “normal”. Thankfully my GI doctor was diligent and ordered a HIDA scan which is definitive in diagnosing gallbladder issues. Gallstones are not always present and even if they are, ultrasounds and CTs don’t always pick them up especially if they are microscopic. My scan showed that I had no stones but my gallbladder was dysfunctional . A normal gallbladder ejection fraction is 35% - 65%, mine was below 20%.
I had my gallbladder removed six weeks ago and it has not been a smooth transition. My digestion is compromised and I’m still in the trial and error phase with food. Also, I am waiting to be tested for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) which has its own set of challenges.
As Livvy said, eating low fat meals should definitely help to alleviate some of the discomfort. Also, try eating several small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. Stay hydrated and try not to stress and this will compound your symptoms.
Best of luck