New to board. omg it hurts!

Digestive health
1

hello all

just been doing some research and found this site.

i have been having 'attacks' since march. my first attack woke me in the early hours of the morning. i thought i was having a heart attack!

i struggled down stairs and was about to phone for an ambulance when all of a sudden it stopped!.

i had my next attack a few weeks later. lasting a little longer than the 1st. i decided to go and visit my doctor. he prescribed me indegestion tablets.

i thought it was a little odd as it didnt feel like indegestion and it didnt have any patern to it (apart from wakin me in the night).

to cut a long story short (well i will try to) i had a really bad attack in september that started around 11am and by 4pm i was screaming and crying and thrashing about. my neighbours called me an ambulance. when the paramedics arrived i was asked lots of questions and there diagnosis was it was probably 'wind' because i needed a poo! i was screaming for pain relief. and they gave in and gave me gas and air. still didnt take all the pain away but the relief was great.

they finaly took me to hospital where the doctors did some tests. the pain finaly went off about 7.30 and they didnt have a clue what was wrong with me so they sent me home.

well i woke up next morning at 3ish screaming and shouting and my mum rang an ambulance (im a single mum so my mum was helping me with the kids). when i got to the hospital i was given x-rays and put on a ward.

a doctor came to see me and said she suspected gallstones and would arrange a scan.

i had my scan and asked if i had gallstones. the reply was 'oh yes you definatly have stones'. i asked how many and was told there is too many to count! and i will probably need an op.

i had a massive attack last week when once again the ambulance came for me. i was eating a cushion when they came to try and stop me screaming as my kids were in bed. this attack was the worse by far. i just couldnt stop vomiting (even threw up on my poor cat). so i was given quite a bit of morphine. i could have kissed the paramedic :D

im now waiting for my appointment to see the consultant to arange my op.

is anybody else worse at night? mine usualy starts at 2am. i have had a few in the day but not really bad ones.

well i guess i should shut up now. hello to you all

louise

2

Hi Louise

I know how you feel whenever Ive had mine though has always been about 6am, first time I had it I convinced myself I was constipated!!!!! lol Ive never found anything that really stops the pain and violent vomiting when they get stuck when I went to a and e last time I had morphine my partner said he could see the relief just go across my face as it started working. Im due for my op before christmas (they contact you 3 weeks before at my hospital) touch wood not had a *bad* one for a while just annoying pain as I all it I just have either paracetamol and codeine or tramadol. Chin up at least you know what it is and will be on your way to getting started smile

Good luck

Jan

3

go to A&E !!!! i did ( evntho i was on a waiting list for removel of my gallbladder ) and i had my op 3 days after !! please dont suffer anymore !!!

4

I feel your pain!! Have been suffering with gallstones since I was pregnant in 2008 - wasnt diagnosed until after baby was born as always assumed and told it was braxton hicks contractions. Believe me now having experienced labour I can say that gallstone attacks are on a par with the pain of giving birth!!

I got a real shock when after the birth of my son about 6 weeks old i was awoke one night with the ''Braxton hicks contractions'' i was so confused having now had the baby i was scared what this pain was then if nothing related to pregnancy? an ultrasound showed i had 5 gallstones the size ov a tiny pinhead - the dr assured me that no matter how small the stones are it didnt matter the pain could be just as bad. I have to agree!!

felt relief that i now knew what was causing pain and decided on cutting out all fats, including chip shop meals, desserts, chocolate, chips, fizzy and also EGGS were a very imprtant one to cut out.

This has served me well until the last 4months - my diet has slipped and now I am having attacks every week - like you late at night early morning and unfortunately has got to point where whatever am eating is causing attacks so am really trying to get my courage up to have the op to remove them wish me luck!! and I hope u are no longer suffering with the awful pain that is gallstones. abit of advice for pain attacks is strong co-codomol and cucumber along with a hot water bottle or frozen bag from the freezer!!

5

I found the over the counter remedy Buscopan (Anti-spasmodic) and Colpermin (Peppermint Oil Capsules) and a good long acting Anti-acid pill, was very helpful in holding back attacks - I took them on a daily basis - the Buscopan and Colpermin 3 times a day - or more when having an attack as detailed below.

Also - keep an eye out for Palm Oil in any ingredients lists - I know many people who get attacks from just that one substance! Artificial Sweetners also can trigger attacks. Watch what you eat in terms of Saturated and Trans fats... these can trigger attacks. Try and increase fibre in your diet - anything to get your gut moving faster.

I know this may make you groan, but a proper excercise regime will help get your guts moving, helping food not linger in your stomach - which is where the Gallbladder pumps stomach bile into the food. The quicker the food is out of the stomach, apparently the slower the Gallbladder gets into an attack mode. Doing a regular excercise pattern made such an amazing difference to my attacks!

When having attacks this is what I bought over the counter, and would take and it always helped me ride it through - although, do NOT mess about with attacks - see your Doctor as soon as possible. It's important!!!

1x Buscopan (to stop spasming Gallbladder)

1x Colpermin (to soothe the gut and stomach lining)

1x Gavilast pill (to cut the acid in the stomach)

2x Nurofen Migraine/Tension (Lysine gets it into your system quicker -

the Iburpofen brings down swelling and is a painkiller)

1x teaspoonful of Gaviscon liquid (fast acting anti-acid that coats the

stomach)

2x Pepcid Tablets (another anti-acid but works in a different way)

2x Windeze tablets (Gel capsules didn't work for me - found Simethicone

tablets worked best - to cut down on the pain of bloating from the gas

built up during an attack)

Then on top of that delightful little cocktail - I had 2 prescribed drugs:

1x Diclofenac tablet (painkiller)

2x Co-Dydramol

It took 20mins to work, and if I was sick in that time, I re-took the lot, if I could see the pills whole in the vomit - I know it sounds disgusting but it's important not to overdose! The attacks usually started around 2am or 3am, but I learnt the indicators like bloating and burping, and a churning stomach that appeared hours - sometimes around 6hours before and started the Nurofen, and the Windeze and an extra Pepcid tablet. If the major attack didn't start to subside in 3 hours, I would ring the professionals for help and advice. I had a friend who's stone blocked her Billary Duct - she turned yellow and was in critical condition when they took out her Gallbladder. So be warned - this is not to be taken lightly.

This worked for me - everyone is different, and this method - treating each symptom of the Gallstone attack also made sense to me, rather than just painkillers. My Surgeon gives this 'home rememdy' out to some patients, but not all. Please be careful in case it doesn't match any current medication you may be on!

I did this for 3 years. I avoided hospitals and surgery like the plague. I have OCD - the handwashing and cleaning/contamination phobia kind so Gallbladder surgery is way up there on my worst nightmare list. I had surgery on 22nd June 2010. The Surgeon said my Gallbladder was very bad and I had stones the size of Walnuts - he was impressed about how I hadn't had a raptured Gallbladder before.... I was relieved it hadn't...that is not good and can endanger lives, although it is quite rare these days.

Always seek medical advice - and keep getting professional help when you have attacks! You don't need complications arising from delay!

Hope you get your attacks managed and your surgery seen to soon.