Possible Gall Bladder/Gall stones problem?

Digestive health
1

Hi I'm 34 and think I may have gallstones/a gall bladder problem.

About a six weeks ago at work I got a band of pain under my breasts, felt a bit like indigestion at first but got worse and worse, I took some buscopan and some gaviscon and pain relief and threw the lot back up so got permission to go early and managed to get straight in to see a GP. He examined me and diagnosed IBS, quizzing me for ages about something that might have set it off either food wise or stress wise. I hadn't eaten anything out of the ordinary, and the only 'stress' was that the night before was bonfire night and I'm not a fan of fireworks, but really, I have been far more stressed than on that night and the pain didn't start until about 11am the next morning! I was told I *might* have IBS several years ago, when to be honest I drank more booze than I ate (I was 18 and working in a bar!) and once I packed it in the stomach problems stopped. I sometimes have cramps and an urgency to use the loo but it's really only after I eat rubbish so I get that totally.

This was different, he gave me some mebeverine and off I went home, to spend the next 8 hours rolling about in agony. I took pain relief and the mebeverine but it didn't help, but it was bearable - just - so I decided to wait until morning and go back if it was still there, it went after about 8 hours but left me feeling like I'd been run over by a bus!

Then last Sunday I was woken by a similar pain, it was uncomfortable and I got up to take some mebeverine and pain relief and decided to start getting ready for work a bit early as I was up, and have a bath to try and soothe the pain. Within 10 minutes I couldn't straighten up, couldn't take deep breaths and was in agony. The pain was like a stabbing sort of 'ball' of pain under my right breast and as it got worse I got a similar pain under my right shoulder blade. I rang the local out of hours number to see which local hospital I should go to (we have 3 minor injury/illness units near me and an on call Dr is usually based at one) to see a Dr for some pain relief, and was told an ambulance was on it's way! I realise that the description is very close to heart attack symptoms over the phone and they can't take chances, but to be honest when he asked me if I had any aspirin in the house and if I could get down to open the door myself (live alone) I did start to wonder if I was having a heart attack!

Once the paramedics had satisfied themselves that I wasn't about to arrest on them with a heart trace, they examined me for injuries and then gave me some morphine for the pain, it had intensified again and I really didn't know what to do with myself, they came to the conclusion it was possibly gall bladder related and bundled me into the ambulance. I had more morphine and gas and air and vomited quite a lot which I think was probably a combination of the pain and the drugs, and even though I could feel the effects of the morphine the pain was still agony. To be honest I don't really remember much except sweating a lot and the pain when I got to A&E, the doctor gave me a shot of buscopan and more pain relief and took bloods. He said that if he was happy with the bloods when they came back and the pain went within an hour of the buscopan I could go home, but if the pain persisted or the bloods showed something I was going to be admitted. As is usual for A&E it was about 2 and a half hours before he managed to get back and said my bloods were fine and the pain had receded by that time, he gave me a prescription for tramadol should I need it and said to go to my GP after the New Year break so my notes would be available from the hospital and discharged me. I was on my own and high as a kite so I didn't really know what was going on except I was pretty sore and went to my mums and slept. I have noticed that itching is a symptom reading around and I do remember scratching a lot for the rest of the day.

I have an appointment with my GP next week but I'm worried they'll write it off as IBS again - that was not IBS, of that I'm certain, and the A&E doc agreed with me. I have other sypmtoms when i get IBS, bloating, diarrhea etc and I've had none of those at all and I've never had pain in that place or that severe with IBS. Since Sunday I've had a 'niggley' pain under my right breast, to the point sometimes that it's uncomfortable to wear a bra, I've taken some buscopan for it but daren't take the tramadol (had them before for an injury) as they knock me out and it's no where near as bad as it was on Sunday.

Does this sound like gall stones or a gall bladder problem to those of you that suffer? I have done a bit of research and have cut out fried and fatty foods and chocolate (mostly anyway!) and been drinking more water etc. Is this niggly pain normal after an attack?

Any advice is greatly appreciated - thank you in advance!

2

Hey natnAlf

Sounds like Gallstones to me but you need to ask for an ultrasound. That will show if you have any gallstones.

I've had mine for 5 years now...

3

Hi there. Sounds just like what I am experiencing now. I had my first episode last Christmas. I was woken in the night with severe pain in my rib cage which lasted a few hours and ended in me vomiting. These episodes have been repeated for 12 months now. Some times twice in a week then I can go weeks without one. Doctor has repeatedly give me medication for a stomach ulcer. Yesterday I insisted it wasn't and they have now referred me for an ultrasound scan then hopefully get to the bottom of it.

I'm cutting out fatty food but my boyfriend bought a curry home tonight and I couldn't resist!! I can feel it starting!! The sooner they take it out the better

Good luck x

4

To ease / stop the pain make a bowl up of celery, beetroot and cucumber, there are a few other ingredients too but I can't remember, but these three are the main ingredients tho.

5

Hi, just had my gallbladder removed yesterday 1/31/14. My symptoms varied with gas, pain, nausea,

vomiting and ultimately bm. Episodes could last 2 hours to 5 hours beginning immediately or 5 hours after a meal. My pain started about 8-12 months ago and it was not intense at first but then became more intense

and frequent.

I have IBS but was diagnosed with this about 12 years ago with reflux and I went back to my dr and he

insisted on giving me more meds for my IBS but I kept telling him this is different. Went to different MD for

second opinion because I could not live with this. Had nothing to do with any particular food and any

particular time.

MD suspected non functioning gallbladder, no stones. First came the ultrasound to confirm no stones, then a scan called HIDA scan which measures the trajectory of the gallbladder. I was told that the gallbladder

should function at 35% and above and mine was at 19%.

Previous dr was looking for stones but never mentioned non functioning option. So glad this was discoveredIm on my way to recovery and I hope this takes care of the episodes. Dr said I will most like continue to have IBS, (also lactose intolerant) and reflux but at least the other symptons should clear up.

6

Glad you are feeling better, Sandrie, however, you should look out for Bile Salt Malabsorption as a possible side effect. there is a forum on Facebook about that, called Bile Salt Malabsorption.

Good luck

7

Thanks designergirl12, I just read some info on that and it sounds terrible. My symptoms were not like that but I will keep that in mind for side effect.

thank you!

8

That is one of the reasons i am not brave enough to have n=my GB out. Things are settled for the time being so Iw ill let a sleeping gallbladder lie! lol

9

Hi Natnalf

it does sound like gall bladder problems or a condition that I have which is called sphincter of oddi dysfunction. The symptoms are almost identical to gall bladder problems. Gall bladder stones etc need to be ruled out forst though.