Gallbladder disease and ALL it's connections

Porcelaine22

Hi everyone.

I am writing on here in an attempt to try and gain both advice and rationalise all my thoughts and concerns in one place.

I have been overweight for years, mostly through lack of desire to be active and being a 'big eater'.

In the last year I have made steps to lose weight healthily and steadily. I joined a gym for the first time in April and began personal training as well as regular gym visits up to 5 times a week, up to 10 hours a week on a good week as well as keeping a food diary. I overhauled my food intake, with a much cleaner approach to eating, planning and measuring while still enjoying time with friends etc.

My weightloss has been frustratingly slow but I have seen huge gains in my muscle and general fitness,stamina and strength. Having been around 196lbs in April, I have been as low as 179lbs but am back at around 183 lbs at the moment. This however has made small dents in my fat percentage too. My goal weight is around 140lbs.

Things changed around 10 days ago when I got a horrific pain around my breastbone, along with cold sweats and diarrhoea. The pain began to spread across my abdomen, through my back, between my shoulder blades and down across my lower stomach and back areas where us women usually experience period cramps. Having seen my mother go through gallstones and gallbladder removal surgery I instantly recognised that I was perhaps experiencing the same.

I saw a Dr the following day who confirmed I probably have gallstones, however after routinely feeling my stomach and taking some blood samples, I was sent away with a prescription for an antacid, advice to take over the counter strength paracetamol as my only form of pain relief and the promise that a hospital appointment would be arranged for an ultrasound scan before the end of the month. No diet advice whatsoever.

The 3 bloods I had taken all came back negative and I have an appointment to see the Dr again on Wednesday of next week to see how I am. I still have not received any further notice of appointment from the hospital for my scan.

What is worrying me is a large amount of uncertainty I have over what is causing my issues. Now I assume some of you will say I am being too hasty when I have not even been diagnosed but I have got 'suspected gallstones' which are according to my Dr very uncommon in someone as young as 26 who has never been pregnant. He did however suggest it is perhaps weight related and mentioned that by losing weight I am doing all that I can to help myself. I'm not sure the word 'all' is correct. I'm sure there are other ways I could help my situation.

I have had daily periodic agony and diarrhoea every day since my first trouble on Monday 3rd November but having also done some research of my own since this has started, I appear to have a great deal more symptoms/concerns than I realised.

These first three have been recent.

1.for around 2 months now my very occasionally spotty/acne prone skin has been horrifically bad across my whole face,neck, chest shoulders and back. I originally thought it was an allergy to shampoo but nothing whatsoever has helped ease this.
2. Before I experienced the pain on the 3rd I had very pale and chalky stools, of almost a grey/clay colour for around a day.
3. I have had an incredibly sore 'bruising pain' sensation around my pubic bone or rather the flesh covering it, for the last few days. The only reading I have found is that pregnant women can experience this sensation as their pelvic bone feels strain. I can confirm I am NOT pregnant. Or it may be a hernia.

These following ones are all longterm concerns of mine which have lead me to worry about thyroid issues and diabetes, both of which I have read can have a hand in causing or being caused by gallbladder disease.

1. Loss of libido and vaginal dryness. Need I say more?
2. Dry skin and hair.
3. Difficulty losing weight despite concentrated, healthy and professionally monitored efforts.
4. Bowel problems, for years I have experienced severe gas, diarrhoea, constipation all at different times and sometimes all in the same day. I have asked Dr's advice before but have never been tested for anything such as IBS. I did notice a strong change in this having cleaned up my diet but have been unwell again since my recent pain, (appearing yellow in colour, seemingly bile related?)
5. I visited a Dr in my teens who said my stomach 'panics' when I eat and pushes food through my system very fast so when I eat a meal I can occasionally instantly and without warning get diarrhoea which passes sometimes very quickly after only one toilet visit....on other occasions lasts longer. This especially happens after my first meal of the day or if I have gone without food for a few hours.


I have a mountain of questions but I am a little scared that if I do infact have gallbladder disease the Dr will just want to whip my gallbladder out which I understand is not a particularly good move as I could have a lot of side effects.

I'd like to know if I should ask for allergy / intolerance tests, or thyroid checks, diabetes, etc etc, and what I should do to help myself, if anyone can offer nutrition advice or have been through a similar situation.....

My brain is working at a million miles an hour right now to try and work out if I have thought of everything and what I can do to help myself and make sure I get what I need and what is best for me from my Dr......

I would love to hear some advice and wish to thank every single one of you in advance.

Feeling very concerned an unsure where to turn.

Elaine x

emphoto2003

I would def. have blood work done for your thyroid and diabetes. If your thyroid is off that can really screw up your body and your weight loss efforts. I had some horrible gallbladder attacks that started while I was pregnant out of nowhere. I was put on a strict low-fat diet which helped so much and helped me to not have my gallbladder removed. That was 11 years ago. I still feel some gallbladder pain from time to time if I eat something high in fat. I have seen the gallstones on ultrasound. You should have an ultrasound done on your gallbladder asap and make sure you are eating low fat foods. Anything that has a high fat content will upset your gallbladder and could cause an attack. I'm sorry you are hurting.

bokaba

I have suffered from severe digestive problems since childhood, which became worse about a year ago, but have since cleared up. I have some, but not all of the symptoms you describe and was diagnosed with IBS, diverticulosis, and GERD. IBS is a diagnosis of last resort when no other explanations are available after more serious conditions like Crohn's Disease and ulverative colitis have been ruled out. I was tested for gallstones and luckily did not have any. Gallstones tend to cause a sharp, shooting pain in the upper right abdomen that may last several minutes to several hours. I was also suffering pelvic pain, but it ended up being a kidney stone passing from my kidneys into my bladder. Talk to your doctor. You could probably benefit from a full abdomen CT scan to really see what is going on inside your organs. Your skin and stool conditions sound like something to do with your thyroid or possibly fatty liver steatosis (fatter liver usually show any symptoms, but int he steatosis and inflamed stages, some symptoms may show).

RodaRose

You could check with a dermatologist in case the skin problems are separate.
Or the derm might have some insight on the gall bladder issue.
Diabetes is one quick blood test: A1c. Your dr can do that for you.
Allergy /intolerance tests are more complicated and take time -- you can pursue that.

tidefan1784

I was given an ultrasound to DX gallbladder issues. I agree that you should get your thyroid checked and be screened for diabetes. I had horrible 'acne' on my face, neck, chest, back, and upper arms. Ten points if you guessed it was actually a yeast infection. Didn't itch or show symptoms like it was but it was. Now its a vicious cycle. I get over the YI, get strep or sinus infection or whatever, start an antibiotic and I'm right back where I started. Start with those tests and go from there.