People who've had gall bladder attacks?

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  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Misdiagnosed gall stones for 15 years. Sent to psychiatrists since age of 15 for faking stomach aches to avoid school. Anti depressants. Constant pain. Went vegetarian at 18. That kind of helped. Pain came and went. Attacks came and went.

    Finally had a terrible attack at work where they sent me home. 12 hours of level 10 screaming pain coming and going. I wanted to kill myself to end it. If this was all in my head, I was a talented hypochondriac. Next day, went to the doctor. Told her I needed real help. Surprise! She finally recognized the symptoms and ordered an ultrasound.

    Woke up from surgery NOT in pain for the first time in 10 years. I'd been in constant pain for so long, I didn't remember what not being in pain was like.

    Now, I can't really eat a lot of fatty foods without getting the runs 15 minutes later. But I'm sooooo much happier! My 20s would have been so different if is been able to have it done sooner.
  • kanstulpants
    kanstulpants Posts: 20 Member
    I was reading and couldn't see but maybe I missed it..... Is the pain more right below your ribs or more lower abdomen around belly button level or lower?

    It's right below my ribs, right in the centre of my stomach, so upper abdomen.

    One of the times I had one of these "stomach aches" I had a lot of upper back pain but I don't know if it was from it or not, I remember wondering why my back hurt thinking maybe because it was my TOM even though I never experience back pain with that...and I'm pretty sure during the TOM it's usually lower back pain people experience. I don't *think* i've had back pain the other times though, but just as I haven't noticed if the stomach aches are more central or to the right or not, at the time I'm just curled up in pain.

    Wow I can't believe some of your stories, having to wait that long and doctors dismissing the pain? It reminds me of when my little brother was having gall bladder attacks to the point of throwing up and the doctor tried to say he must've pulled a stomach muscle... :noway:

    My main symptom was upper back pain, and sometimes feeling like I had a tight band around my chest. I never got it checked out because it felt like muscle pain and I thought it was from bad posture or something, though it kept slowly getting worse. It went on for a year and a half before I had my gallbladder out. I never had any of the abdominal pain or nausea until the final attack where I ended up in the ER. And even then, I didn't really have severe abdominal pain. I went to the ER because of a burning feeling in my chest and left side.

    I can't believe there are hospitals that would make someone wait five hours when having chest pains. When I walked in and said I had a burning feeling in my chest, they took me back in this special room and I had an EKG within 5 minutes. After it was normal, they sent me out to the waiting room.
  • jbee27
    jbee27 Posts: 356 Member
    I can't believe there are hospitals that would make someone wait five hours when having chest pains. When I walked in and said I had a burning feeling in my chest, they took me back in this special room and I had an EKG within 5 minutes. After it was normal, they sent me out to the waiting room.

    I know! I thought my emergency room experience sucked, until I read these! I also had a EKG almost immediately, to rule out heart problems. Once they ruled that out however, it was a looooonnnngggg and painful wait.
  • Mojoman02
    Mojoman02 Posts: 146 Member
    Did you have an ultrasound yet? That's what I do for a living and that will tell you definitively.
  • dlucille82
    dlucille82 Posts: 9
    I've had issues with my gallbladder for about 2 or 3 years when I was at my heaviest and was eating like crap! I've had many attacks and have been to the ER many times and they told me I needed to take it out before it gets worse but I'm afraid of surgery so I said no. till one day I had enough. I stopped eating like crap and have noticed that I don't get anymore attacks anymore. Usually all it takes is for you to change your life around and it worked for me thank goodness!
  • palmerdanielle
    palmerdanielle Posts: 341 Member
    No ultrasound yet, have it booked for Friday morning!

    Yeah I'm not big on the idea of surgery if that ends up being my issue, so I definitely get that, but sometimes it's worth it, and sometimes as has been said it could just be changing your diet. I'm already worried about the possibility of surgery but I'm reminding myself I don't actually know yet haha, could be something else or even a simpler solution.
  • kanstulpants
    kanstulpants Posts: 20 Member
    Surgery was definitely worth it in my case. My gallbladder was enlarged and had spots of gangrene on it when they took it out. And I almost didn't even go to the hospital because I started feeling better.
  • palmerdanielle
    palmerdanielle Posts: 341 Member
    Well, I got my ultrasound results! I do indeed have gall stones, talked with the doctor and next step is a consultation with a surgeon. As much as that sucks I was really glad to get some kind of news. So anyone having similar symptoms to what I originally posted, definitely get checked out to be safe!
  • MonaLisaLianne
    MonaLisaLianne Posts: 398 Member
    It's very common for people who lose a lot of weight quickly to have gall bladder problems. One of the major "side effects" of NutriSystem is gall bladder problems. Some have one or two attacks, and then are fine - others end up needing to have their gall bladder removed. I would definitely see a doctor about this, because the last thing you want is an emergency procedure to remove your gall bladder.
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
    Gall bladder issues in people who are losing weight is extremely common. So much so, folks who undergo weight lose surgery are often given medication to help prevent gall stone development during the initial 6 months of fast loss.

    I developed pancreatitis, caused by gall stones. A week in the hospital then surgery took care of it, but pancreatitis can be very serious in some cases. Do not put off having your gall stones taken care of, it that's what it is. It's much better to electively have it taken out than to need surgery emergently in the middle of the night.
  • palmerdanielle
    palmerdanielle Posts: 341 Member
    I agree absolutely, as soon as I found out it was gall stones I agreed with my doctor for him to set up a consultation with a surgeon. I'm not sure how long it will be until I get in, but at least things are underway.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    Be grateful that you live in Canada with our univerdal healthcare!

    I posted my story earlier-one attack and then appointment to have it out. Surgery scheduled 2 months later and deed done. I didn't add that gallstones were noted on my first ultrasound 5 years earlier with no symptoms. It wasn't until baby 3 was crawling that my attack came.
    An acquaintance ended up with a long hospital stay. Her gall bladder burst and the resulting infection almost killed her. Into ICU she went.
    It was really scary for her-her new baby-and her family-but all was well and after her recovery it sure made my surgery look like a walk in the park.
  • salvationsdying
    salvationsdying Posts: 205 Member
    I started having then when I was prego. First one I was laying on the couch with my fiance and I had my head on his leg. I set up to go pee and got this sharp pain. I assumed I just moved to fast. Half hour later I couldn't breath without gasping because it hurt so bad. Second one started with a minor pain and spread. On and on. By the last one it started small but I was pretty sure what was happening. With in minutes I was once again reduced to gasping for air, it hurt from front to back, from midsection to my shoulders to my chest. I was throwin up orange/yellow goo. Needless to say I no longer have a gallblader(last attack was a month after I had my daughter. It was removed less then a week later).


    It always started right by mu ribs on the right side. And would spread. They never did find stones in my gallbladder(even after removal. The first 2 times I had a attack the basically told me it was growing pains to suck it up. The last attack I went to 2 hospitals. The first one thought I just wanted pills because I had just had my daughter via csection a little more then 3 weeks before. So he flat out told me there was nothing in my ultrasound and he wasn't perscribing me anything. Needless to say I flipped my lid cuz I didn't even get the scrips from my csection filled....so I went to another hospital told them what was going on and they removed it, thank god)

    Good luck! I wouldn't wish a gallbladder attack on any one. Oh and heads up, cause no one told me.....your right shoulder will feel like someone twisted it behind your back and held it there. Mine hurt for days after.

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