Gall Stones, any advice?

karenjoy
karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
About a fortnight ago whilst at work, I suddenly suffered the most excruciating pain, and was admitted to hospital and put on a drip, had two EEG, chest Xrays, blood tests etc and today I found out that I have gallstones, I was shown two of them on the ultrasound. I have not felt 'right' since my 'attack' but not had the pain (Thank God, I have given birth three times and it hurt more) I feel sort of bloated and full a lot of the time, like I just ate Christmas dinner, if you know what I mean. I also currently have a 'stitch' like pain in the area of my gall bladder.

I discovered that losing weight is a contributory factor! Which is a kick in the teeth somewhat, but I am looking for any advice from people out there who have experience of gall stones. I am waiting on liver function tests and then a consultation with my GP before I know much more than I do right now.

Replies

  • yankeefamily05
    yankeefamily05 Posts: 657
    You can try to change your diet. I doubt you eat a diet HIGH in fat because I see you have lost weight. I was told that when I had gallbladder problems. Which was fine, until I started having gallbladder attacks after eating a simple salad. That is when I decided to just have it out!!! Its not worth the headache and certainly not worth the pain:(
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
    karenj, I had a high liver function as well, but I never had any pains associated with stones......I lost weight ,all my liver functions are normal
    , go figure

    again, Im NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, but losing weight brought my liver functions to the normal level........

    I know there are people here on this site who had to have their gall bladders removed. Also, a lack of fat can really cause problems for the gall bladder. Iknow we are supposed to avoid fats, but the gall bladder , when denied all fats, can get inflammed.......

    Id follow your medical professionals advice, and get tested and see what options are available. Because of the high fat diets that weve endured for years, its caused numerous medical problems for us older people. I live in S Texas, and between Mexican food and BBQ, I am one who not benefitted from my eating diet.........fortunatelyl, I dont have any problems now with my gall bladder, but scans show a prescence. Im just waiting it out ,but my Dr doesnt think Ill have any problems, and since my weight loss. Good luck, Lloyd
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Thank you. :o)

    Yes you are right, I don't eat much fat and I am also not a meat eater so my attack was after eating minestrone soup, two bits of bread and some fruit...which sucked. But at the time I didn't know what the cause of the pain was, so didn't take too much notice of what I ate other than the fact it was something I had often eaten before with no issue and have eaten since with no problem either. I am just dreading a repeat of the pain :o(
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
    I had mine removed about a year and a half ago, after almost 12 years of continuous problems, several full-blown attacks, and countless mini-attacks. I became a pro at feeling when they were coming on, and immediately changing my diet to try to ward them off as long as possible.

    I found a couple things helped control the attacks (though nothing I did could completely prevent them).

    Eating little meals, so you never feel stuffed, avoiding all "bad" foods, like butter and oils, fried food, heavy foods, thick cream sauces, caffeine, alcohol, carbonation...basically if I felt something coming on I would stick to vegetables, broth, brown rice, dry toast, and tofu

    I took Lidan tablets (Chinese herbal supplements), which helped immediately ease the sharp pains, and helped clear up some of the dizziness (again, good maintenance, though it didn't fully prevent or fix the problem).

    Feel free to message me with any questions, also. I dealt with it for so long I might be able to help out :)
  • DJBug
    DJBug Posts: 22
    I started having gall bladder attacks one of the first times I tried seriously dieting and losing weight. Knowing what I thought I knew as a nurse (we make the worst patients!), I opted to go the low-fat diet route to control it. However, I (rather quickly) got to the point that I was having attacks no matter what I ate. I ended up having the surgery, recovered within a few weeks and have never looked back.
    My guess is that your GP will offer you diet control or surgery. Everyone that I know who has tried the diet route eventually ended up with surgery, so that would be my suggestion.
    Wishing you the best! Keep us posted!
    -DJBug
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
    I started having gall bladder attacks one of the first times I tried seriously dieting and losing weight. Knowing what I thought I knew as a nurse (we make the worst patients!), I opted to go the low-fat diet route to control it. However, I (rather quickly) got to the point that I was having attacks no matter what I ate. I ended up having the surgery, recovered within a few weeks and have never looked back.
    My guess is that your GP will offer you diet control or surgery. Everyone that I know who has tried the diet route eventually ended up with surgery, so that would be my suggestion.
    Wishing you the best! Keep us posted!
    -DJBug

    That's what I found too - I could somewhat control the attacks through my diet, but finally realized even though I could help them, I couldn't ever completely avoid them or get to a place where I would never have one again. Opted for the surgery, and sooo much happier now!
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