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[cheekygal]

Well I've not been around for a few weeks as I have been in hospital.  I have mentioned this on other threads, I think mainly the acid reflux one.  Since April I had been regularly suffering  burning pain just under my boobs which spread across my upper abdomen, and between shoulder blades, always got worse when I ate or drank anything, had an urgent endoscopy which revealed nothing, so was diagnosed with non ulcer dyspepsia, put on omeprozole, zantac and gaviscon and even antidepressants, which didn't agree with me. I asked my GP if it could be my gallbladder, he said no as there is nothing to suggest that, and  pains are at mainly left, gallbladder is on right side. The pains did seem to ease a bit for a couple of months.  Fast forward to end of September when things flared up again, my 50th birthday was spent rolling around my bed in agony to the point my son called an ambulance.  ECG ruled out heart attack, however scan did reveal gallstones which required emergency removal of gallbladder!  The surgeon explained to me that pain can often be widespread and many people also complain of joint pain, so my point is, if you suspect you have gallbladder problems insist on a scan even if just to rule it out.  I had to wait 3 days for surgery and pain was only controlled by morphine. Most gallbladders can be removed by keyhole, however the inflammation I had was so bad, they had to perform open surgery, I also lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion.  I would like to say I feel a lot better, however I have had lower abdominal cramps and the trots for a week now, oh and on the day of surgery after not having a period for 3 months, I got the heaviest ever one, oh dearie me.  On a positive note, I am still breathing, lol.

Hope you are all doing well 


CG XX

[Joyce]

Heavens, sounds like you've been through the wars cheekygal. However, glad you've come through it all, alive. My mum put up with the pain from gallstones for quite a while, before eventually getting gallbladder removed.  Hope you've been able to enjoy late birthday celebrations to make up for your lousy day.

[Ju Ju]

You have my sympathy. Well, I'm waiting to see a consultant as I have gall stones and my GP thinks they will advise my gall bladder being removed. I had have had no pain for 4 weeks now, but had 5 attacks of 10/10 pain close together, A&E for 4 of them. The first one made us think I was having a heart attack, but fortunately my heart is fine. When the pain is not there, I'm fine, though it will interesting if some symptoms which are blamed on IBS still continue. I will have to wait ages unless it flails up again. Honeybun has warned me about Dumping Syndrome, after surgery. Maybe you are experiencing this?

[cheekygal]

Ooooh what's dumping syndrome?  I was struggling to go to the loo when I got home, but had these awful cramps low down, dic suspected urine infection and constipation, gave me laxido and antibiotics, the latter seemed to help the pain however after 4 days of the laxido nothing, then since Monday I have spent most of my time in the loo!  Stopped the laxitives on Monday and antibiotics on Tuesday, so if no better tomorrow I think I may phone doc in again.

JuJu, you should insist they put you on emergency list if you end up at A and E again, it's no use always sending you home as it will always flare up, and yes the pain does make you feel like you are having a heart attack! x

[Joyce]

Daughter's partner has had spells of dumping syndrome since his op earlier this year. Not pleasant.

[Ju Ju]

CG, if you google dumping syndrome, you'll get a better explanation than I can give! In a way I'm glad to have to wait for a consult, as I have had no further problems for weeks. I have had digestive problems since which may or may not have any connection. I do fear this dumping syndrome, as it's bad enough coping with IBS, which can be severe at times. I don't like the fear of another attack, as it came on with little warning and I don't know how I would cope if I was driving.

[Ju Ju]

Yes it's differs from person to person. My father had to have his gall bladder removed urgently at the grand old age of 84. He didn't have the extreme pain that I have experienced, until one night, just niggly pain that he dismissed as indigestion. He hasn't looked back since and feels much much better. I had awful pain, yet because my blood pressure, temperature etc remained normal, I didn't fit into the 'profile' for any action. The young doctor said I must cope with the 'discomfort' as best as I can. Fortunately, I have been pain free for 4 weeks.

[Ju Ju]

I'm ok, just a lot of diarrhoea and niggly pain, not normal for me. Will seek advice if it persists. I hope you sort out your digestive problems and that it is a matter of your body healing after the trauma of everything that has gone on. Oh and my kids latest joke is that it's great to see ambulances go by without me in the back of them! 

[rebecca]

I have had 2 gallstones for a while now....
They are painful when you have a flare up, this is usually when I have something fatty.....

My Consultant has asked if I would like to be put on the gallbladder removal list (currently 4 month wait he said).
I said I would let him know - in the meantime, he said to stick to a low fat die. 

He went through the dangers of doing nothing like if one of the gallstones gets stuck in the bile duct and causes panctreatitus (which is not good and can be life threatening).
I have no pain at the moment, but do panic about hat he said especially when I read in the media about that guy of 41 who dialled 999 with gallstone pain and they told him to call back when he was practically unconscious 
3 days later he had passed away with a heart attack brought on by pancreatitus....

I'm still not sure what to do about mine though ??   

Rebecca

 

[cheekygal]

Funny some of you should mention you didn't meet the criteria for gallbladder problems, neither did I, as already said, my pain was mainly central/ left side and occasional right side and burning pain between shoulder blades, Also another thing that swayed them was my liver count was normal and that is normally raised.  TBH I was in 2 minds if to have the surgery, I really believed I'd have it and they would tell me there was no probs. As consultant said, thousands are walking round with gallstones and have no problems at all, but yes there is that chance that one could move and get stuck in the bile duct and then you have a big problem.  Whether a person has one stone or lots that makes no difference either.  Turned out though that the thickening I had was pretty severe, as they put it, I had a very nasty gallbladder, surprised I didn't feel worse than I did for longer. 

Had doc back in today regarding the bowel issues and hot/cold feeling, she said my obs were fine as was my tummy apart from some tenderness but if temp went above 38 to call 111,  She suspected a bug or at worse c diff (hope not)  She doesn't think dumping syndrome as that is more common in people who have part of stomach removed, it's not common in GB removal (not suggesting it doesn't occur though)  Haven't been as bad today, just shaky but had that before all this, which I now believe is def hormonal, I banged on about that symptom firly regularly and now one of my friiends is exact same with the inner shaking, mine seems worse in my left arm, and sometimes if I turn head to right, worse when tired which I have been since op.  I did mention it to the docs who more or less dismissed it as nothing of concern.

JuJu, no one has to cope with discomfort, a lady in same ward as me has been in every month for past year to get her pain under control, they can't operate as she is so overweight and due to get gastric band.

Rebecca, don't suffer the pain, if it's unbearable call 999

CG X

[Hattie]

I have had 2 gallstones for a while now....
They are painful when you have a flare up, this is usually when I have something fatty.....

My Consultant has asked if I would like to be put on the gallbladder removal list (currently 4 month wait he said).
I said I would let him know - in the meantime, he said to stick to a low fat die. 
 
Rebecca

Rebecca

If this was me i would go on the list then at least you know you are on it.

i had two gallstones about the size of large hazelnuts removed laproscopically in Jan 2000 - i had Bupa at the time and could of had it done sooner but i tried to carry on with a low fat diet - think i was also frightened as it was a first operation for me. Xmas 1999 i was in agony at the doctors first thing once xmas period was over and on the phone arranging an op.

The NHS waiting list here at that time was 16 months - no way could i have waited that long - i got to a point where i was frightened to eat almost anything.

The op was fine - i didn't get runs badly - your body adjusts to the bile running through.

I read about that guy - terrible.

Hattie

[Ju Ju]

Thanks for your post Hattie. Apparently I have lots of small stones in the gall bladder. I have yet to get an appointment with the consultant. Then if an op is recommended I will have to wait 4 months, unless I have lots of pain episodes. I have to keep a diary. The GP I saw has been great. Been fine for 4 weeks. I lost weight recently as I was warned I was at risk of diabetes 2. Slim but no waist, so just as much at risk as someone obese. I cut out rubbish food, sugar and high carb food and the weight fell off very quickly. I am told this could have triggered the GS problem. Exchanged diabetes for gall stones maybe! Now I can't keep the weight on, so eating stuff that I cut out. Weird. On the bmi weight chart I am underweight, but I have a waist. My family think I look much better though.

[rebecca]

Thanks for your post Hattie....
As Cheekygal said some people have lots of gallstones and don't have any problems. If they are small they can get stuck ion the Bile duct if they are too large and you are having problems I wondered whether they would still be able to remove them by keyhole surgery?

Must make a decision soon, I also worry when I travel overseas in case I have a flare up, as it is a pre-existing condition, I don't think my travel Insurance covers me.  My take is that I prefer to have my gallbladder for as long as possible... my sister and mother both had theirs removed also. 

Rebecca 

[Ju Ju]

I was wondering about the traveling side of things. I hope to go and stay with my son, who lives in the USA, next summer. I reckon I'll have to pay through the nose for insurance anyway,  as I had to be hospitalised with asthma earlier this year. I was refused life cover by one company and the quote from another was ridiculous. We were trying to reduce costs. I have had critical life insurance for years, which is expensive, but no longer so essential. But it's cheaper to stick with what I've got.

[honeybun]

My hubby has a few small stones, gives few symptoms if he watches his diet. They only showed up as he has liver problems and they were visible on his CT scan.

They prefer, not to operate, if they are not giving any problems. Hubby takes high strength Milk Thistle as recommended by his consultant.
He asked the consultant about how common dumping syndrome is....the answer was almost everyone experiences it to some extent. If he had not asked he wouldn't have been told.
My sister when she has a dumping syndrome episode controls it with a combination of herbal drops. She finds it successful for her.

Sometimes there is just no choice. Sis was done very quickly after diagnosis as she said she would accept a cancellation. Phoned on a Friday...op on the Monday.


Honeyb
x