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Could this be gallbladder?

Posted , 12 users are following.

tamsyn59552
tamsyn59552

For the last three months I have felt iller than I have ever felt in my life. It started with shoulder pains - really annoying ones in mid-June last year. Because I travel a lot for my job and because I teach I thought my shoulder pain was due to overexertion. But four months later in late October I got heartburn and I was told I had acid reflux. I immediately changed my diet and took meds as I should but it didn't improve. Instead the meds made it worse and I ended up struggling to breathe by New Years day. Through it all I was constipated and if I did defecate (sorry! *_*) at times it would be light brown, almost camel coloured (really sorry). My urine was also a dark yellowish, orange shade. It kept getting worse after that. Even my left shoulder ached and I had lots of headaches. After seeing three doctors I was still not satisfied as nothing they gave me worked and my right shoulder ached even more as did my right side - constant discomfort or nausea. My last doctor said that it may be a gallbladder problem. Can this be? I'm going to see a surgeon in March and maybe it'll be confirmed then... but can this really be Gallbladder. Can it cause all these things to happen?

1 like, 34 replies

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  • sally_14743
    sally_14743 tamsyn59552

    Edited

    Hi 

    you need a simple scan . To rule out gallstones .. 

    i had annual attacks of what I was told was food poisoning but I vomited for 4 or 5 hours was in agony felt like ribs were broken and intestines were on fire .. I always needed to see a doctor to stop me vomiting ..anti sick meds...

    and then as soon as the attack came it went ..

    the rest of the time I had acid reflux , ulcers etc living on gaviscon , and bland food..I had shoulder pain ...

    after 15 years ...of misery ..I now had food phobias only eating potatoes , veg no meat ...but I realise now that my phobias prevented gallstone attacks...

    it got worse with constant gnawing pain under right rib ..ache in back and constant billious ness ... I was told ulcers and put on proton pump inhibitors ..when they didn't work ..a intelligent gp said gallstones sent me for a scan ..I had so many gallstones apparently there for years ...

    by now I was fatigued , aching , having to cut out all fat, meat, caffeine just to bear the pain.... 

    I realised my annual attacks of colic were gallstones being passed .. I had pale stools occasionally and these are stones blocking the flow of bile ... 

    So my advice scan..

    and keep and eye on your skin colour yellow skin or eyes jaundice. .. Which goes with pale stools .. Means your liver compromised.. If you get jaundice straight to A and E ..hope that helps 

    • sally_14743
      sally_14743

      Edited

      Oh yes

      i had the horrid gallbladder removed ...

      fantastic..

      energy returned no nausea no acid problems no gaviscon needed eating meat now ... Normal diet ..

      very annoyed wasn't diagnosed for so long..but very pleased to be better now 😀

    • heatherrosina
      heatherrosina sally_14743

      Posted

      this sounds familiar apart from the vomitiing because I've never had that, neither do I have shoulder pain so although my scan showed gallstones present they couldn't see any blockages or inflammation. Now being treated for ulcers and seems to be making a difference pain subsided a lot but stilll very sore and watching what I eat too. Time will tell I guess, but will keep getting checked as not leaving it to chance.
    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 heatherrosina

      Posted

      Hi 

      the thing is I may of had ulcers as well .. 

      The ulcer drugs stop the gallbladder working spasms ..

      so they do reduce symptoms..

      but once gallbladder removed I don't produce enough bile now ..which I love as my acid problems have healed..

      its difficult to know if we have more than one problem. But yes just be aware of symptoms ..no need to suffer..

    • tamsyn59552
      tamsyn59552 sally_14743

      Posted

      Thanks such for this. I am planning to get scanned. Just h2 see the surgeon 1st. Also like I was told that it was Acid Reflux and it was terrible. Reflux meds made me feel worse. I actually get nauseated by foods that are considered normal and almost everything I eat is boiled or steamed. Chicken and veg are my staple suppers. I rarely eat anything else these days. Even fish has to be steamed. I lost approx 15 kgs since then. Feeling slightly better coz of cholesterol meds as well but still concerned. What if they can't find anything. Really can't live like this
    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 tamsyn59552

      Posted

      Try not to worry.. 

      Remember doctors are like car mechanics they go for the obvious if that doesn't solve it they move down the list of possibles..

      the problem is we need to keep annoying them when our symptoms continue so that they do keep searching ..

      if we just don't go back they think we are sorted..

      so you've just got to be a nuisance ... Until they get to the bottom of it ..

  • octavia123
    octavia123 tamsyn59552

    Posted

    Hi tamsyn, I agree with sally 100 percent. Simple scan as a non medic from what you've presented with I would say classic gallbladder problems if you get scanned and its not the problem you haven't wasted too much nhs money (assuming in uk) and then they can pursue other things but to me you seem to tick most of the boxes. Why has your gp sent you to a surgeon before your scan? From your point of view you want sorted asap. Surgeon will order a scan then need to see the results and see you again. Your gp can order your scan then when you see surgeon he will have something to look at to discuss. My gp order scan, results were there for even me to see the answer so the ball could start roll. Every day waiting is a day of your life suffering. Eat careful, don't overdo things physically and get answers as soon as you can. I feel we have to managed our own case and keep asking questions. the medics don't seem to be in any rush but you are obviously suffering. Good luck keep us updated with how you get on.
  • angela72602
    angela72602 tamsyn59552

    Posted

    A CT scan will show whether you have gallstones. I am not a doctor, but sounds like you could have a stone stuck in your bile duct or a pancreas problem. Get that scan and you can verify if it is your gallbladder. Let us all know... 
  • tamsyn59552
    tamsyn59552

    Posted

    Thanks guys I will. I'm from South Africa and I love in the Western Cape. Our health system is atrocious and takes forever but will let you know. Everyday it's something but it should turn out alright
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 tamsyn59552

    Posted

    If your urine is dark it means you are not drinking enough. Apparently it should be the colour of Chardonay Wine.

    I have gallstones and am waiting to have my gallbladder out. Although i have not experienced shoulder pain myself I know someone who had gallstones and had shoulder pain so this could be related.

    My GP said gallstone pain can be in different places for different people.

    To confirm if you have gallstones you need to have an ultrasound scan. You will get results about a week later.

    Good luck with all this.

    Sarah

  • Leni75
    Leni75 tamsyn59552

    Posted

    Maybe. I am truly confused still, because I have all of those symptoms you described BUT after I had my GB out 4 months ago! 

    I still dont understand why people developed reflux and heartburn and some doctors say that it could be gallbladder related. I developed those symptoms afterwards. 

    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 Leni75

      Posted

      My gp warned me that when they remove the gallbladder your bile just constantly drips from your liver into your stomach instead of being stored in your gallbladder and then only dripping into the stomach when the gallbladder sqeezes it on request..

      once no gallbladder the constant drip can be just right ..too much so you acid problems diarrhea etc too little like me and you battle constipation as you don't have quite enough to digest food properly ...it should balance out after a year but doesn't always...

      sorry it's not ideal ...but when u understand why makes sense ..maybe a acid reducing drug like omeprazole might help you ..to reduce the constant drip slightly ..

      for me all bran and fibro gel has worked 😀

    • Leni75
      Leni75 sally_14743

      Posted

      Hi Sally

      I've  tried already 3 different PPIs but they didn't help my symptoms at all. After all this months after my GB surgery I have Gerd symptoms but no meds had helped me. I was hoping that gets better with time too but don't have that hope anymore really. I know this was caused by the surgery but i don't know exactly why and also my docs. I think it was really bad luck for me that's all. I also have badconstipation that gets worse when I took any meds for the reflux so I stopped taking them. 

    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 Leni75

      Posted

      Don't give up trying to sort it.  Keep pestering docs. Try the intolerance root .. Try cutting out certain foods. To see if that's causing it. I can eat all bran but can't eat other gluten I.e bread and pasta .  

      And I still avoid caffeine , caffeine really irritates stomach lining especially coffee.... I cut it out as it helps my hormones ...I am 50 and female say no more ...and when I had terrible ulcers as gastritus I used to drink water ...loads of it. My mother read a book about the healing power of water ...and how a doctor  who was placed wrongly in a prison in a 3rd world country only had water as a medicine for the other inmates... But he discovered that drinking a lot of water helps ulcers heal, and helps the body cure itself ..takes longer ...I found it helped me ...

      i do hope it settles down .

      oh yes Google vagus nerve ..it runs into the stomach it triggers acid production...also runs into heart causing palputations...it's why stress causes acid and heart to beat faster...very interesting ....

       

    • Leni75
      Leni75 sally_14743

      Posted

      Hi Sally

      i've cut lots of things from my diet to see if it helped but to no avail. I eat healthy in general. I lost 8 kg since. I also had a baby  last August, but I've never had reflux issues during pregancy. Had GB surgery two months after the baby was born and that's when it all started, this spasms in my throat, chest pain etc after I eat whatever I eat and I only eat healthy foods. I heard about the vagus nerve being disturbed so I am now waiting for the hospital results to see if the LES valve is not working as it should be. The vagus nerve also goes through it and if upset can cause problems. Thank you for your advice. Since I got pregant I drink lots and lots of water. I don't drink anything else in fact. I stopped drinking coffee, tea ( I drink chamomile tea and lemon balm tea) fizzy drinks and alchool.  I don't eat anymore any fried food, just grilled or roasted. I need to get better for the sake of my 6 month old baby. I am 40 this year.

       

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