Frequent gallbladder attacks but surgeon won't help what should I do?

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I've had severe pain usually starting with upper middle back pain which quickly turns into severe constant pain in my upper middle and right abdominal areas and is very sensitive to the touch. During these episodes I sometimes experience nausea and throw up and I've always had diarrhea the following day. These attacks happen usually about twice a week. Back pain usually begins an hour after I eat dinner, abdominal pain wakes me up usually around 3am and the pain will continue for a few hours and then it just disappears. I've gone to the er for this about 5 times and have been told all sorts of things and sent home usually being recommended to take medication for stomach acid twice a day which I've already been doing for a year now, mind you when I'm experiencing this pain I am NOT also experiencing acid reflux with it. I was admitted to the hospital last week and then discharged. The tests of this hospital visit showed the following:

High white blood cell count

Large number of both large and small gallstones

CT scan showed a gallstone in common bowel duct later tests showed that Stone eventually passed through bowel

Mild distention of gallbladder

Mild swelling of gallbladder wall

Dilation of common bowel duct

Scaring of the liver

Multiple esophageal ulcers

Gallbladder did not empty during HYDA scan (layed) there for hour and a half

Diagnosis upon leaving the hospital:

GERD, IBS, gallstones

I guess my question is, how long do you normally have to wait and how many gallbladder attacks do you have to go through before they finally decided to do something about it? I've been home for only 2 days and have had another attack last night, I'm tired of being sick and tired. What should I do? Also I don't have health insurance and live below the poverty line.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Text correction: BILE duct not BOWEL duct
  • Posted

    Are you already on the waiting list for surgery? I was having usually 5 attacks a week for 5 months while waiting for my surgery. Even ended up in er for 24 hrs with pancreatitis due to blocked bile duct which cleared before surgeon saw me so they wouldn't do emergency surgery. I'm hoping you get in soon because the wait is terrible. I would recommend just eating lean meat, fruits and veggies and rice for now and avoid dairy and dense carbs. Wont completely prevent it but got me down to about 1 attack a week. If you arent on a wait list for surgery I would try and get a referral from a different regular doctor.

    • Posted

      No I'm not on any kind of wait-list Im not sure that they do that in Texas, I also don't have any primary doctors I go to die to the fact that I don't have health insurance. I just go to the emergency room when I'm in so much pain it becomes unbearable ( and I can withstand allot of pain). The same thing happened to me in regards to the fact that the stone ended up passing so they ended up not really doing anything about it.

  • Posted

    So very sorry to here that your sick and tired I had been the same for months I lost copious amounts of weight I now look like I've been starved because I was Miss diagnosed for 3 months I live in England now I've had gall stone out bile duct and bile duct widened because I am to ill for operation yet ! so I had terrible blood counts of liver enzymes too.Its only the last 4 weeks have I been able to eat anything I've still got my gall bladder .If you don't have an operation soon it sound so like it could be serious for you there must be away you can get help isn't there a fund for people on low incomes in America please try and ask someone for help or you will be very ill . I am also in a low income but we do at the moment Have the  NHS  wishing you all the best so sorry to hear your in so much pain I know how it is for you  x

  • Posted

    Hi Brittany I am surprised your having these issues being in the States, I can only think you have major complications which make surgery not as easy for GB removal.   Hold in there and watch what you eat as been stated.   Diet is key but by the sound of your symptoms I am not sure where to begin?
  • Posted

    Have you read all there is to know about ursodioxycholic acid because that treatment got rid of three of my stones and reduced the diameter of the 17mm stone to 10mm...... It avoided the removal of my gall bladder and also I do not have any symptoms since 2 years ago..... The USA use that treatment more than here in the UK.

    Why?

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