Gallbladder and bowel probs....?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Would anybody mind commenting on any bowel probs/pain that may have occurred with their gallbladder issues?
I'm having pain also running down my right side which I think refers to where my bowel is. It's waist level and a bit below. I've even felt like my hip-bone is bruising up into something tender when I had to take the dog for a decent walk.
As I hurt pretty much everywhere at moment - under my ribs at front, in my back around shoulders which is almost like burning plus in back at equivalent to rib level & my right side - I'm hard pressed to decide if this is part of the gallbladder referred pain or that my bowel is objecting to the masses of pain relief...or what. I'm so fed up!
I assume I'm just swollen everywhere.
Thoughts welcome. CT Scan with contrast on Friday and consultant in a week. Thanks for any help or reassurance.
0 likes, 13 replies
brittanyd1212 UKJo
Posted
Hi,
I don't have a lot of advice to offer but I would definitely like to know the same thing! I'm going through basically the same thing as you where there's pain on the right side under ribs but also lower sometimes. Not sure if that's referred pain from my gallbladder. I found out mine is low functioning at 19% so I guess that it could possibly be from that because it does come and go.
Hope you find some relief soon!!
UKJo brittanyd1212
Posted
Hi there brittanyd1212,
It's no fun is it?! Great to hear from you - let's hope someone further along the gallbladder journey can offer some insight for both of us.
I haven't had a function test, just an ultrasound so far but as I wrote, got a CT scan on Friday before seeing consultant next Tuesday. I don't know what will be suggested then.
Have you a plan for what happens next or still waiting to see someone about it?
Appreciate your writing - people I've asked ( best friend's Mum & an Aunt) don't seem to have had pain lower down so I was glad to hear it's not just me.
Take care!
octavia123 UKJo
Posted
Hi there, I came to the conclusion that the most random of pains in various body parts were all connected to trouble with my gallbladder. It took lots of googling and researching the doctors really weren't much help. The most help I got was here particularly when you are suffering in the middle of the night and worried and everyone else is asleep! I had sinus trouble never before had it but needed antibiotics on 2 occasions. I could hear noises like background radio , blurred vision and many random abdominal pains etc. Who would have thought it.
UKJo octavia123
Posted
I wish I'd thought to look on here for help on what to do in the midst of pain! Thanks for that advice octavia123.
?So have you had your gallbladder removed now? Hope you don't mind my asking.
?Thanks v much for reassuring us re random pains - I know referred gallbladder pain can be weird but I personally feel that other body systems are put under a lot of pressure when we are ill with gallbladder probs so we can expect to have other issues. Sinus is a new avenue though! How complex we are.
best, J
octavia123 UKJo
Posted
Hi yes I had my gb out 3 years ago. I really didn't want it done , frightened of hospitals . My surgeon said I can take it out in a planned controlled key hole surgery or I'll see you when you are blue lighted in and it might be open surgery, but they will not go away and your situation will get worse. So I knew that really there was no choice. I am not by any means as I was before gall stones but I am much better in my general health and no horrific pain. Some days I feel great but not all. I think the saying should be you might not be back to normal but you'll be better than you are now. Everyone seems to be different in what they are left with. I think I've been pretty lucky compared to some. The standard you'll be better in 2 weeks and back to normal in 6 never worked for me . Recovery from the operation yes but not from missing my gall bladder. It took a long time to get better and work out what was best for me. I still have some issues with tightness in right side which im looking into but its certainly liveable with and I can eat most things in moderation. Wishing you all well and hope you go on ok.
UKJo octavia123
Posted
Thanks for the input although I have to say the more reading I have done the more apprehensive I am about removal.
?My Aunt has been fine and a friend's Mum too plus another lady we know - so that's 3 out of 3 positive stories from people I know. My Mum was fine too. I'm wondering if people for whom this is a success actually don't shout about it so we tend to be seeing only the bad stuff with no balance. I don't know.
Really hope you continue to do well and get your tightness addressed - physio possibly?
?Best of luck.
brittanyd1212 UKJo
Posted
I've been apprehensive about getting surgery on mine since it is only working 19% and that is what was recommended, but my pain seems to be getting worse no matter what I eat. I have been told by someone on this site before that most people who have surgery go on with their lives after they feel better and never remember to report back with their positive results.
If I have positive results then I'm going to try to make sure I get back on here and post about that. I do know from multiple friends and family members who have had their gallbladders removed feel much better. Most of them are generally in good health and are not overweight. I do have a couple family members by marriage, who have had theirs removed and are overweight (so they already had health problems prior to their gallbladder acting up) and they still have issues every now and then. I think that might be connected to being overweight, but they definitely aren't in as much pain.
I know after surgery it will still be painful while I'm healing but I don't think I can live in chronic pain anymore. I hope you find relief with whatever you choose!
KAves2188 UKJo
Posted
Hi!
I've been having very similar pain to you for the past 5-6 months. I did have a CT early on and they didn't see anything besides sludge. My GI is currently looking into doing a HIDA scan or a ERCP. I'm be very interested to hear what you find out. My pain is mostly right sided, as well, but can run down my left too. Same with the hips feeling so so tender and an occasionally burning pain in the same exact spots. I could have written your post myself! Please let me know what you find out!!
UKJo KAves2188
Posted
It's been about that for me too KAves2188 - 6 months ish for the pains. With hindsight I had acid reflux before the under rib pain started though. I dismissed the acid reflux as it started whilst we were away and our diet had changed - I just assumed I had eaten too much oily food and thought it had upset me.
?I'll let you know what I find out. I have to say I'm relieved to hear someone has a similar pain site(s) to me - I have been a bit worried that there's something wrong elsewhere because my GP and friends all said it wasn't typical to have pain in what appears to be right side bowel area. ( Although my Aunt tells me she would collapse on the bathroom floor with diarrhoea when she had a gallbladder attack so there is definite bowel involvement in my book)!!
?Sometimes you feel you have to be asking the right questions to get the answers you need but are unsure just what the questions should be! Hope that makes sense. I'm trying to note down what happens to me pain-wise so that I can get the consultant to understand how debilitating this is. I don't want to be fobbed off.
?Hope you are feeling ok at the moment. Is your pain continuously there as a low grade niggle or do you feel you have "attacks"?
Best, J
octavia123 UKJo
Posted
Yes I too think that a lot of people must have this operation and are well and so you don't hear about it. I think it seems to effect everyone differently and so makes it difficult to get any advice from medical people. Don't be afraid of everything you read most of it won't happen to you. Try and keep as well as you can before surgery . If your afraid tell all the medical staff most were lovely to me even though to them it's routine.
octavia123 UKJo
Posted
I wish we could edit our posts on here my last one should have said you're not your😊
octavia123 UKJo
Posted
I wish we could edit our posts on here my last one should have said you're not your😊
UKJo
Posted
Update! Hope everyone sees this.
My gallbladder is coming out - within the next 3 months hopefully. The polyp seen on my ultrasound is not "really tiny" as commented by the sonographer who did the scan but a more sizeable 10mm & this is the size my consultant says "we always remove the gallbladder" - no questions asked.
?I questioned the pain I am getting lower down on my right side and the answer has just been "let's do a colonoscopy and endoscopy before we schedule the gallbladder surgery". I am relieved he took me seriously but trying hard not to worry.
My partner says that they are just being super careful and he still thinks that my bowel is irritated by the gallbladder inflammation etc. I don't know what to think.
?I'll come back and let you know what I find out.
?Best to all.