Gallbladder? I feel like I am going crazy...

Posted , 6 users are following.

In August of last year I woke up at 4am with the worst stomach pain I could imagine and was non stop vomitting.  My husband rushed me to the ER and the CT scan showed that my appendix was "angry" as they stated.  I was admitted and they stood around for two days trying to figure out if it really needed to be removed as my symptoms that I presented in the ER didn't match the inflamation in the appendix.  They ended up deciding to remove it and I thought I was good to go.

In December I started have nausea and my stomach bloated out to look as if I was 4 months pregnant.  I went to my OB for testing assuming it was female related.  Two days later I had an ultrasound completed and the tech told me there was nothing to be concerned about from the OB side of the fence but strongly recommended that I have my gallbladder looked at.  Then repeated herself again very sternly.

I left not sure what to think but figured I would look into it.  Pain had now started in middle between my ribs and I was starting to have minor back pain behind the gallbladder.  Two weeks passed and I had massive pain on a Sunday and my husband rushed me to the ER.

ER completed blood work, ultrasound (they were unable to get any good pics of the gallbladder) and CT scan which showed that everything was fine.  They referred me to a GI Specialist.

Within four days I was sitting in the GI docs office explaining the waves of pain, itching, headaches and nausea.  He sent me for the HIDA scan...

A week later I had the HIDA scan with no reaction to the first part but the CCK caused a quarter size burning pain that felt like someone was pouring acid on my gallbladder and it was eating through my skin.

That day I returned home and became sick with the runs several times.  I thought all was well and prepared dinner for the family at 5pm - Within 5 minutes of finishing my meal I had massive pain in my chest that rose up like a volcano and immediate vomitting.  After I was done being sick I started to shake non stop for over an hour.  I tried reaching the oncall for my GI and received no call back.

Monday - Results came in on the HIDA - Ejectrion Fraction is at 52%

I then pushed back to the GI and wanted to know the next step and explained what had happened on Friday night.  Doc then scheduled me for an Endoscopy which I was supposed to have this past Tuesday.  I never made it...

Sunday night I started to feel worse and have a rough night trying to sleep.  I woke up at the usually time and headed off to work with moderate pain.  I made it thirty minutes into my drive and pain became severe.  I took the next exit and turned the car around and called into the office that I would be working from home that day.  I was then about 7 minutes out from my house and started to feel faint.  I panicked a bit and pushed on and made it to my driveway.  By now I had tears and was sick and felt like was still going to pass out.  I called the GI's office and reached the nurse.  She told me to call 911 or get someone to get me to the ER now.  I called my husband and he was there in 5 minutes. We went straight to the ER and they completed another ultrasound and gave me morphine (which didn't cut any of the pain)

Second Ultrasound - I told the tech that the previous tech was unable to get good pics.  She said she was up for the challenge.  She was working on it for about 5 minutes and told me to flip to my left side and then applied pressure.  I screamed and she looked me dead in my face and told me to hold on because she found it.  It was going to hurt but she had to get the picture.  Once done I convinced her to tell me what she saw.  She stated that the neck of the gallbladder was completly folded.  She further explianed to think of it like a straw that was bent.  Is anything going to come in or out?  I understood then...

Headed back to my room in the ER and the doc came in and said I was being admitted.  I thought that I was on the way to surgery and I was wrong.  After another couple hours the doc came in to tell me that my utlrasound was normal. Now they had contacted my GI doc and he was on his way.  He proceeded with the Endoscopy that afternoon and found a really small ulcer in my esophagus.  He felt that could have something to do with the pain but it didn't match up to all the symptoms and warned me that he couldn't force the surgeon to remove the gallbladder but requested a consult.

The arrogant surgeon - Finally Tuesday at 4pm the surgeon graced me with his presence. He informed me that he would not be removing my gallbladder since it was to high of a risk that I may never recover from surgery. Then proceeded to tell me that my car accident from 20 years and prevous shoulder surgery from that accident was causing nerve pain in my ribs and it was not my gallbladder.  I challenged him on why I was itching then? He asked if I had any rashes and looked at my back and stomach which is clear... He told me I must have had shingles a few months back and not realized it.  I was heartbroken that I was basically being told that I was nuts.

I have asked my GI to refer me to another general surgeon that he recomends and I am waiting for that call to come in and the GI has requested an MRI and I am waiting for scheduling to call on that.

Has anyone else had this much difficulty? The pain has now become worse on a constant basis along with pain now in the upper left side, right shoulder blade, pain between the ribs in the back.. .  Nausea - hot flashes - shakes - faint feeling - no appetite - bloated, diarrhea then constitpation - It feels like a never ending cycle...

I honestly feel like I am going crazy...  Then I can have one day that I am fine with mild pain only for the day and the next all hell breaks lose.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, Karen,

    Sorry to learn that you're going through this. You're not going crazy.  It seems to me that none of the doctors want to make a decision for which they'll be responsible, so you're left experiencing horrible pain and fear, as well.

    It would seem to me that your best referral might be to second gastroenterologist who would be more interested in finding out what was wrong and willing to diagnose and treat you.  The same can be said for the surgeon.  Insufferable....

    Please let me know how you get on!    

  • Posted

    Hi Karen,

    I think that you may have a problem with your gallbladder. I had problems with vomiting after meals, changes in bowel habits, fainting episodes, pain that graduated from right side under rib cage around my right side up my back between my shoulder blades. I also had an itchy feeling as though something was under my skin.

    I saw a consultant and he suggested that I could have a problem with gallbladder or ulcer. After having MRI scan, ultrasound, CT scan and endoscopy he came to the conclusion I had a problem with gallbladder and I had a small hernia.

    Two weeks ago I had my gallbladder removed. Apart from a few days of discomfort from surgery I have not had any pain at all. I have been able to eat and my bowel problems have gone.

    I would get a second opinion as I think you need to be persistent for the sake of your health.

    Hope you feel better soon x

  • Posted

    What does your pain feel like exactly when terrible? Assume pancreas has been looked at too? If not ask for lipsse to be drawn in next attack... Pamcreas is hard to view in scans and can mimic gb pain
    • Posted

      I feel like someone has a fist and is trying to push the gallbladder out. It gets really sharp and moves.  The back pain is in the lower back, middle of the back (between ribs / to right of spine), shoulder blade pain, and directly behind the gallbladder.  In the stomach it is right at the bottom of the right rib and travels around to the back at times and down maybe two inches when it is angry.  The pain is also on the left side of the stomach starting from the middle of the ribs to the left almost to the hip.

      Today is a good day and it mild but consistant and it is there.  It moves to a 10 and then I am done.  I have a high pain tolerance and have the tough girl attitude.  This brings me to tears.  My husband and I have been together for 7 years he told the doc he has never seen me cry once. 

      I also don't think that the appendix was the appendix in August.  I beleive that it was the major start of this but that is my opinion. 

      They looked at the Pancreas, Right Kidney and Liver in the utlrasound in addition to the gallbladder and everything is "remarkable" sad

  • Posted

    Hi Karen,

    I have written on here as my daughter has been going through the same issues as you for 3 years. Drs  told me she was attention seeking due to mother daughter issues. Turns out her HIDA results were it was only functional at 16%, so gallbladder was removed only last Thursday.

    She has had issues but as of a meeting with her consultant last night, it looks like Dairy is a massive issue for gallbladders when they are not working well or removed the body does have further issues with dairy.

    She tested the theory last night and sure enough milk kicked the pain in right away.

    So she is going to try soya and veg for a few weeks to see if it settles back down.

    You will have to really fight sadly to get them to listen to you , we have ended up going private due to how she was made to feel like it was all in her head, she honestly thought she was going mad. She described the pain just the same as you.

    Truly hope you get some help and answers soon.

    Kindest regards

    Carol

    • Posted

      Hi Carol, I've been following your other thread about your daughter. I'm glad they may have found an issue such as dairy as everything is so high in fat. When I started with pain they did a gastroscopy and took some biopsies to check for crohns disease as that can be a big problem but can produce the same symptoms so it maybe worth looking into. Let us know how she's getting on.

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