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Gallbladder Medication

Posted , 7 users are following.

Minnie98
Minnie98

Hello 

New to this site.  After suffering excrutiating pain two nights on the trot, being on all fours unable to string a sentence together being so short of breath and finally to top it all being violently sick I went to the walk in clinic and was seen stry own GP on aight away by a GP who diagnosed the pain was my Gallbladder and has said should the pain persist or get any worse ( I have to say I dont believe it can as I have never felt pain like it and I consider myself to be a pretty tough cookie) I am to get to hospital and they should remove it.  I have to go back and see my ownGP on Monday and have an ultrasound.  I have some questions -

1. I ave been prescribed Naproxen has any body else been prescribed this and is it effective for the pain.  

2.  Is it likely should I have to go to hospital how likely is it that they will remove my Gallbladder. 

3.  After having an ultrasound and if it confirms it is my Gallbladder would I automatically be put on a list to have it removed.

4. Can you have the operation under local aneasthetic or does it have to be a general.  

5. To prevent another episode can this be achieved through diet and if so what are the recommendations for this.  

6.  Can diet avoid operation.

I would hate to experience this again and would rather get this under control and manage it myself rather than have an operation, if that is possible.

I would appreciate any help in this area.

Many thanks

1 like, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • lynda20916
    lynda20916 Minnie98

    Posted

    Hi, Minnie.  Hope you are feeling better.  To answer your questions.

    1.  I believe that Naproxen can be prescribed in many strengths.  In the US an over the counter version can be purchased, it's called Aleve.  But, Naproxen can irritate your stomach and have other side effects so be careful about taking it.

    2.  If you are very ill you need to go to the hospital!  It can get worse.  If they determine that your gallbladder needs to be removed believe me, they don't recommend that it be removed lightly.

    3.  Usually doctors don't suggest it be removed, unless it's necessary.

    4.  It is my understanding that removing the gallbladder is done under general anesthesia.  Though the procedure is simpler than in the distant past, the gallbladder is an organ, so care needs to be taken in its removal.

    5. & 6.   In my experience, once the gallbladder is sufficiently irritated to give you the symptoms you described, removal may be the best course.  I would suggest that you speak about this to your doctor.  The appropriate tests need to be done so you and your doctor can determine what to do.

    In the meantime, you can support your gallbladder's function by eating very low fat meals, and sometimes, smaller more frequent meals.

    I know this is frightening, but please know that we're here to support you.  Let us all know how you're doing.  Best of luck!    

  • alexie
    alexie Minnie98

    Posted

    When I went for the pain after the sonogram they saw the stones and my pancreas levels were high, I stayed at the hospital even when the morphine made my pain dissapear. Nothing can avoid that operation. The mother of my son died because of gall bladder stones, Doctors wait a few weeks because she just recently gave birth. The gall bladder exploded and affected all organs inside her body as I read in the autopsy report. It is performed under General anesthesia. This is like apendix, once you have the pain nothing can avoid the surgery. The mother of my son was only 27 years old. Take this seriously.

  • jofos
    jofos Minnie98

    Posted

    Hello   You have my sympathy.  I have also been having GB issues, although no where near to the scale that you are.  I googled the issue and came up with apple cider vinegar (in a glass of fresh apple juice and lemon).  I have also been taking the tablets after a meal along with enteric peppermint.  I dont know if it will work for you but you could maybe give it a try. Has anyone said anything about endoscopy to see if a stone is lodged in your duct?  Hope you get some relief tonight. x
    • Annoee
      Annoee jofos

      Posted

      I asked my consultant yesterday if there are any alternatives to surgery but there aren't. If the gallbladder and stones are causing problems removal is the best answer. He said it was my choice and I could just leave it but would not recommend this as it could become worse anytime.

      I find it very debilitating and scary but now on the waiting list for keyhole surgery.

      Good luck and I hope you get the treatment you need.

  • jofos
    jofos Minnie98

    Posted

    I have been told that the best practice is to remove it should it become reeally painful.  A little more digging around and I found out that this practice was adopted from the USA where you pay (through insurance) for medical treatment.    Personally cutting me open will be a very last resort.  x
    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 jofos

      Posted

      Hi, Jofos.  I understand that getting opened up for any reason is very scary, but I am from the US, and most doctors here won't remove a gallbladder unless absolutely necessary.  A diseased gallbladder can rupture and cause illness and death.  Please be careful with your precious self!  
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 Minnie98

    Posted

    If ultrasound shows gallbladder problem or gallstones they will ask you what you want to do. If you want to be put on the list for removal they will do that but there may be quite a long waiting list. It may be worth sayng to them that you are prepared to have operation at short notice if someone else cancels as this may get you done earlier.

    It is unlikely they will immediately remove gallbladder if you end up at emergency department.

    Keep to a low fat diet.

    Hope this helps

    Take care and keep in touch

    sarah

     

    • Minnie98
      Minnie98 sarah87162

      Posted

      Thank you Sarah and all the others that have posted I am having an ultrasound tomorrow so will know fairly soon (hopefully).  My Dr said that if the ultrasound confirms Gallstones then Gallbladder would have to be removed. In the meantime I have kept to a low fat diet and my Dr has changed my medication I now have Co-codamol turns out I was allergic to the Naproxen.   Will let you know how I get on.  Thanks again
  • Minnie98
    Minnie98

    Posted

    Had Ultrasound today and confirmed Gallstones.  Report will take a week to get back to my GP should I have another episode in the mean time I have been told to go to 

    A & E straight away.  Lets hope it doesnt come to that.  Have an appointment with GP for 15/03/16.

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 Minnie98

      Posted

      Good luck, Minnie!  Please let us know how you get on!
  • lisa98146
    lisa98146 Minnie98

    Posted

    Good luck Minnie. At least you know what it is. But just to warn you, the waiting list is VERY long. I've been waiting since mid October to have my gallbladder out and there is still no sign of a date. If you need to go to hospital then go. You will get straight on the list then. Hate to say it but they do try to fan out the wait by ordering tests. I was lucky to have all the tests done while I was in hospital but others have gone to see surgeons to have additional tests done and THEN started the long waiting list. As others have said, stick to as low fat diet as you can manage. I was told less than 3%. It's very hard and limiting but it does help with the pain. Good luck and keep in touch x

    PS, everything I've mentioned is based on nhs England

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 lisa98146

      Posted

      Hi, Lisa,  sorry to hear you have such a long wait!  Please let us know when you get scheduled, and how you're doing!  confused
    • Minnie98
      Minnie98 lisa98146

      Posted

      Hi Lisa, thanks for this, looks like I am in for a long wait then as I too am in England and an nhs patient.  Do you have any tips on food or good recipes to try?  Hope you get your op soon.  Let me know how you get on.  
    • lisa98146
      lisa98146 lynda20916

      Posted

      Thank you. I'm at my wits end actually. I just want it done and out the way so I can start living my life again. Over 20 weeks I've waited now.
    • lisa98146
      lisa98146 Minnie98

      Posted

      OK, so it's really tough the diet. Meat I have extra lean steak mince <5% which i brown and drain to make spaghetti bolagnaise, mild chili etc but fan out the meat with extra veggies like grated carrot. my doctor said use quorn mince but id rather starve myself. veggies and fruits are good, you can eat as much of those as you like but not avocados. pork loin steaks with all visible fat trimmed before cooking, then i brown off and then stick in a pot with onions, garlic, black pepper, mustard powder water and a bovril stock cube and slow cook then use the stock as a gravy. chicken i have a lot with rice but only breast with no fat. tesco do a lovely szechuan sweet chili sauce which is very low in fat if that's your thing. i eat baby new potatoes instead of roast or mash. white rice not brown because a lot of wholegrain is too high in fat. even good fat is bad fat when you have gallbladder problems.

      eggs are too high in fat. i tend to have baked beans on white toast or jacket potatoes lunch time. no butters or spreads at all. breakfast i stick to weetabix with skimmed milk and fat free yogurts and fruit in between. rarely i'll have bacon medallions which are low fat. that's been pretty much my diet for the past 5 months. i don't go out even for coffee these days. they can be loaded with fat if you aren't careful. i haven't found anywhere i can eat out, not even for lunches. even salads can have hidden fats from dressings. diet is personal though. but i've found using an app on my phone useful to get a rough idea of fat content in food. which="" i="" brown="" and="" drain="" to="" make="" spaghetti="" bolagnaise,="" mild="" chili="" etc="" but="" fan="" out="" the="" meat="" with="" extra="" veggies="" like="" grated="" carrot.="" my="" doctor="" said="" use="" quorn="" mince="" but="" id="" rather="" starve="" myself.="" veggies="" and="" fruits="" are="" good,="" you="" can="" eat="" as="" much="" of="" those="" as="" you="" like="" but="" not="" avocados.="" pork="" loin="" steaks="" with="" all="" visible="" fat="" trimmed="" before="" cooking,="" then="" i="" brown="" off="" and="" then="" stick="" in="" a="" pot="" with="" onions,="" garlic,="" black="" pepper,="" mustard="" powder="" water="" and="" a="" bovril="" stock="" cube="" and="" slow="" cook="" then="" use="" the="" stock="" as="" a="" gravy.="" chicken="" i="" have="" a="" lot="" with="" rice="" but="" only="" breast="" with="" no="" fat.="" tesco="" do="" a="" lovely="" szechuan="" sweet="" chili="" sauce="" which="" is="" very="" low="" in="" fat="" if="" that's="" your="" thing.="" i="" eat="" baby="" new="" potatoes="" instead="" of="" roast="" or="" mash.="" white="" rice="" not="" brown="" because="" a="" lot="" of="" wholegrain="" is="" too="" high="" in="" fat.="" even="" good="" fat="" is="" bad="" fat="" when="" you="" have="" gallbladder="" problems.="" eggs="" are="" too="" high="" in="" fat.="" i="" tend="" to="" have="" baked="" beans="" on="" white="" toast="" or="" jacket="" potatoes="" lunch="" time.="" no="" butters="" or="" spreads="" at="" all.="" breakfast="" i="" stick="" to="" weetabix="" with="" skimmed="" milk="" and="" fat="" free="" yogurts="" and="" fruit="" in="" between.="" rarely="" i'll="" have="" bacon="" medallions="" which="" are="" low="" fat.="" that's="" been="" pretty="" much="" my="" diet="" for="" the="" past="" 5="" months.="" i="" don't="" go="" out="" even="" for="" coffee="" these="" days.="" they="" can="" be="" loaded="" with="" fat="" if="" you="" aren't="" careful.="" i="" haven't="" found="" anywhere="" i="" can="" eat="" out,="" not="" even="" for="" lunches.="" even="" salads="" can="" have="" hidden="" fats="" from="" dressings.="" diet="" is="" personal="" though.="" but="" i've="" found="" using="" an="" app="" on="" my="" phone="" useful="" to="" get="" a="" rough="" idea="" of="" fat="" content="" in="" food.="">

      eggs are too high in fat. i tend to have baked beans on white toast or jacket potatoes lunch time. no butters or spreads at all. breakfast i stick to weetabix with skimmed milk and fat free yogurts and fruit in between. rarely i'll have bacon medallions which are low fat. that's been pretty much my diet for the past 5 months. i don't go out even for coffee these days. they can be loaded with fat if you aren't careful. i haven't found anywhere i can eat out, not even for lunches. even salads can have hidden fats from dressings. diet is personal though. but i've found using an app on my phone useful to get a rough idea of fat content in food. >

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 lisa98146

      Posted

      Thanks, lisa!  I mistakenly replied to Minnie!  Sorry about that!
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