Gallbladder related or Peptic Ulcer? Please help!
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hi everyone, it's me again. So it's been about a month since I had my severe attack. I still have pain under my right ribs in the URQ, excessive gas, belching, nausea, loss of appetite, heart burn, acid reflux (burning sensation in my upper stomach and above), and excessive mucus in my throats that comes and goes (more after I eat), weird stools, cramping in the intestines randomly, and random pain behind my right knee. I feel like I'm getting sicker in a way... just feel very unwell. I had an appointment with a specialist who thinks it could be; gallbladder related (small gallstones lodged in the bile duct) or perhaps a peptic ulcer. I have an upper endoscopy, CT scan, and blood work appointments all through to September. Can anyone tell me what their symptoms for gallbladder problems are or ulcers? Much appreciated! Going kinda crazy from this horrible feeling.
0 likes, 19 replies
hanna56544
Posted
Scottie13 hanna56544
Posted
Ok so my symptoms started off with horrendous pain in middle of my stomach near sternum and pain in back on right hand side. Couldn't lie down or get comfy at all. Sweat pouring off me due to the pain too. Felt really nauseous but wasn't sick. This lasted a good 8-10 hours and niggling pains on and off for the next week.
Next really bad one I had loose stools that were really yellow. Again severe stomach pains across the middle of my chest and also under right ribs. Sweating again too.
Now it's almost constant pain under right ribs, through to back, nauseous a lot of the time, occasional pale stools and swinging fevers too xx
hanna56544 Scottie13
Posted
Thanks for getting back to me Scottie, I'm still having this nasty pain under my right ribs. If I eat anything greasy/ fatty the pain under my right ribs gets a lot tighter (so definitely worse). Is that a symptom of GB issues? Yes, my stools during and just after the attack look like fat droplets of yellow/ orangish oil and the smell was very fatty - kind of like peanut oil lol. And my stools have mostly been yellowish and tan, occasionally normal looking but mostly abnormal. Haven't had any fever or infection so I'm happy about that, but I just hope my doctor finds out what it is.
Scottie13 hanna56544
Posted
Yep pain after eating fatty foods are definitely symptoms of gallbladder issues. What tests have you had done? I got the HIDA scan and gallbladder was functioning at 32%. Anything under 35% is classed as abnormal. Ended up at doctors again a couple of weeks ago with abdominal and back pain and temperature so got admitted to hospital with cholecystitis. Had IV antibiotics then got my gallbladder out 6 days later. Now day 9 post-op. The nausea went away immediately. Still have uncomfortable feeling in stomach but it'll still be bruised and swollen for a good while. Have got my appetite back and felt better than I have in a year! It's just trying to get surgeons to listen that can be difficult. They don't want to remove gallbladder unless they have to as it can cause nasty side effects as well. I told them I couldn't live in the pain I was in and was willing to try anything to feel better! Good luck with your tests and results xx
hanna56544 Scottie13
Posted
hanna56544
Posted
And I'm glad you're doing much better!
Scottie13 hanna56544
Posted
Have you had the results on the ultrasounds or ct scan yet? Is it endoscopy you have on the 6th? Then when do you see consultant? Totally know how you feel! There is light at the end of the tunnel though. If it does turn out to be the gallbladder (which it really does sound like it is!) then you'll feel better once it's out. Keep going to docs when you feel rubbish and they'll hopefully send you to hospital to speed things up. Keep us posted with how you're doing! xx
Beenthruit hanna56544
Posted
Hi Hanna
Could be either or both as symptoms are similar. If stools are yellow, fatty and float, it's probably gallbladder related. Also if stools are pale and chalky and urine dark it's probably gallstones as that's a symptom of jaundice. However the only way you'll find out for sure is to have the tests. Meantime eat a low fat diet and avoid alcohol, baked goods and spicy foods. This should help whether it's gallbladder or ulcer.
hanna56544 Beenthruit
Posted
Thanks for getting back to me, I'm still having this nasty pain under my right ribs. If I eat anything greasy/ fatty the pain under my right ribs gets a lot tighter (so definitely worse). Yes, my stools during and just after the attack look like fat droplets of yellow/ orangish oil and the smell was very fatty - kind of like peanut oil lol. And my stools have mostly been yellowish and tan, occasionally normal looking but mostly abnormal.
k.roach87 hanna56544
Posted
robax hanna56544
Posted
When you have gallstones, bile slows or stops flowing into your gut, in turn causing your digestion to fail. That's called a functional disorder of the gut. You may no longer have any digestion, or food might even go straight through you. In either case you will develop all sorts symptoms in addition to any pain you are already experiencing from the gall bladder.
So yes, any or all of your issues could be related to the gallbladder. I would be very surprised if it were all due to an ulcer. Don't suffer any more than you have to. Get your tests done asap and then get into the operating theatre. If you have a severe attack, go to the hospital when it's happening and get tested... even if that seems like a nightmare, just go. It's not a lot of use going when you're fine.
You'll have a lot of trouble with food until it's over. Just eat whatever you find you can cope with. There's really nothing you can eat when your gut does't work. A simple chicken soup would be a lot better than chips though.
8 months after my surgery I'm still blown away by the whole thing.. all the pain and anxiety was just horrendous to go through, and it's all over and gone... just amazing. Look forward to it being all over and just try and keep the process moving along without delay!
Rob
hanna56544 robax
Posted
Thanks for getting back to me, I've been getting tests done this whole week - I have a gastro appointment on the 6th, so I'm assuming I have to wait till then for the results. But I'm still having this nasty pain under my right ribs. If I eat anything greasy/ fatty the pain under my right ribs gets a lot tighter (so definitely worse). And laying down hurts still and tend to get more heartburn or acid reflux.
iv55419 hanna56544
Posted
Hi Hanna,
?I hope you get a diagnosis soon as it's just nice to know what is going on. After having many gaulstone attacks over about 2 and half years (because I refused to put in the paperwork for the surgery) I agree with Rob, just go to the hospital when you are in pain. I went to go a couple of times towards the end and all of a sudden the pain just disappeared.
?For me gaulstone pain started out with screaming pain at the back of my right shoulder combined with waves of spewing and fever and the pain would continue for about six hours at a time.
Overtime the pain moved from the back of my right shoulder to the front at my sternum and accross the chest for hours at a time during which I was in so much pain I didn't know what to do - I would thrash around on my bed for a while, try and get up and walk, try and stand, try kneeling - whatever position it didn't make a difference and that also was combined with waves of spewing and fevers (which I began to look forward to because it would take the focus off the immediate pain). If I was lucky a small attack would last for only 20 minutes to an hour during which I would be suffering, pain, spewing and fevers. I am surprised none of my neighbours called the police as I would moan for hours at a time.
?Do yourself a favour and cut out the chips, cheese and any other high fat food (pork roast, lamb etc). My gaulstones weren't affected by soy crisps and I substituted those for chips.
hanna56544 iv55419
Posted
Thanks for getting back to me, I'm still having this nasty pain under my right ribs. If I eat anything greasy/ fatty the pain under my right ribs gets a lot tighter (so definitely worse). I'm just worried they won't find anything... I really hope to get a HIDA scan. My pain during my attack lasted about 6 hours as well. I puked, couldn't get in a comfy spot like you and felt dizzy, cold, chills, and unbelievable pain all across my abdomen which settled in my RUQ under my ribs. Can it be a dysfunctional GB or small stones in the bileduct that are hard to see?
ann55375 hanna56544
Posted