Gallstones and weightloss!!
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi, I am new to this forum so any help will be greatly appreciated! I have been having what I've learned to be consistent with gall bladder attacks, or gallstone attacks. I have not been diagnosed with this yet, but I've had all the symptoms consistent with this, like excruciating abdominal pain for hours, pain up my back and shoulder blades, etc. I've had 5-6 of these attacks this year and they are no joke! The last one I had was about 6 weeks ago and it lasted for a good 12 hours!!!
My question is, do these attacks cause significant weight loss? I've lost around 15-18 pounds and I just want to know if this amount of weight loss is common with gallbladder issues and gallstones. I am really concerned about this so any help and information is appreciated! Thanks
0 likes, 16 replies
lynda20916 TFish1
Posted
Yes, weight loss is consistent with gallbladder problems. Have you seen a doctor and been referred to a GI specialist? If you are going through all this, you need to get yourself to a doctor! Diseased gallbladders don't get better. They can cause severe problems with the pancreas and liver and attach themselves to other organs!
TFish1 lynda20916
Posted
Thanks Lynda! I have not seen a doctor as of yet, at least not in the way you mention here. I've gone to have a regular check up done and I mentioned to the nurse and doctor the symptoms I had been having and that from my research, these symptoms are consistent with gallbladder attacks.
The doctors response was "yes, it does sound like you have gallbladder issues." This is about as far as it went. But he went on to tell me that most doctors won't want to bother with checking to see if I have gallbladder issues unless I'm actually having an attack while there. Smh....
But I do plan to go see a doctor about this, although I have not had an attack in about 6 weeks and I have been watching what I eat very carefully. The weight loss has been a big concern for me though...
lynda20916 TFish1
Posted
Merry Christmas, and best of luck to you! Please let me know how you get on! xx
TFish1 lynda20916
Posted
Thanks a bunch Lynda! I will absolutely do that as soon as possible. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well! 😊
lordcroker TFish1
Posted
Lost just over half a stone in the past month. This has been mainly down to being careful what I eat, not wanting to provoke a gallbladder attack. I've had 8 in the past 12 months. Last one lasted 8 hours, but was my own fault. Was pushed for time so grabbed a burger, never again! I have an hospital appointment in early January, see what happens then.
helen33824 TFish1
Posted
I then went for several months with no symptoms at all before the flare ups started again and became more frequent. With the pain I also had the occasional episode of diarrhoea and eventually sickness, both of which caused the weight loss in my case (about 1 stone).
I hope you’ll be able to get some tests done, despite the doctor’s comment.
TFish1 helen33824
Posted
Thank you Helen. Yeah, I was disturbed by the doctor's response as well! It's really hard finding a good doctor these days! During the check up, I did get some blood work done, which only ended up revealing that my enzymes were slightly elevated, which the doctor said may have been due to the gallbladder attacks. I got the blood work done about a week and a half after the attack had stopped though.
helen33824 TFish1
Posted
I also had abnormal BT results (raised enzymes etc) at the time but the consultant wasn’t too worried about them although he advised me to go to A&E if I experienced symptoms such as dark urine with the pain. When the symptoms kicked off again in earnest further BTs still showed slightly abnormal results. The 2nd consultant I saw also wasn’t too worried about them although this time urged me to go on the waiting list for a cholecystectomy as the scan (unknown to me) had shown a thickened GB besides the stones.
TFish1 helen33824
Posted
heimbca helen33824
Posted
TFish1 heimbca
Posted
Yes, raised enzymes, as i understand it, refers to liver enzymes. When there's some type of cell damage in the body, these repair facilitites called enzymes get released into the bloodstream to go to work fixing the issue.
?So if it is the case where some sort of cell damgage has occured, blood tests will show elevated levels of enzymes. This damge could occur from things like stroke, heart attack, and obviously gallbladder issues and attacks.
helen33824 TFish1
Posted
gill21655 TFish1
Posted
Yes definatley.. From starting with severe attacks in sept (i had mild before that) to having my gall bladder removed 7/12/16 i had lost 1stone 9 lbs . mainly because of nausea and loss of appetite. Then i guess it got like a phobia so would only eat yogurt or porridge as i was ok on that.
So there was bound to be weight loss for me.
I am finding it difficult now to let go of that phobia even afterwards so trying to up my intake daily.
Good luck x
Star42 TFish1
Posted
I am awaiting my referal consult now.
Yes weight loss has been one of my recent symptoms, as all this triggered IBS and then reflux ( GERD) and led to my diagnosis. This has led to loosing 8kg in 3 mths.
TFish1 Star42
Posted
Wow, that sounds like a lot. I'm curious though, what are mobile gallstones? Is the a difference between these and say, non-mobile gallstones?
Star42 TFish1
Posted
I am guessing moving about in the gallbladder via ultrasound so easy to see? I am also guessing more likely too move and lodge elsewehere.
I think most which are discovered are mobile as I read this recently
sometimes stones are not mobile, in which case they are not easy to differentiate from unimportant polyps and very small ones may be missed or fail to throw a helpful acoustic shadow.
https://patient.info/doctor/gallstones-and-cholecystitis