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Gallstones... anyone else got constant pain under right breast

Posted , 17 users are following.

carol38455
carol38455

Hi, I've been diagnosed with 'multiple tiny gallstones' and told I need to get my gallbladder removed.  I'm really concerned because my symptoms are not the 'typical' ones that most people I read about seem to experience, ie. most people seem to be ok, then next minute get terrible attacks of pain (usually after eating 'fatty food') and then after a certain amount of time the attack subsides and they're ok again.  I've not really had any problems with nausea and suchlike but i do have constant discomfort right under my right breast (it often hurts to wear a bra). At various times throughout the day this discomfort changes to a really intense pain in just this small area (often feels like there is something stuck right beneath my rib).  It also sometimes feels like a really deep bruise type feeling.  I'd just really like to know whether anyone else has this same problem as I'm seriously worried that it's something else other than gallstones. Many thanks

0 likes, 36 replies

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  • gertychin
    gertychin carol38455

    Posted

    Hello Carol38455.  I am new to this discussion forum. After becoming very ill last week, I took myself to A&E, was admitted and spent 4 days in hospital with an inflamed gallbladder containing multiple gallstones.  I was not allowed food or drink and was placed on a drip for two days to "rest" my gallbladder.  On Day 3, I was allowed soup and tea.  Eventually, I was allowed to try soft, low fat foods like mash potato and poached cod. As I was able to tolerate soft food, I was then discharged pending gb removal in a few weeks.

    Since I am quite reluctant to have surgery, albeit keyhole, I have been doing lots of research and, last night, came across this fantastic 36-page document on gallstones.  It was published in the Journal of Hepatology by EASL in April 2016.

    EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis

    and treatment of gallstones

    http://www.easl.eu/medias/cpg/2016-04/EASL-CPG-Gallstones.pdfIt tells you everything you want to know about gallstones. 

    I suggest you stop eating fatty foods for now.  I have found it quite easy to stick to a no/low fat diet since I came back from hospital a few days ago.  It's really not worth the pain and suffering and you could end up with an inflamed gallbladder, which can rupture and cause peritonitis.  You can also end up with pancreatitis.  Luckily, my MRCP scan showed no pancreatitis.

    I will be doing a lot more exercise and watching my diet very carefully from now on.  I am slim and healthy and don't fit the usual profile for gallstones.  However, I am also middle-aged and not as active as I used to be.  Being female is a risk factor in itself as you will see in the article.

    Happy reading!  I love doing research!

    Best wishes.  Take care of yourself. 

    • carol38455
      carol38455 gertychin

      Posted

      Hi there, apologies for not replying earlier - i had intended to read through the article and then reply.... but i still have't read it all.  I've also done hours and hours of 'gallbladder research' myself so, as you know, you get to the stage where there is a big overlap in what you are reading.  I am also very reluctant to have surgery. i altered my diet to completely fat free several months ago as soon as i suspected it might be 'gallstones' however i still have constant discomfort under my right breast which gets even worse at times.  It's fine to decide to not have surgery if diet alone solves the problem but for many people, it does not so, reluctantly, surgery becomes the only option.  i am also feeeling extremely tired and just 'not right' all the time.  Have you decided yet whether you are going to have the surgery?  Best regards and thank you for taking the time to post the link to this article.
  • lisa15321
    lisa15321 carol38455

    Posted

    Hi carol just wanted to let you know that this week have had a bit of a breakthrough and am feeling loads better have managed two days gardening, done loads of  sweeping and hard work and am feeling great so hopefully there has been an upturn in my general fitness .I am still on low fat foods and havent noticed any pain so there is life after gallbladder surgery Lol Hopefully this may help with your decision to have surgery xx
    • carol38455
      carol38455 lisa15321

      Posted

      I'm so pleased to hear that lisa.  It must be a massive relief to you and i hope you continue to feel good. I'm still in the same predicament - i almost wish that i had the 'classic' gallstone symptoms as listed on all the websites. i would then feel much better about having surgery - since i'm still only getting the pain under the right breast (no problems with sickness, pain in shoulder or back, etc) I'm still worrying about whether the problem is really the gallstones. Sometimes I'm in denial and other times i think it's definitely gallstone pain.  Really glad that you're feeling better.. it obviously does take a while for your system to adjust after having this surgery.
    • lisa15321
      lisa15321 carol38455

      Posted

      Hi Carol sorry to hear you still feel so poorly, my problems started with just a pain under my rib came and went , for some reason it was the worst just before my time of the month .It continued like that for many years , now when I look back thats the time of the month when I was eating the most rubbish so in hindsight id been suffering since my early thirties I was like you we have a tendancy  as ladies to put everyone else before ourselves dont we and soldier on , but Im no expert but it does sound like gallstones to me . My consultant was very direct and said If youre over forty had children and are overweight youre the ideal candidate for gallstones and I am . But on a positive note I have lost nearly a stone in weight and aim to lose at least another to bring myself within a healthy weight range It has been a wakeup call for me that I needed                   Good Luck and hope you feel better soon xx
    • lisa98146
      lisa98146 carol38455

      Posted

      I have to say that as op day looms closer (Thursday) I am feeling naturally apprehensive. I have low level stitch pain and tightening daily. Sometimes I get a nervy twinge and dull ache sometimes a fluttering. I shall be glad when it's all over. I was so poorly back in October and it shocked the life out of me. I never realised how bad it can get and I wasn't the worst by no means. But things keep playing round in my head. The swelling to the bile duct the docs have just gone "meh" over and the fact my LFT's never returned normal. I'm just scared of complications and the risks I guess. I will be happy when I wake to find the gallbladder gone and to be told it went smoothly. I'll worry less then. :-/
    • lisa15321
      lisa15321 lisa98146

      Posted

      Good Luck,  just keep thinking youll be on the road to recovery soon x
    • carol38455
      carol38455 lisa98146

      Posted

      I really hope everything goes well for you lisa.  At least you know that the awful pain that you've had in the past definately stems from your gallbladder... so you know it's gots to go.  Come back on here as soon as you feel up to it and let us know how you're doing.  Best wishes x
  • lisa98146
    lisa98146 carol38455

    Posted

    Thanks all. After a 7 month wait, it seems sureal. I've made so many drastic changes that it feels part of my every day routine now. It's going to be very strange adapting again. I will definitely keep in touch. This forum has been a great help to me :-)
  • sue21564
    sue21564 carol38455

    Posted

    I see this is from 6 months ago sad i am in the same situation! Constant pain - worse when i lay down. General prac says maybe gallbladder - surgeon says maybe - why don"t i just take it out? Ultrasound showed gallstones but i have had them for years. Never pain before. & everyone i talk to has had the severe sudden pain attack. Just would like to be sure before i remove an organ - even if it is supposedly "unnecessary".

    Did you find an answer??

    • carol38455
      carol38455 sue21564

      Posted

      Hi Sue,  sorry for the delay in replying but I've only just seen your message.  The constant pain that i described was definately from my gallbladder.  Not everyone just has the sudden onset pain, apparently many people suffer from this constant pain under the right rib cage.  I had my gallbladder removed a few months ago and this pain instantly stopped.  My gallbladder also showed evidence of chronic cholecystitis, ie. evidence of repeated attacks.  Unfortunately i now have a constant and completely different pain/discomfort. (If anyone else has the same problem I'd be interested to hear whether they found out what was causing it - MRI didn't show anything).  It's totally different from the kind of pain i had before and just came on following the surgery/in the location of the surgery.  I have no doubts that the gallbladder was causing the initial constant pain.  Hope this helps - sorry to hear that you're suffering with this - i know how awful it is.

    • sue21564
      sue21564 carol38455

      Posted

      Well sounds like good news bad news

      Maybe it's not just the gallbladder causing pain sad i pulled the trigger & scheduled surgery, the pain is worse. Going to meet surgeon & ask some questions. So sorry you still have pain! Let me know if u find out what it is. I thought about going to GI doc first.

  • aprilm13_G
    aprilm13_G carol38455

    Posted

    Hi I know this is 2 years ago .. ultrasound says not inflamed.. didn’t say I had them pain in rib area .. bra kills me n feels like a hot poker stick poking at me ugh .. not sure what else to do 
  • raeemma
    raeemma carol38455

    Posted

    I found out last March 2017 i have non small cell inoperative lung cancer stage 3b. At 20 years old i had emergency gallbladder removal. I had gastric bypass in 2009 since ive been overweight since 6 months old almost reaching 300 lbs.

    I swifted odd to m.d.anderson for lun cancer and had 5 days a week radation and once a week 4 hours of 2 different chemos 5 being regular strength last 2 being triple dose also went on clinical trial chemo pills doc said no treatments , i had 6 months to live i was 53.

    The radiation oncologist is brillant.

    But he was telling me i might have to have a feeding tube if toxicty got too bad.

    I would joke and say wheres all this bad things you warned me of.

    Well last 2 triple chemos are adminstered 3 weeks apart.

    7 days after each 2 times it was as i the gates of hell opened up and poured over me.

    Sometime during the 30 radiatin treatments i started feeling like it was a horrible cut under my right breast and when i would eat or drink it hurt like battery acid was poured over it and no pain meds would help i would push so hard and a heating pad with pressure would give a little relief.

    I guess i was around 160lbs.

    This went on with a lidocaine compound i could cosume some food even tap water killed me. I went into remission and one day symptoms kinda just stopped kept loosing weight. Last week i weighed106lbs. And pain has come back and so has cancer just not as big. Im on immunotherapy infusion every 3 weeks. Radiologist suggested it was refered pain. Lat tuesday had gastroscope, no big deal and i have a hughe ulcer above duodedum. I made an appointment with my gastric bypass surgeon to get his take on this. I have to force feed and drink i do not want a feedin tube.

    The pain is unbearable.

    Only after eatting or drinking. Im doing great and feel i can overcome this raccurant nodules. By the way my tumor was in the bronchial had plugged lowe left lung and it collapsesd i only had a lymp node in right lung. Now i have nodule lower left upper left about 1.5cm and lymp node in bronchial left lowe was there from begging but wasnt treated and started to grow after ort went into remission. I dont understand referred pain however the ulcer never hurts in the middle. It hurts through my upper back sometimes. Hoping i can heal it

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