I've been suffering now for three years and need some suggestions
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi, i am a 53 year old woman and have been suffering now for three years with the same very achy and painfull heavy feeling in my upper right quadrant. The last year being the worst. I have the ache pretty much all the time. Throughout the day it gets progressively worse. It becomes very sore and aggravated. Ive been to A+E a few times and they just say your bloods are OK and they send me home. When the pain is at it worst I belch and hiccup a lot. The pain goes into my back and all around my ribs. It almost feels like my upper body is too heavy for my ribs to cope with.
sometimes I get a lot of gurgling around the upper right quadrant. I have had many tests done starting with an MRI in early 2018 to look at my Thoracic nerves, this came back with normal wear and tear for my age. and later on in that year an endoscopy which also nothing came back with no problems showing . From there I've had ultrasounds on my gallbladder which did came back with a small amount of sludge but apparently not enough for them to be concerned about. I've also had a CT scan which they said came back normal. I go to the doctor and get no satisfaction, just a juggle around with tablets, which are gabapentin and amitriptyline, and continuous sick notes to say i cannot work, but she offers nothing towards identifying or resolving the problem. I'm sure I cannot be the only person with this mystery illness. This is really stopping me living a normal life. Can anybody help with suggestions.
0 likes, 13 replies
jenny74281 jenny88984
Edited
hi, im the same, only diagnosed as having multiple gallstones in March this year. Was at GP constantly for over a year with this band of pain around my abdomen. Since October I have been in A n E around 7 times the pain starts early hours of morning, usually a rumble through day, and I need IV morphine for this to settle a bit. The pain is right around abdomen and centralises in the middle of my chest and radiates out to back also, feels like a heart attack. I get ECG done, bloods to check for inflammation and heart then sent home. I have a small hiatus hernia so take Esomeprazole twice daily and ask for my GP to prescribe buscopan which I take 4 times a day (2 tablets), I have also cut out all dairy products and replaced with soya, almond or lacto free. I thought this had helped as it was 4 weeks between visits this time not 1!. I also asked for a prescription for dihydrocodiene to take if I was wakened by pain, these don't take pain away. I am due to get gallbladder removed even though pain isn't typical of solely gallstones but it is unbearable. My op scheduled for end of month was cancelled on Friday. Maybe try the Buscopan, and maybe ask about GERD to, u could cut out dairy and red meat that might help a bit too.
Good Luck
jenny
jenny88984 jenny74281
Edited
hi, thanks for the reply, I have been on a dairy free diet now for 4 month, and tried gurd diets. I also went six months not eating meat. I also take omeprazole twice a day. It doesnt matter what pain killers i have tried it doesnt take the pain away. How did you manage to get them to agree to remove your gallbladder?
jenny74281 jenny88984
Posted
I had to get an endoscopy to rule out ulcer or stomach problems first. I then contacted my GP to make a referral for removal of it so she did. I was in and out AnE that often, and having to get morphine the GP then gave me surgeons secretary's number to phone and ask to be put on waiting list explaining the pain and the impact it is having on my home and work life, and my anxiety levels are through the roof every night anticipating the pain coming again. the surgeon himself phoned me back a few days later and put me on waiting list and I should have been having op on 28th this month but cancelled due to COVID
jenny74281 jenny88984
Posted
does morphine help if you have to go to hospital?
jenny88984 jenny74281
Posted
Ive only had it once a few years ago, to be honest I've stopped going to A+E because i feel they think I'm wasting there time, also not easy with covid to go to A+E I'm continually told its my anxiety that's causing this. I've spent a lot of money on hypnotherapy and acupuncture to keep my anxiety down. Think I'm going to have to start going again. I also have asked the doctor for another endoscopy but she wont let me have one as i had one 2 half years ago. I hope your opp goes ahead as soon as possible, Covid has certainly slowed the nhs down. I am also have had 3 appointments at the pain clinic cancelled.
trish74375 jenny74281
Posted
omeprazole worked for four years, then stopped working. I've recently been taking a dietary supplement/bile salts for gallbladder. So far so good. Also made changes to my diet.
Russ-T jenny88984
Posted
I'm new to the gallbladder pain/issues but I saw that SIBO could be a possible link for pain that might seem like the gallbladder area but might be this .
jenny88984 Russ-T
Posted
Thanks for your replay I havent heard of SIBO before and will certainly take a look.
livvy20 jenny88984
Posted
Hi Jenny,
Even a small amount of sludge can cause issues. That sludge will develop into stones of various sizes. You have the right to a second opinion, so my advice to you would be to visit a more sympathetic doctor and explain the impact it is having on your daily life, the anxiety it is causing you and how the symptoms are getting progressively worse. . Be insistent and persistent!
Best of luck
AquariusGem111 jenny88984
Edited
If you have sludge in your gallbladder that is a sign it is not working correctly even if only a little sludge. I would ask to have a another ultrasound(since your last, the way you wrote above seems to have been a couple yrs ago??)and also Hida scan done to see how well your gallbladder is functioning because all your symptoms sound just like gallbladder disease. Even if you dont have stones and your gallbladder is just not working fully it can cause horrible symptoms just like yours. I wish you the best of luck! 💜
JenniferSmith44 jenny88984
Posted
Hi Jenny. I have this dull achey weird feeling on my right side. Sometimes it feels like something is under my ribs. Sitting is the worst position.
"It almost feels like my upper body is too heavy for my ribs to cope with."
This is a great way to put it!
Have you seen any new doctors?
julie92319 jenny88984
Posted
Hi Jenny
I too have had an achy right side under my ribs which also goes into my ribs and right shoulder Ive had an ultrasound which said i had gallbladder microlithiasis (sludge). My ache comes and goes. When it comes it can be there for weeks. Then it goes away for weeks. This has been going on for around 4 years. Painkillers dont do anything. Im fed up with it
rachellou1208 jenny88984
Posted
It sounds gallstone related, stones can be hard to pin point, what kept happening to me if they can't see them then it's brushed under the carpet! Buscopan helped me and omeprazole, ranitadine was good but it's not made anymore. One of my friends had to pay for a scan because the hospital wasn't coming up wth nothing, I followed same pattern as u I would end up in hospital with pain in my chest and ribs this heavy feeling just to be told I was fine and to go home, cocodamol was the answer for everything! I kept on and on to them because I had a gutsful it took 3 years in all. For me to have it removed, I understand how u feel I. Used to come home from the gp and cry because they were convinced I was depressed and had bad anxiety! Private route scan may be an option my friend got in within 2 weeks for a scan, gps are limited to what they can do and if they ain't got an answer thats it they can't be bothered to find one! Viscous circle as u want the help but noone will give it to you, I swapped gp surgeries because of it all that may be another option for you to swap surgeries x