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In agony with gallbladder flare up

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Tumtum1963
Tumtum1963

I have galbladder keyhole surgery booked for July but am in agony. I don't eat fatty foods at all, avoid gluten,dairy, alcohol, sugar and caffeine and have Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I have had gallstones for about 15 years now and they haven't given me any jip at all for about five years because they are too big to escape apparently. I thought I had got them managed through good nutrition.

But after a rough few months with various health problems, two lots of antibiotics and many pain meds and NSAIDs (with stomach protector) I lost a lot of weight so this started a few weeks ago when I began resuming my normal, healthy diet. I'm guessing that this shift in diet has triggered a flare up.

My GP gave me tramadol today and I've just taken 60mg codeine but I literally feel in so much pain I don't know where to put myself. It has been bad every night for two weeks (I also started a new immunesuppressant two weeks ago for my RA) and today it's the worst pain I've ever suffered from including childbirth. I don't know what to do with myself and I'm usually fairly robust about pain.

I am to have an endoscopy next week and an abdominal ultrasound two weeks today. Should I get my husband to take me to A&E if this pain doesn't calm down? - could it be that my bileduct is blocked or Pancreatitis or something?

I went for Codeine 60mg over Tramadol because I've taken it before but thought I'd take the Tramadol 50mg tonight before bed.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • shalaya
    shalaya Tumtum1963

    Posted

    When i was awaiting surgery i was told that if an attack lasted longer than 5 hours to go in as it likely wouldnt resolve on its own. I had one that was off and on pain for 24 hours which sent me in to the emergency room and it was pancreatitis due to a blocked bile duct. The stone dislodged on its own and i was sent home once my pancreatic enzymes went down but there was a high possibility that they would have had to remove the stone surgically so dont delay too long
    • Tumtum1963
      Tumtum1963 shalaya

      Posted

      Thanks - it's lasted all day today but 60mg has taken the edge off and made me feel punch drunk so I'll give it a few more hours and then if it's still mind blowing my husband will drive me through. Was up all night last night with it but surely GP would have said that about five hours and pancreatitis rather than just giving me a script for Tramadol? If codeine is taking the edge off the probably will just ease off but how long is leaving it too long? 
    • Tumtum1963
      Tumtum1963

      Posted

      Meant 60mg of codeine. 
    • shalaya
      shalaya Tumtum1963

      Posted

      Near constant pain for more than a day should definitely be investigated. Its highly unlikely you would experience pain for that long unless a stone is still stuck somewhere
    • Tumtum1963
      Tumtum1963 shalaya

      Posted

      Thanks. Codeine 60mg has taken the edge off so thinking this can wait until tomorrow as thought of overnight NHS hospital stay isn't great. Last time I was rushed in with a drug reaction and had to listen to a man rambling loudly next to me all night! Morphine at home sounds preferable somehow! 
  • casey11435
    casey11435 Tumtum1963

    Posted

    I feel so sorry for you I had mine removed 2 weeks ago and had 88 gallstones In my gallbladder I was getting the severe attacks every other day sometimes every day, I found the only thing that reduced codeine with  a hot water bottle and cold flannel on my head but only oramorph actually got rid of the pain completely but due to have a young baby I would only take that when pain was at its absolute worst I was eating salads following any nutrition advice on the internet that reduced pain swirled hot water an salt every night nothing helped! It's not you it's just getting through the pain an when it's out you should be out of pain forever 
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