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Possible Gallbladder Infection, sent home by GP

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Firefly427
Firefly427

Hi there,

Hoping for a bit of advice. I have been experiencing upper right quadrant pain for the past 2 weeks, I have IBS and M.E so figured it was something related to them. The pain started at the front behind my bottom right rib and has since got a LOT worse and spread around the side and back, so last week so I went to the GP who prescribed Volterol and said I had pulled a muscle. I spent the bank holiday in absolute agony with dodgy guts hardly able to move so I went back to see a different GP today who said due to my temperature which I didn't know I had and the location of my pain he was 99% certain it was a Galbladder infection probably caused by stones.

He has referred me to the hospital for an ultrasound but this will take around 6-8 weeks to come through and has given me anti-biotics (Amoxycillin). I also have a GP follow up appointment in 7 days to see how I am.

At the moment I have taken myself to bed for R&R with my anti-biotics and only snacking and drinking water as I cannot manage the pain of a full meal, even low fat. Will the anti-biotics make me better or will I be suffering like this until something is done? G.P didn't really have enough time to explain everything to me. So I would really like some advice on the best way to 'look after myself' until I can get a definitive answer and treatment plan sorted which may be a couple of months away!

Thank you so very much.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • sally_14743
    sally_14743 Firefly427

    Posted

    Hi, really feel for you . If your gallbladder is infected the antibiotics will help . If you have stones the way to reduce pain is to give your gall bladder nothing to do. So  when you eat your gallbladder gives you the exact amount of bile you need to digest your food . So if you don't need much bile it just triggles out if you eat or drink things that require more bile your gallbladder contracts squeezes the bile out and hence the miserable pain if it's full of stones or inflamed . So here's the rotten bit but it works no fat absolutely no fat , skimmed milk is ok but no cheese butter biscuits etc.. And no sugar either I found tea and coffee caused my gallbladder to contract and chocolate . So I lived on toast , boiled veg boiled potatoes rice pasta ... No fruit too acidic and very lean meat like chicken not rich meat like beef and pork.. If you go really bland and strict the pain will go and you will know it's your gallbladder. Camomile tea excellent and mint tea ... Hope it eases . I had mine removed in February . Put on a stone since stuffing chocolate , biscuits , meat , cheese etc .. Got controlled now ... So just hang in there it can be sorted ...
    • Firefly427
      Firefly427 sally_14743

      Posted

      Hi Sally,

      Thank you very much for your really informative and helpful reply. My boyfriend did some food shopping for me today and I have got lots of no fat soups, crackers, wholemeal gluten free bread, same for pasta and rice, fresh veg and salad but lots of fruits, so maybe I should skip the fruit. I have camomile tea and some ginger/lemon/honey tea as this is supposed to be good for digestive issues. Oh yes I have also now switched to skimmed milk but thanks for the tip, I shall skip the sugar in my tea.

      I'll go very light on the food for a week and so how I get on before seeing the GP again next week.

      I feel so sorry for anyone going through this, it's agonising and miserable, can't believe I once said you can't get worse than IBS, I feel karma has slapped me haha

      Thank you Sally, all the best in your recovery smile

    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 Firefly427

      Posted

      If it's your gallbladder the diet will work. I got pain free but who wants to live like that ...lol 

      I found something out which is interesting . Rosemary Conley invented her low fat diet because she had gallbladder problems and couldn't have the operation done straight away .. 3 years or so she kept to the diet and then had the operation. The diet kept her pain free. You can google it .. Hope you soon feel better . I know how absolutely horrible it is ... 

    • Firefly427
      Firefly427 sally_14743

      Posted

      Hi Sally,

      Wow poor Rosemary Conley, I have done her diet before so I'll look her up again as she has some great cook books, that'll help as my inspiration has dried up for no/low fat meals at the moment, although I did enjoy the Beanfeast spag bol last night, very tasty and healthy and no stabby pains afterwards - result!!

      I think mine will go on for a while, ultrasound 6-8 weeks and then another wait for results, more wait for referral if something is wrong, the NHS is a great free service but the waiting periods are really bad when you're in so much pain. So if I can help myself along with diet that will be really good.

      One last thing, I am taking 4 paracetemol a day which equals 2,000mgs, I take 1,000mg in the morning and then another 1,000mg in the late afternoon. Is paracetemol the best thing to help with the pain or would ibuprofen or something else be better?

      Best Wishes

    • sally_14743
      sally_14743 Firefly427

      Posted

      I used paracetamol but my gp gave me paracetamol with codeine prescription strength... I never used it as on the strict diet it just grumbled didn't have a colic attack ...my colic attacks were so bad I sweated from head to foot fainted coming and going with pain and was continuously sick. That is when you pass stones. You may not have stones. But worth having something stronger in the house in case you do have them.. And to stop throwing up and the agonising pain he prescribed buscopan to stop my gallbladder spasming trying to push the stone out... Hope that helps but glad your pain grumbling now and that is your antibiotics and diet ... Good news 
  • sally_14743
    sally_14743 Firefly427

    Posted

    Sorry forgot to say ibuprofen ever good idea with stomach problems as it irritates stomach lining .. Can cause gastritus if used regularly. And right now you don't know what is causing your pain ? So paracetamol or paracetamol and codeine safe for your tummy ..
    • Firefly427
      Firefly427 sally_14743

      Posted

      Brilliant, thanks again Sally. I am allergic to codeine so can't take that. I also stopped using Ibuprofen years ago as I reckon it was what caused my IBS, I was told (by GP) to take it daily for years for the M.E and Fibromyalgia pain. I'll stick with the paracetemol as it does take the edge off. I had that sweats and fainting thing last night, intense pain all of a sudden to the right of my belly button, then travelled left. hot water bottle and more paracetemol helped and thankfully that's gone today but still have this right side pain, it's so annoying it's just there all day, all night non-stop!!

      I actually have Buscopan for my IBS so will start that up again as well. Feel a bit rattly with all these pills hehe

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