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Possible gallstones - awaiting scans

Posted , 7 users are following.

Nadfran80
Nadfran80

I've had pain in my upper abdomen right side, that goes up to my right chest area and upper bk for 3 weeks now.

The episodes last anything from 4 hrs right through the day or night or both.

It has now started to interfere with my every day activities- I've had to have the last 2 days off work due to it.

My GP is going to arrange a scan to confirm if it is gallstones or not but I'm just wondering if anyone has any thoughts or ideas on what I can do to ease the pain. I'm currently laid on my couch with a hot water bottle under my upper back.

What can I eat, for the past 3 weeks I've been living on water, crackers, salad and a chicken fillet with the odd evening meal of salmon, whole meal pasta but that even seems to start off the pain. I've cut out crisps, biscuits, chocolate, fries, anything fast foody and I'm just at the point of having had enough. I no longer want to go out and socialise due to the fear of it happening when I'm out. Im just hoping someone can help or has some more information for me.

Thanks

1 like, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • Cwtch13
    Cwtch13 Nadfran80

    Posted

    Buscopan great stuff !

    I take it as soon as the uncomfortable griping starts

    When I have a full blown attack I can not eat for up to a week . Then I live on cup a solid and rich tea biscuits .

    I go to see consultant beginning of April

    I started before Christmas with this and have had two attacks but suffer discomfort almost daily . I have a nagging tooth ache type pain just below my front shoulder daily !

    Hope you get sorted soon xxx

    • Nadfran80
      Nadfran80 Cwtch13

      Posted

      Hi,

      Thank you for responding. I'll definitely have to give the Buscopan a go. Does this help with the aching and the stabbing pains?

      Thanks

  • carol02471
    carol02471 Nadfran80

    Posted

    Hi

    So sorry you are going through this but it' does seem very classic signs of GB issues not just stones it could also be just not working well, A HIDA scan will show that for sure.

    Peppermint tea helps my daughter, dairy free & free from foods, it won't stop it but it does help. Also Buscopan gaviscon help. Hot baths electric heated pillow & hot water bottles.

    GB is horrible when playing up sincerely hope you get sorted soon. Keep to little and often. X

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 Nadfran80

      Posted

      Sorry to learn you're dealing with this!  Also try small, frequent low fat meals.  Avoid drinks with caffine in them, such as coffee, which can stimulate the production of bile and cause you pain as well. I avoided coffee and chocolate, but I could tolerate tea reasonably well.  If you can tolerate some fruit juice, try adding water to it, so the drink is 1/2 juice and 1/2 water.  

      Don't try doing a "liver cleanse" or anything like that, because if you have gallbladder disease, it's already stressing your liver to the max!  I suggest that you not go to a health food store, or try herbs or tinctures, or anything that they tell you "dissolves" gallstones.  Those "natural remedies" don't work and can be dangerous.  Most people in those stores don't have any medical training and are there to sell something!

      Try to rest as much as you can, so that the situation doesn't deteriorate, and you have the strength that you need to take care of yourself both before and after, if you have surgery. 

      Best of luck to you, and please let us know how you get on!   

       

  • katherine42413
    katherine42413 Nadfran80

    Posted

    Hi, cutting out what you have done is good, you may need to take some anti inflammatories and painkillers, they don't alway work completely but some do take the edge off of the pain, you'll need to speak to your gp if you anything stronger.

    Have you got an appointment date  for your ultrasound yet?

    I'm afraid it does seem to exclude you from socialising, I use to go out for meals regularly but had to stop very quickly as rich foods made me really sick. Unfortunately this process isn't alway a quick one and I know what its like to have had enough of pain and it changing your life.

    Keep updating this site with everything as its very good to speak to others that are going through the same.

    Let me know how you get on with your ultrasound.

    Take care

    • Nadfran80
      Nadfran80 katherine42413

      Posted

      Hi, thank you for your kind words.

      I haven't yet had a date for when I'll babe my scan. Hopefully it won't be too long.

    • katherine42413
      katherine42413 Nadfran80

      Posted

      Hi, let us know when you do or just to chat because of the symptoms you're experiencing and  someone will reply.

      I've found it invaluable to talk to people that are going through the same thing as they understand how bad it can get, so keep writing.

      Take care x

  • Cwtch13
    Cwtch13 Nadfran80

    Posted

    Hi Hun , yes the buscapan helps with the aching not sure about the stabbing pains because not had to take them for that yet xx they help when the stomach goes into spasms xxx

  • victoria33888
    victoria33888 Nadfran80

    Posted

    Hi i had discomfort under right rib area and lower back docs always said IBS ultra sound confirmed gallstones have consultation appointment in two weeks. I am 9 1/2 stone did have average diet and still got stones. I did rapid diet and fitness change and feel after six weeks loads better and would like to try to avoid surgery. But I leave this to advice from consultant. It is hard but I look at it as life style change now. I have 3 omega 3 capsules a day, and a milk thistle capsule a day. I started with Dr Stuarts liver tonic once a day for about a week as tastes awful. Plus in a morning energee tea containing Garcia. This tea is great. All holland and Barrett.Diet wise I cut out all fat no choc cakes, bread, pies nothing. Just healthy eating and I do cardio at gym 3 x week. I have lost a stone in weight and the pain has subsided . It is hard at first but I am now so used to it and feel ok with no outbursts of pain just slight discomfort under rib cage.

    Anyhow if you can change diet I promise it helps.

    Thanks vickie

    • Nadfran80
      Nadfran80 victoria33888

      Posted

      Thanks for sharing.

      I'm waiting for my GP to send me a date for my ultrasound scan. I just hope it's sooner rather than later. This weekend has been a nightmare. Every time I eat I'm in chronic pain, I'm on water biscuits, vegetable soup and water. I don't want to eat because of the pain I'm getting.

      I've been up since 4am this morning with the pain, I've got a hot water bottle and a heated mat. I've tried the Buscopan mentioned by others but it doesn't seem to do anything for me. I'm currently on ibuprofen to try and help but my whole upper chest and bk area feels like it's tight and I can't get comfortable.

      I don't know how much more I Can take of this. 3 weeks is just getting to me now. I know there are plenty of others who are so much worse off then me but it's just getting me down now.

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 Nadfran80

      Posted

      Pain is so awful!  Takes so much out of you, mentally and physically.  Can you call your GP and ask for them to set something up soon? Sometimes, as they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. smile

       

    • victoria33888
      victoria33888 Nadfran80

      Posted

      Hi i had pain and was always linked to IBS I got tested for that and celiacs and gluton all came back normal, this then led to my ultrasound I had never thought of gallstones never really heard of them. I was relieved to get diagnosis but then angry at myself for getting in this situation when it could have been avoided with better diet. It has taken about six weeks to start feeling better try to persevere if you can. I am seeing consultant 4th April to see what is what. If you can switch to some of the things I mentioned in my earlier message it may help you slightly. I really hope you get it sorted ..

      Thanks vickie

    • katherine42413
      katherine42413 Nadfran80

      Posted

      If its chronic pain either phone your gp and let them know how bad the pain is or you might need a trip to a&e where they'll give you something stronger and they'll do the ultrasound then. Don't suffer and get some help.

      I didn't find buscopan worked either, my gp gave me cocodamol and I'm now on naproxen as I've got some additional problems. Don't forget you can take paracetamol with the ibruprofen but you can confirm this with your pharmacist. Make sure you take your ibruprofen with food as it can irritate your stomach and give you additional problems that you don't need at the moment. I don't really think there's much that takes the pain away mine just took the edge off of it which made life a bit easier but I totally understand how it can get you down so keep writing on here or to me and I'll write back. 

      Sleeping can be a real problem as well as the waking up in the night, I was generally curled up in a ball.  I could only manage to go into work for a couple of hours when things got really bad.

      Remember with food to eat small amounts of low fat food as you're already doing and keep your fluids up.

      send me a message when you hear from your doctor. x

  • katherine42413
    katherine42413 Nadfran80

    Posted

    Hi, I was wondering if you've heard anything about when your scan is yet?

    If you decide to take any additional medication that you should speak to your doctor first, I certainly wouldn't try anything until you've been diagnosed. Gallstones can lay silent for weeks/months before another attack which is why not everyone needs to go down the surgery route. My mum has gallstones but they don't cause her any problems so they don't bother doing anything.

    Did the doctor give you anything for the pain? If it gets really bad then go back to your doctor and perhaps they can rush things along.

    Let me know how you're getting on.

    Take care

    • Nadfran80
      Nadfran80 katherine42413

      Posted

      No I've not heard a anything yet. It's the pain that's starting to get to me. Constant aching for weeks on end. I get no relief when I'm in bed either, sleeping just feels uncomfortable at times.

      I can't seem to find anything to eat that helps. I'm living on water, water biscuits, salad, and a little fish. I ate salmon the other night and had pain, I've had vegetable soup for lunch and now I'm in agony. GP hasn't prescribed anything for the pain, I'm trying not to have to bother them knowing how busy they already are but it's starting to get to me now. I can't enjoy anything and because of my pain I find I'm snapping at my partner and the kids. I just want to be in less pain.

    • victoria33888
      victoria33888 Nadfran80

      Posted

      I struggled with sleeping... You must contact your doctor do not worry that you think you're bothering them ... It doesn't matter if you visit every week until you get seen to and on road to recovery. Do not worry,call them, who cares what the reception thinks , or the doctor is busy ..it is your life ..

    • katherine42413
      katherine42413 Nadfran80

      Posted

      You must contact them, unfortunately even eating low/ non fat helps as you still get pain, mine's the same. Don't hesitate to go to a&e if the pain is unbearable, you shouldn't be suffering like this. Is it homemade soup or tinned as salt content can make it worse. 

      please go to a&e if things don't improve, if it is your gallbladder you don't want it to rupure or the pain could be a gallstone in transit so get seen.

    • Nadfran80
      Nadfran80 katherine42413

      Posted

      It was tinned soup.

      If the pain does get worse it will be A&E I make a trip to as I don't think I can continue like this for much longer.

      Thanks for your help.

    • katherine42413
      katherine42413 Nadfran80

      Posted

      Yes don't hesitate to go if it gets worse. They;ll at least be able to give you some strong pain relief.

      I usually make my own soup and cake so I know whats in it since all this started, I don't know the levels in the soups that they put in the refridgerated area so you may want to check those and see how many ingredients are in them. also salt and fat content they maybe more/less than you think.

      Fish I find very good, even fish fingers!, I find I can eat hot x buns but not all of it at the time.Baked beans, a small amount of toast, Scrambled egg with some salmon is ok but we're all different so it may not suit you at the moment.

      Take care x

       

    • Nadfran80
      Nadfran80 katherine42413

      Posted

      What about nuts? Peanuts for example? Again I've read from some you can eat them and your fine? With others they say to stay clear. I was ok with popcorn the other week but the. Last weekend I seemed to get the pain within 30 mins of eating it.

    • katherine42413
      katherine42413 Nadfran80

      Posted

      Don't forget that nuts have their own natural fats which your body at the moment may not be able to digest very well. I haven't tried them personally so I don't know, it may well be a case of trial and error, if you do then only have a few and perhaps stay away from coated peanuts.

      Yes the pain you're  experiencing within a short period of time after eating is very common with gallbladder problems.

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