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Possible gallstones? ongoing for 15 years? Symptoms Sarted during my first pregnancy

Posted , 6 users are following.

Kerry1984
Kerry1984

Hi everyone im new on here so please bear with me.

Ive been experiencing an array of problems off and on since about midway thru my first pregnancy almost 15 yrs ago, i was 18 yrs old at the time!

It woke me thru the night that first time with a tearing unbearable pain under right ribs low down and up into centre of my chest and thru my back, my dad drove me to a+e i was crying and thought me and me baby were in real trouble! They performed an ecg on my heart and took bloods then checked baby was ok and sent me home saying all was fine it was normal in pregnancy and would pass, nothing much they could do while im pregnant!

After that i began to suffer badly with bloating, trapped wind, stomach pains, diarrhea, heartburn and pains in my upper right side on a daily basis!

Pain also went up into my chest but several trips to a+e and countless visits to different gps have resulted in me being told time and again its ibs!

I stupidly havent pushed hard enough for answers!

I cant eat many things comfortably anything stodgy like bread or pasta and fast food in general makes me feel worse and im always in pain the day after i drink alcohol even just a glass or 2 of wine!

This Last year or so the pain in my right side has been pretty much constant,

Then i seem to have a random flare up of crushing pain starting in my upper right under the ribs and moving across like a band and up the centre of my chest and thru to the back! It feels like my insides are in a vice. They last anywhere from minutes to hours and got so bad last week i thought i was going to have to call for an ambulance, it settled after 5 hours so i went to gp who ordered more bloods and yet another ecg for my heart (ive had loads of these and they all come back normal!) I took myself to hospital a year ago after a bout of it left me ill for a week and gp passed it off as ibs again! I told them to check my gallbladder after reading online that day that the ibs, chest and tummy pains can all be gallbladder related! Id never thought of this before. I jumped when the doc pressed on my gallbladder! They did an ultrasound and said it was sludgey but fine with no stones and sent me home with buscopan and told me to take paracetamol and watch my diet! I am 33yrs old now 5ft tall and weigh 8 1/2 stone so hardly obese and im very active unless this thing has me feeling ill!

Im at my ends with it now feel like ive lost so much enjoyment over such a long space of time and nobody is helping me.

I work full time too so struggle when i feel this rough.

So really i was just wondering if anyone has had these symptoms for this long and had ultrasounds falsely come back ok!? Do you think im right in pushing for gallbladder checks? Also im back at docs next week so any advice on the tests i need to push for would be much appreciated!

Thanks for reading everyone sorry its long winded

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • Kerry1984
    Kerry1984

    Posted

    Should also mention i itch everywhere , itch so hard i leave bruises at times and suffer from nausea too sad
    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 Kerry1984

      Posted

      I should have also said that bad gallbladders adversely affect your liver.  You need medical treatment, not platitudes.  xx
  • lynda20916
    lynda20916 Kerry1984

    Posted

    Sorry you're going through this.  Your ultrasounds aren't coming back okay.  Sludge can be as much a problem as gallstones.  IBS is not a diagnosis.  Many conditions cause the symptoms--the doctors are just too lazy to figure out what's going on.  Insist on being referred to a gastroenterologist, who will know better how to diagnose and treat you.  A gastroenterologist will know what tests to perform.  Don't put this off any longer.  Bad gallbladders don't get better. 

  • Kerry1984
    Kerry1984

    Posted

    Lynda20916 thanks for taking the time to respond, you're echoing my thoughts exactly, they need to refer me as they are totally useless when i go! Im gonna ask for a referall when i see them for yet more bloods next week and hopefully they ll listen! If they dont my next step will be to loan the money and go private tho im hoping i dont have to as with 2 kids its an expense i can do without x

    • lynda20916
      lynda20916 Kerry1984

      Posted

      You are investing in yourself, and in your future.  That will benefit your children, too.  They need you--healthy.
    • Kerry1984
      Kerry1984 lynda20916

      Posted

      You're absolutely right, its time to get it sorted whatever it takes x

  • biliarydyskines
    biliarydyskines Kerry1984

    Posted

    hi .. i have been suffering from bloating/burping/indigestion for 10 years. In 2007 Initial diagnosis was gastritis and later Hida scan showed my gallbladder not working and ultrasound showed no stones. In 2017, ultrasound showed multiple gallstones. I use lot of discomfort on left and right side of abdomen and some time pain on right side which subsides after some time. My surgeon tells that even after removing my gallbladder i may face digestion issue due to gastritis. So check if you have gastritis and do hida scan,  then good to remove the gallbladder. I have not removed my gb yet. 
  • Kerry1984
    Kerry1984

    Posted

    Biliarydyeskines thanks for replying, im sorry u too are suffering sounds similar to me, im gonna request a referall when i see gp next week, hopefully i ll get some answers finally, i hope u get sorted soon too x
  • JoannaFMc
    JoannaFMc Kerry1984

    Posted

    I would definitly keep pushing for the Gallbladder tests. I myself have had the same pains you have had in the very same area and my Dr. told me right off that he feels it is my gallbladder giving out on me, going bad. Hes ordered whats called a "HIDA" scan to see what its functioning at. This is your health, your life and a Dr. that has any sense or education concerning this organ knows the pain it can cause and where. Dont give up, ask for that HIDA scan and if they cant find that its not functioning right you need to keep after them to find what is causing that pain. You should not have to go through this unbearable pain, believe me, I know because Ive been suffering a year now and it is debilitating. I had a Pancreatic attack finally from either my Gallbladder or something else, the Dr. thinks the Gall Bladder caused that so if this keeps up for you, something similar may happen to you and dear god you do not want to have a Pancreatic attack, its worse than even this pain we have going on. Anyway, I hope you get answers and that you keep after them so you can get your life back!

    • Kerry1984
      Kerry1984 JoannaFMc

      Posted

      Thanks joanna its horrific isnt it and so frustrating when you know somethings wrong and cant seem to get anywhere! Its time for action for me cos ive definately had enough now cant suffer it anymore! I hope you get some resolve and are on the mend soon x
  • Scottie13
    Scottie13 Kerry1984

    Posted

    My GP was ace and totally on the ball when I went to her with gallbladder symptoms. Sent me for ultrasound then once that was done phoned the next day with the results and sent referral off to surgeons as it was causing more bother at that point. Sludge in the gallbladder causes the same symptoms and it basically small gallstones. I was told they’re often worse as move about more than larger gallstones. My bloods never showed anything abnormal so I’d ask for a repeat ultrasound and request to be referred to gastro consultants as well. It’s usually the surgeons who order the HIDA scan (the GP’s I saw had never even heard of that scan). Hope you get sorted soon and get rid of the pain! xx
    • Kerry1984
      Kerry1984 Scottie13

      Posted

      Thanks scottie im definately requesting referall when i see them for my bloodd on monday, ive had enough 15 yrs is too long to of felt like this. It amazes me how little gps seem to know about this so hoping a referal to a gastro specialist will get me where i need to be. Pleased u got yours taken care of and hope u now feel well x
    • Scottie13
      Scottie13 Kerry1984

      Posted

      Took a bit of fighting with surgeon as one of them said he wasn’t convinced it was my gallbladder! Not completely better but feel better than I did before it came out. My friend had to get hers out after having her second baby too xx
    • Kerry1984
      Kerry1984 Scottie13

      Posted

      It seems from reading up on here pregnancys a trigger, im a healthy weight and eat sensibly always have so i think my first pregnancy triggered mine! If it is my gallbladder they can have it i dnt think it can make me any worse and to be honest it would be a relief to finally have some answers to it all x
    • Scottie13
      Scottie13 Kerry1984

      Posted

      Definitely some GP’s really don’t have a clue! During my first attack I couldn’t get appt with my own GP as she was on holiday. The one I went to see said I had a UTI 🤦🏼???🤦🏼???  After second attack I went to see my GP who knows I only go if I’ve tried everything else first or something is really wrong (time before that was when I had appendicitis lol). 

      When i saw her she told me to eat low fat and my reply was I don’t eat a lot of fat anyway. Think it was the pill that caused mines! 

      When the surgeon was being an ass about doing the surgery I was basically arguing that I couldn’t possibly feel any worse! Saw 2 different surgeons as they were the ones on call for the week. The second one actually listened as had seen him before. He asked if I’d been back at work in the 6 weeks between the 2 admissions. When I said no as was in too much pain and felt way too sick, he put me on his emergency list for the next day. Hope you see a good GP tomorrow xx

    • Kerry1984
      Kerry1984 Scottie13

      Posted

      Just had my bloods done today have managed to get an appointment with my actual gp who is usually good for wednesday evening so will see how bloods were then anf fingers crossed i finally get my referal smile if not im going online to sort out a private consultation x
    • Kerry1984
      Kerry1984 Scottie13

      Posted

      The receptionist called earlier to say bloods came bacl borderline whatever the hell that means and i need to have a re test on the 20th as my iron is too low (im vegetarian so this dsnt suprise me!) Had a bad night last night so hardly slept and felt sick and tender all day today! Will see hoe i get on with the gp tomorrow and let u know x
    • Scottie13
      Scottie13 Kerry1984

      Posted

      Probably on the limits of what they class as acceptable. Hopefully your doctor will get the referral done asap xx
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