Gallbladder problems....

[Mermaid02]

...gimme your gallbladder stories.... I was in the ER last Saturday with UNBELIEVABLE pain but since I hadn't had a big meal before hand they didn't even take an x-ray of my gallbladder..... I thought I was having a heart attack.... they gave me some mylanta and called it "stomach pain of an unknown origin"

 

[debster812]

Could it be because Nomar has announced his engagement to Mia Hamm j/k Mermaid, really I am.

I have no ideas for you, but I hope you are feeling better now. Last night was not a good night to be out at all, let alone in the ER.

Sorry

 

[Blondie]

The best way to see Gall Stones is on an empty stomach. I'm surprised they didn't even do an ultrasound! The feeling like you're having a heart attack is typical of gall stones.

When I was having my problems last year, I had to have an ultrasound, and I couldn't have anything to eat after midnight the night before.

I had a clean scan (no stones seen at that time) so what they figure I have is what is called a *sluggish gall bladder* or stones small as a grain of sand that pass with pain, but causing no other problems.

I'd go to your MD and tell him/her what happened. He'll probably order an ultrasound.

 

[elgerber]

I can tell you with my first couple of gallbladder attacks, I was sure I was having a heart attack too!! No fun!!!!!!!!!!!

Erika

 

[Saffron]

The night I had my gall bladder out, I thought I was having a heart attack. Not only was I having pain in my chest, but I had pain in my back that radiated up to my shoulders. No matter what I did, I couldn't get relief. It was excruciating pain.

After ruling out a heart attack, they took x-rays, then an ultrasound. They found that my gallbladder had to go, immediately.

As Blondie suggested, I would talk to your MD and tell him the syptoms you had, especially if they are continuing.

I hope you feel better and I hope they find out what has caused you such pain.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well my gallbladder had hated me since childhood I believe, genectics you know . When I was pregnant with my 6yodd she did me in. I had a constant pain under my rib. They blamed it on pregnancy. Well 3 months after the birth my constant pain or really it was soreness and nauseousness all the time prompted me to go get an ultrasound.
I didn't have any large stones but I did have a sack of the small grains of sand type (I was a beanbag I had alot). They warned me to get it out as they can be very dangerous if they get caught in the bile duct.
Being the chicken I am I waited 2yrs and then finally got it out. I couldn't take it. And also it worried me. It took my body an entire year+ to adjust digestively.

All I can say it is not worth the risk to have something medically wrong with you. You can die from a gallbladder issue if it gets out of hand and the thought that I knew I had this and did nothing worried me endlessly.

Good Luck

 

[loisg1]

DD13 had her gall bladder out in September. She had been having some pain which in August had began causing her the kind of pain which just doubled her over. Turned out the surgeon saw no stones when he took it out, but pathology found it to be inflamed.

I had mine out four years ago. I was experiencing nausea, vomiting, and sometimes chest pain, however not of a crushing type. Finally, my PC told me to see my cardiologist immediately in the ER at which time they really had no clue. After some testing it was determined that my gall bladder was just packed with stones and they removed it immediately. My symptoms went away.

Feel better and see your PC.
Lois

 

[pajamommy]

I was diagnosed with gallstones when I was 8 months pregnant!! It was horrible, the pain was honestly worse than childbirth itself! I had my DD, went home with her after a couple of days, and then ended up in the ER the very next day (they had wanted to wait a couple of months after DD was born before removing it, but it wasn't happening!) I ended up in the hospital for 9 days while they basically pumped all the gook out of me, then did my surgery, all the while I was away from my newborn. It really sucked to say the least.

Get an ultrasound and get it taken care of, I know how bad the pain can be, and you don't want to have to go through more attacks if you don't have to. Good luck, let us know how you're doing!!

 

[browneyes]

My gallbladder pain is a sudden tightening in the ribcage area under the right breast. Feels like I've got a fist trying to break through the muscle there. It's kinda like a charlie horse, but in my ribcage. Happens a lot when I eat fried foods. I had 3 bouts of attacks last week, only 1 bout this week. Usually I just have them once every 2-3 months or so.

I take long, deep breaths until the pain ceases.

 

[Ranatra]

My twin sis just had her gallbladder out after suffering numerous gallbladder attacks with excruciating pain.
I, myself, have not yet experienced anything like this.

 

[AZKathy]

we always see an increase of cholecystectomies (removal of gallbladder) around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Must be all the good eating we are doing!!!!!!!!

 

[DISchick]

TAKE IT OUT!!!!
Seriously, I had mine out in October on a Friday and was back to work on Tuesday. I feel soooooo much better--no back and shoulder pain, and no trips to the emergency room at all hours of the night. I didn't have gallstones either, but after several major attacks--high fever, pain, nausea, etc.--my Dr. ordered a HIDA scan. It was some kind of nuclear test that showed that my gallbladder was sluggish.
I had it out and life is wonderful again! Don't let the Dr. pass it off, keep pestering for more definitive testing. You won't be sorry!
Good luck! I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Olaf]

This is purely ancedotal, but it seems that so many of my friends have had gallbladder problems during pregnancy or soon after giving birth. Makes you wonder.

 

[Mermaid02]

I'm seeing my doc on Friday..... this was NOT indidgestion.... I don't care that I hadn't eaten a lot of fatty foods.... I was literally lying on my bed curled up in the fetal position bawling! I know it was my gallbladder..... just like I knew it was Jack's appendix last December. I'm going with my intuition no matter what they said to me last weekend!

 

[Leota]

Wow! What a coincidence this thread is - DH had a bad gall-stone attack last night. He's going in for an ultra-sound today.
I've never had gall-stones, but I've had alot of kidney stones (side-effect from some of my meds) & I know how much K.stones hurt - I can't imagine how bad a G.stone is......

 

[Chattyaholic]

when I was pregnant with my son back in 1976. My doctor said it was "just the baby pressing up against my rib cage", but I can totally relate to the poster who said she was curled up in the fetal position on her bed crying. It was just awful! The last attack I had, I threw up about 20 times in a 24-hour period. The only time the pain went away was when I was vomiting. Had another attack after my son was born, so then the doctor finally sent me for testing. He called back after the tests and said I had a "whole rock pile" in there. Had it taken out and just have the 8" scar to remember it by.

 

[Mattsmom]

When I was pregnant with first DS, I was told it was heartburn causing the pain I was having. Wrong!!! After DS was born and I was still having problems, the Dr. finially ordered an ultrasound. I had gallstones. I controlled the problem by diet for awhile. Had my gallbladder removed when DS was about 1 years old.

Olaf- Women having gallbladder problems during or right after childbirth isn't ancedotal. I was told by my Dr. and other Medical Professionals that women that have a family history of gallbladder problems tend to have those problems show-up in connection with pregnancy. At the hospital I had serveral nurses, when they saw what I was in for, ask me how old the baby was! LOL!