Leaving in 5 Days & I May Be Having a Gallbladder Attack!

[bamagirl@hrt]

I am so upset & worried right now that I don't know what to do. This weekend was supposed to be a flurry of activity and preparation for our trip to WDW on Thursday. Instead, I'm in pain and not able to sleep well.

I went to the doctor yesterday. He ruled out a bacterial infection by checking my blood count. He suspects hiatal hernia, but my symptoms more closely match gallbladder attack from what I'm reading online. The doctor prescribed Nexium and will try to schedule a test to check for the hernia before I leave. I don't know how quickly the Nexium will work (if it does). I am so distraught over this ruining our trip that I've been planning for over a year! This is not our first trip, but was to be our "last hurrah" for awhile, while we take the kids to do other things.

Please pray that the pain will subside enough for me to make it through vacation and still have a great time. I can deal with tests, surgery, or whatever when I get back.

Thanks for your caring thoughts. I just needed to whine to someone who would understand...

 

[areno79]

Sorry to hear about that! I had my gallbladder out about 10 years ago. IIRC, it took about a month for the surgery to be scheduled, and during that time I remember the doctor made me stick to an extremely low-fat diet, which helped IMMENSELY. Hopefully this issue won't disrupt your trip.

Sending get well thoughts!

 

[golden2323]

So sorry to hear that! I had gall bladder trouble back in 2003. If it IS your gall bladder, there are things you can do to help avoid an attack. Most important is to avoid fried and fatty foods - they will cause a gall bladder attack. I know that doesn't sound fun when you are headed to WDW, but if you can stick to avoiding the fried/fatty stuff, it will REALLY help.

Good luck - I hope your trip is great!

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

good luck, i hope it all works out and that you have your magical trip!

 

[neonurse]

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well
Hope you start feeling better soon.

 

[sweetmonkey]

There are definitely things you can do to help your gallbladder. If you suspect that is what is going on, avoiding fatty foods will help keep the galbladder from contracting thus allowing it to 'rest.' In the meantime, try to eat lots of apples or drink unprocessed apple juice (like the kind you would find at Central Market, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, etc). Malic acid will help to reduce the size or clumping of gall stones allowing them to be expelled or at least repositioned to minimize pain. Additionally, you can take MgSO4 (Epsom Salts) by mouth to relax the tissue in around the gallbladder and bowels. Do this moderately as it will cause loose stools, so small doses up to the recommended until the discomfort has subsided.

These simple (inexpensive) things will work for about 80% of people though many people just get their gallbladder removed to avoid future episodes. Unfortunately, this does not always alleviate the symptoms because gall stones (calcified bile) can also be present in the liver. The combination of Malic acid (I take a malate supplement or try to eat apples a couple times a week for maintenance) and Epsom salt (only when in pain- haven't needed it in 3 years) has worked well for me. I know there are also some herbs that people recommend, but I have not gone that route. I hope that helps or you are able to find comfort some other way!

(Just as an aside, I am a chemist and have done lots of research on this. The advice above was given to me by a physician in Austin who was more conservative in his approach to medicine - trying to start with minimally invasive approaches like behavior modification and/or medication before surgical options.)

 

[Binnie]

All respect to sewwtmonkey, but back in the day when I was having gallbladder attacks, apples were one of my triggers! Fatty food was definately a problem, too, but apples were really hard for me to digest.

My surgery was done within a week of diagnosis, but my case was really nasty (stones packed into the gallbladder and one stuck int he cystic duct)by the time it was diagnosed.

 

[sweetmonkey]

All respect to sewwtmonkey, but back in the day when I was having gallbladder attacks, apples were one of my triggers! Fatty food was definately a problem, too, but apples were really hard for me to digest.

My surgery was done within a week of diagnosis, but my case was really nasty (stones packed into the gallbladder and one stuck int he cystic duct)by the time it was diagnosed.

Apples have a good bit of sugar and fiber and *can* be hard on digestion but when taken with Epsom salt, there are few people who have problems. Alternately, the malate supplement (malate is the salt of the malic acid) works well for people with sugar sensitivities or apple aversion (honestly, they are not my favorite!). Binnie, I am sorry to hear that apples were a trigger for you.

Again, these are just things to try either to avoid surgery or to relieve the symptoms when surgery is delayed. They are certainly not foolproof or guaranteed to work, but cheap and easy to try.

 

[larryz]

I am so upset & worried right now that I don't know what to do. This weekend was supposed to be a flurry of activity and preparation for our trip to WDW on Thursday. Instead, I'm in pain and not able to sleep well.

I went to the doctor yesterday. He ruled out a bacterial infection by checking my blood count. He suspects hiatal hernia, but my symptoms more closely match gallbladder attack from what I'm reading online. The doctor prescribed Nexium and will try to schedule a test to check for the hernia before I leave. I don't know how quickly the Nexium will work (if it does). I am so distraught over this ruining our trip that I've been planning for over a year! This is not our first trip, but was to be our "last hurrah" for awhile, while we take the kids to do other things.

Please pray that the pain will subside enough for me to make it through vacation and still have a great time. I can deal with tests, surgery, or whatever when I get back.

Thanks for your caring thoughts. I just needed to whine to someone who would understand...

Did you consider that it might be an ulcer from all the worrying you're doing about your "trip that you've been planning for over a year..."?

Calm, steady -- Disney's supposed to be a relaxing vacation. As one of my favorite priests puts it, "Don't let the steps get in the way of the dance."

Trust your doctor -- he's the one with the medical degree. If you still don't think he's right, get a second MEDICAL opinion, and go with that, not what you've read on WebMD...

You'll be in our prayers for calm, healing and strength...

 

[rlahsin]

Oh you poor thing! I had my gallbladder out 10 years ago, and in addition to what the others have said, see if you are able to identify any additonal "trigger" foods. Oddly, two of my trigger foods were red onion and cabbage. Prior to my scheduled surgery, I limited my foods to lean meats and cooked shrimp. It wasn't very fun...and certainly didn't offer me a variety of dining options, but it kept me out out pain. Good luck!

 

[Tinkerbell3014]

My prayers go out to you. Stress is a big trigger for many medical issues. I have had a few of my own; especially going on vacation. Try to relax and take your doctor's advice.
I hope you are able to go and enjoy your vacation!!

 

[kimysbug]

Pears and pear juice works for me!!!!!

 

[laceemouse]

I'll pray for you. I had my GB out 10 years ago and it was an emergency, I thought the pain was awful, and I could never figure out any food that did not trigger it!

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

Oh no, I hope everything works out and that you have a great trip.

 

[mauigal]

I had my gallbladder out 5 months ago. I knew it needed to come out for over a year but I kept putting it off until I had an attack that went on for over 24hrs! The good news is that the surgery was fast and so was the recovery! I went on a Washington Dc trip just 7 days later!
If it is indeed your gallbladder and you can't have it out before you go just make sure you watch what you eat....it's hard I know. I went to London and Paris before mine was taken out and I had to watch everything I ate. I ate a lot of bread and spaghetti!! I feel like I need a 'do over' trip to Paris so I can enjoy all of their wonderful food!
Either way, it will all work out. Good luck and have a great trip.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

Thank you for all of your thoughts, well wishes, and advice. Right now, I am following my doctor's advice. I would like to have a definite diagnosis before I leave, just so I know what foods to avoid. In reading online, some foods that are bad for a hiatal hernia are helpful in avoiding a gallbladder attack, and vice versa. Right now, I'm pretty much not eating, just to avoid eating something that hurts!

At the moment, I am feeling better. I've been able to start packing. As long as I'm not immobilized by the pain, it helps to be up & active.

Thanks again!

 

[shelemm]

You will almost certainly be fine and pain free if you eat a no-fat diet. None. Or as close as possible! See if that works before you go. Fruits, veggies, plain starches, salads with no-fat dressing, fat free dairy. be militant about it. Find out before you go what they offer in the parks and take a few things with you if you need.

The gall bladder is a sac that squeezes out excess bile to aide in the digestion of fats. If stones develop inside, then that is like squeeing something with rough edges, like if you make a fist around a pile of dirt that has sharp rocks in it. Ouch. The sensation should be like a repeated palpitation of tightening inside your chest from the front to the back. Each shot of pain feels like the fairly rapid closing and opening of a fist inside you.

Try going fat free!

 

[rlahsin]

You will almost certainly be fine and pain free if you eat a no-fat diet. None. Or as close as possible! See if that works before you go. Fruits, veggies, plain starches, salads with no-fat dressing, fat free dairy. be militant about it. Find out before you go what they offer in the parks and take a few things with you if you need.

The gall bladder is a sac that squeezes out excess bile to aide in the digestion of fats. If stones develop inside, then that is like squeeing something with rough edges, like if you make a fist around a pile of dirt that has sharp rocks in it. Ouch. The sensation should be like a repeated palpitation of tightening inside your chest from the front to the back. Each shot of pain feels like the fairly rapid closing and opening of a fist inside you.

Try going fat free!

I also had a lot of pain in my back between my shoulder blades. Pretty awful.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I agree with a previous poster. Please do not diagnose yourself by reading the Internet. Did your doctor even mention that your gallbladder was a possibility? If not, stick to his diagnosis and advice. Don't go looking for trouble where none exists. If the doctor says you may be having a gallbladder attack, then you can worry about it.