My day in the ER....

[UnderTheMistletoe]

I was walking back to my car from class today and got a sudden sharp pain in my right upper abdomin. I've had this pain once before and knew it was a Gall-Bladdar attack. Thankfully, I wasn't far from the car when it happened and was able to hobble my way back to the car. I called my mom, who is a physician, and explained to her the type of pain I was having. Sure enough, she said it was the gall bladdar again, and that I needed to seek medical care.

There was no way I could make the 40 minute drive home. So, I went to the medical center on campus. One of the non-medical staff tried to turn me away at the door becuase they were having a Faculty/Staff Health Fair and doing things for Orientation. When I looked at the man and said, "I'm sorry to crash the party, but this is a medical emergency and I need to see someone."

They put an IV in at school and called the ambulance. An ambulance ride is one the worst things in the world, IMO. I already felt nauseaous and not being able to see where we were going and hitting all those bumps and turns blind didn't help things. Avoid them at all costs if you can! They do get in you through the doors and into an ER room a heck of a lot quicker though. Last time this happened was th enight after Thanksgiving (and the night before DH deployed for 6 months) and we waited 3.5 hours in the ER.

They ran all sorts of blood and urine tests. The Demoral IV injection wasw the worst. If I wasn't already feeling ill, I certainly did after that! Ultrasound showed no stones but a constricted common bile duct. Becuase my pain intensified so quickly and so much and then backed off, everyone seems to believe I passed a gall stone at the height of the pain.

I keep threatening to eat a big greasy cheese burger tonight it hopes of sneding myself into a tailspin and finally having the surgery. Ohh.. maybe McD's would do a better job?

 

[sajetto]

Jill I am so sorry! You're not already back home are you? Why on earth would they let you leave?! What does it take for them to approve to have it removed?

 

[Virgo10]

Yikes! Sounds like that baby needs to come out. My Ex had a GB attack years ago. Doing his best guy thing, he refused to go to the hospital until he turned yellow. They took it out about a month later after a second attack.

Good luck and no grease burgers for you!

 

[Quinn222]

Oh my that's awful. I hope you're feeling better and don't have to go through that again.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I sympathize! At least they saw "something" abnormal on your ultrasound - that's actually a good thing.

I've been having a similar type of pain off and on for 3 years now. I've had every test known to man (too many to list here), some more than once, and they can't find anything abnormal at all. The GI doc recommended taking my gallbladder out, but the surgeon wouldn't do it because none of the tests showed anything abnormal.

It can be frustrating to go through this. I'm glad you've got your Mom on your side. There have been a lot of gallbladder threads here if you do a search I'm sure you'll find some. Good luck!

 

[Dismom+two]

I can understand your pain!! I had a severe attack about 6 or so years ago and ended up in emergency surgery. FEEL BETTER!!!

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Jill I am so sorry! You're not already back home are you? Why on earth would they let you leave?! What does it take for them to approve to have it removed?

They let me leave becuase I said the narcotic pain meds worked...

For them to remove it, I would have to re-present with the same type of persistent pain, vomitting, or fevers.

This same thing happened last time- all the tests were clear. They defnitively diagnosed it as a gall bladdar problem because I had a HIDA scan last time. They give you the radioactive stuff and let it get into the gall bladdar. Then, they give you a synthesized enzyme to kick it in to get rid of it. Well, as soon as they put that enzyme in the IV I was practically screaming in pain. I was sobbing hard enough that my Dad came in from the waiting room becuase he could hear me and was in tears just making me go through it (he ordered the test).

I'm happy to be home and will take the meds as needed. If it does happen again though, we're going back to the same ER (the one closest to the school, not home) so that they have all the records and whatnot. It's nice to be home even if I do feel out there... FAAAAAR out there!

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

OUCH!

Hope you're feeling better - I had my gallbladder out three years ago, went to the ER twice in a week when they finally did the surgery. It was a greasy Pizza Hut pizza that finally did me in

 

[sajetto]

That is so terrible. Definitely go to the same hospital and I know its wrong, but lie, lie, lie! Say you are miserable no matter how many stinkin' IVs they give you. Maybe then they'll finally take that darn thing out!


Feel better sweetie, but I'm sure those drugs are doing a pretty good job right now

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I hope you feel better. My dad went through the same thing about 10 years ago. He was sick for awhile and refused to seek medical help. Well one night he was really, really sick. Mom forced him to go to the hospital. His gallbladder was so bad he had to have emergency surgery. After that, he was doing much better.

The food that did him in....pork chops!

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

I had my gallbladder out last Thursday but it took months to get to that point. When I went to the ER, I was told it was everything from stress, to a virus, ulcers or just an unknown cause. I stopped going to the ER because I was sick of paying $50, being handed Maalox and told I'd be fine. I would just stay home and hope the attack would end soon. I kept calling my doctor and insisting that something was going on. I lost 20 pounds and basically stopped eating. Everyone told me that I was too young (26) and healthy to have gall bladder problems. Be persistent and hopefully someone will listen. The surgery isn't bad at all and I was able to go back to work today. I feel much better and am relieved that the whole ordeal is over. Good Luck