For me to go to the ER took A LOT of pain, especially since the first time it was Christmas night. They told me about 14 years earlier that I had small stones but that they wouldn't do anything if it wasn't causing me trouble. I had one attack a couple of years after that, but I didn't know that is what it was at the time. It was horrible! Then I had another on December 10, 2004, but I am stubborn and wasn't planning to have it checked until at least after Christmas. On Christmas, besides the pain, it took my dh begging me to go in. They released me after controlling the pain with an order to schedule an ultrasound and a prescription for Vicodin. I called the next day, and they couldn't get me in until the beginning of January. I had no problems (but I was eating VERY carefully). I had the ultrasound on a Monday. On that Friday, I started feeling bad again. I called my primary care Friday afternoon, but I never heard back. I was pretty much in and out of it from the pain all day on Saturday, and started popping the Vicodin on Sunday (I'm really stubborn about taking meds, too

), but it didn't do much for me. On Sunday, I called into the doctor's office. The doctor on call was able to see the ultrasound results from the computer and told me to head to the ER. They again released me after controlling the pain and told me that I could take the Vicodin more often. He also talked to a surgeon who said that he would see me the following day if I called into the office. Well, I called in, and that surgeon wasn't even seeing patients that day. Fortunately my primary care office was able to get me into see a different surgeon in the same group that afternoon. I thought I was going to die at this point and was practically ready to go after my gallbladder myself. Thank goodness I hadn't eaten all day, because they were able to schedule me in for almost immediate surgery. He was able to remove it lap, though if it had been much more inflamed, it would have been open surgery. Life was much better after that! I had several very large stones. One was the size of one of the quarter gumballs. I probably haven't learned my lesson, though, because I can see myself being just as stubborn and resistant to seeing the doctor.
Beth