symptoms of gall bladder issues

[innwtitdtity 57]

If you had problems with your gall bladder and had it removed, can you tell me what symptoms you had? In hind sight, were there any signs that you now think you should have paid attention to? Thanks for any info you can share.

[Fluffy Jen 0]

When I started having pain from gallstones, it was horrible. It hurt right under my breast bone and all the way through to my back. If I ate anything greasy, it would usually come back up. One night I ate fried Bologna and I hurt so bad that I went to the emergency room and they said it was probably gallstones but to go to my regular Dr. It took a few weeks to get everything figured out and to have surgery, but they gave me pain medicine to take while I waited. Hope this help.

[Ale78 0]

I had my GB out about 2 years ago. I don't ever remember thinking oh I knew this was coming because of...?

For me it felt like some one was stabbing a burning hot knife just under my ribcage. It would start as a queasy feeling and some light headedness. Basically I totally felt weird just before it would hit and then BAM! Stabbing hot knife...oh I hurt just thinking about it. I couldn't do anything but go in a dark room and ride it out.

If you are having gallbladder trouble...you will know it without a doubt.

My surgeon said once you do get stones there is nothing you can avoid doing or eating that will prevent attacks. It's all luck of the draw at that point. He described a gall bladder as like a bingo machine. It's just a matter of time before a ball falls in the hole and you just have to wait for it to fall back out.

I hope you are just having heartburn. I wouldn't wish gall stones on anyone.

Good Luck

~A

[Totallytater 1]

A tell-tale sign of gallbladder trouble is waking up in the night with severe abdominal pain after you eat something greasy (like pizza or fried fish or fried chicken). Tends to show up on vacation, because you eat rich, fatty foods.

[amberstar 1]

It felt like the most horrible heart burn I've ever had, not in my throat but in my chest. the pain was so awful in my stomach, it would go straight thru to my back. i was misdiagnosed for a year. something as little as gallstones, lol. it was put off as acid reflux. but i was persistant, i knew something else was going on. usually the burning pain in my chest would cause me to vomit cuz it hurt so bad. i too went to the ER once, i thought i was going to die, i didn't know what was wrong with me. the nurse asked me on a scale from 1-10 how bad was the pain,, i said a 10!! he looked at me like i was lying, and asked me was i sure, had i ever had children?!?! i said no i haven't, so to me, this is the worst pain of my life! jerk! needless to say i left there with no help. just keep pursuing it if you think you have a problem, get that sucker out of there! haha

[Ale78 0]

the nurse asked me on a scale from 1-10 how bad was the pain,, i said a 10!! he looked at me like i was lying, and asked me was i sure, had i ever had children?!?! i said no i haven't, so to me, this is the worst pain of my life! jerk!

OMG I would so totally rather be in labor for 26 hours than feel the gallstone pain for 5 minutes. That person had NO clue what they were talking about.

I feel like it is hard to pin point though because once you are in pain it just seems to radiate your whole torso. The only thing that made it *mostly* go away was morphine and even then I could still feel it, I just didn't care anymore lol.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Ok mine was REALLY not that bad. I just couldn't get comfortable. It felt like a cramp (like the ones you get in your calf?) but in my "innards"...just under my right breast. It STARTED with a cramp (like that) in my back!

The first one only lasted an hour or two. Over one year I had 2 more "attacks" and the last one lasted 12 hours! (and it is a cramp, actually; your gall bladder spasms trying to squirt bile out and it can't because of blockage of some sort. instead of relaxing it contracts and stays contracted. It isn't fun)

I know most people say it was the worst pain in their lives so I thought mine couldn't be my gall bladder, but it was. and you can't really "prevent it"...once it starts to act up even watching your diet etc is dicey. They say its best to just get it removed (I was reluctant to give up a functioning organ! LOL) I never missed mine...no issues post op etc.

[debbie_7155 0]

I had my gall bladder removed about 6 yrs ago, i used to be in agony when i had eaten (ANY) kind of foods, mine was like a tight stabbing, indegestion pain, esp in my back & the only way the pain would go away if i made myself throw up, many times i would cry with being in agony, i lost quite a lot of weight because i would be too frightened to eat for the fear of the pain,

when they took my gall bladder out i had one very big stone & te surgeon said to me to have a stne this size i must have been in a lot of pain, duh you wrecon?...

wouldnt wish it on anyone

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

I had mine out last April after 9 mos with my band.

My pain started with back pain. Then the pain radiated to my right shoulder and I felt nausea sometimes. My pain would go away and then come back again.

If you do get your gallbladder removed laproscopically it's a pretty easy surgery and recovery. I suggest getting some type of a Spanx or something along those lines because if your belly jiggles after surgery it hurts. Other than that it was a piece of cake.

Best wishes to you.

Sue

[tapshoes 2]

I did not suffer from a lot of the 'classic' symptoms such as pain after certain greasy foods, etc. I had nausea, constant unrelenting nausea for months, many months. Finally, I was diagnosed with gallstones, but even then it was only removed after one night in which I suddenly experienced a sharp upper body pain, and started to become jaundiced.

Had emergency surgery and ta-da, everything improved

[Jodi_620 37]

I may be experiencing Gall Bladder issues now, I go in for an abdominal scan on Thursday. I had two gall bladder attacks years ago and they were at least a year apart and the pain was unbelievable. What I am experiencing now is nowhere near what I had then. For the past several months I have been getting this sensation more like a stitch in my side (that feeling you get when you run too soon after eating). It isn't really painful, just annoying. I can't really tie it in with eating or activity. At first it happened for 30 minutes once or twice a week but lately it has been several times a day. I swear, when I move a certain way I can actually feel something shift in there.

I mentioned all this to the surgeons assistant at my last fill appointment and he didn't seem to think it was gallbladder. Comparing this to the pain of my previous gallbladder attacks, I agreed. He decided it was probably musculoskeletal and we should just watch it. Last week I went to my family doctor and decided to mention it to him. He seemed pretty confident that it is gallbladder and ordered an abdominal ultrasound...so I guess we will see.

With the rapid weight loss and my family history (I think I am the only remaining adult in my family who still has theirs), it wouldn't surprise me if they find mine needs to come out.

[Jodi_620 37]

Went for my abdominal ultrasound this morning and was lucky to have a tech that didn't mind letting me in on what she found...my gallbladder is shot and I have several stones. :cursing: So it guess it is back under the knife for me.

I did ask why I am not experiencing severe pain and she said probably because my diet is better now. She said that a bad gall bladder does not hurt all the time, only after eating rich and fatty foods. Because my diet is good I am not having the severe pain but I am getting the discomfort from the stones moving around in there and blocking the passage...just thought that was interesting enough to pass along.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Jodi_620

[Mimilou2004 13]

Jodi, I am sorry you have to have more surgery but am happy you have a diagnosis. I am happy mine is out and I don't have to worry about it any more.

Good luck,

Mimi

[AngelSoftSnow 0]

Hi Jodie -

I read your response to gall bladder issues. I'm having the same symptoms. Did you get your GB out? Have you had any other symptoms? I can't stand this annoying pain on my side. Any information you have will be helpful.

THanks,

Rosita

[Jodi_620 37]

Hi Jodie -

I read your response to gall bladder issues. I'm having the same symptoms. Did you get your GB out? Have you had any other symptoms? I can't stand this annoying pain on my side. Any information you have will be helpful.

THanks,

Rosita

LOL, no...I'm not in that big of a hurry! Actually it was just yesterday that I had the abdominal ultrasound; I doubt my doctor has even seen the results yet. I hope to reach goal before I go ahead with the surgery that is unless my doctor objects for some reason.