Gallstones

[DUNXandWILL]

Any Dibbers have any experience with gallstones?

I've recently (4 days ago) been diagnosed with a gallbladder FULL to capacity of gallstones

This is after thinking on the 1st of January this year that I was in fact having a heart attack and that the end was nigh...

I've had 7 flare ups since the 1st of January and they are getting progressively worse which lead to myself and hubby out for our 1st meal out in a year last night which had to be abandoned mid started as I felt a flare up en-route...

4 hours later and a painful and uncomfortable wait outside A&E and Dr suggests I may have gallstones... YA THINK... told him between sobs that I've recently been diagnosed (after an ultrasound at the very hospital we're sitting in) last Thursday!

So he said that they don't operate on 'HOT' gallbladders and i'll basically have to suck it up and wait on the list... Oh he did mention I should try following a low fat diet... I've been following SW for 2 years and lost 5 stone... this really adds insult to injury as I felt healthier FAT!

I fully appreciate that i'm not high priority but any suggestions, hints, tips etc would be greatly welcomed as compared to last nights attack ... I'd much rather give birth again ... twice... without pain medication!

[Lola]

Sorry to hear you have to wait, hopefully you get sorted soon. I had my gallbladder removed via keyhole in late Dec 1999 and haven’t had any problems since. I remember the pain from the gallstones though and feel for you.

[DUNXandWILL]

Originally Posted by Lola

Sorry to hear you have to wait, hopefully you get sorted soon. I had my gallbladder removed via keyhole in late Dec 1999 and haven’t had any problems since. I remember the pain from the gallstones though and feel for you.

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Thank you, i'm hoping I won't have to wait too long as the fear of the pain coming back has completely put me off eating anything today!

That's great news that you haven't had any problems since! Long may that continue for you!

Dunx

[jools1302]

Oh you poor thing, I remember the pain and also the heart attack symptoms... so scary and uncontrollable.
I had mine removed 12 years ago now and had to follow a virtually fat free diet to keep pain under control... I remember one night having one lick of my daughters ice cream cone and that was enough to trigger an attack so please do carefully consider your diet as it will help keep it under control.
I waited around 6 months for my removal and have been fine since that and can eat anything now without any problems.
So sorry you are going through this now after obviously making an effort to be healthier... it’s just rubbish!
Please ask if you have any other questions xx

[vhm672]

I am so sorry to hear this OP. My mum had them in 2019 and frankly the nhs were particularly unhelpful. Low fat diet didn’t work and mum was virtually starving herself to try and avoid flare ups.

Eventually after she collapsed on Piccadilly in London (very scary) we made the decision that she should have the operation privately. Done within weeks and can’t speak more positively of the whole thing.

[Frankie & gang]

Hi I had my gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery in 2001. Recovery was really quick (signed off work 2 weeks but felt fine after cpl days) had no issues since & eat a normal diet.
The pain before it was removed was truly awful, worse than labour pains. Even too much milk in a cup of tea would set me off!
OP I hope you get sorted quickly.

[DUNXandWILL]

Originally Posted by jools1302

Oh you poor thing, I remember the pain and also the heart attack symptoms... so scary and uncontrollable.
I had mine removed 12 years ago now and had to follow a virtually fat free diet to keep pain under control... I remember one night having one lick of my daughters ice cream cone and that was enough to trigger an attack so please do carefully consider your diet as it will help keep it under control.
I waited around 6 months for my removal and have been fine since that and can eat anything now without any problems.
So sorry you are going through this now after obviously making an effort to be healthier... it’s just rubbish!
Please ask if you have any other questions xx

See more...

Thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate it!

I will have to really really watch what i'm eating as clearly over the past 2 weeks (3 Flare ups so far) i'm letting my guard down and maybe a non SW food or 2 is getting eaten! I don't think after last night i'll ever look garlic bread in the face again :-(

I'm glad to hear you had yours removed and had no further issues as i'd googled issues after removal and every story I read said it was worse after removal and I was thinking SHOOT ME NOW!

Dunx

[Guest]

I am sorry to hear you are in this position. Have been there myself. I had to wait a number of weeks for the flare up to abate. But more came. So I just kept presenting myself to A&E until it was dealt with. The pain medication helped a lot.

The reason they don’t operate on inflamed gallbladders is because it can be detrimental to smooth recovery. Both risk of infection but also sometimes means that it would have to be swapped from keyhole to open surgery which is a much harder recovery. At least this is what I was told.

I wish I could say that everything is perfect since I had it out, but it can occasionally cause problems still. But perhaps once a year for me, and the pain is about a 2 rather than a 15 out of ten 😊. I would have the operation again in a heartbeat if needed and would recommend to anybody the drs suggested it to. Good luck and I hope the pain diminishes for you quickly.

Eggs, pastry and full fat milk / high dairy products were the things that set me off. Rosmary Conley Hips and Bums diet is good. She developed it after suffering from gallstones for a number of years. I ate well on it for at least a year before I had it out. Might be worth exploring.

Ps. Congrats on your weight loss. 👏👏👏

[DUNXandWILL]

Originally Posted by vhm672

I am so sorry to hear this OP. My mum had them in 2019 and frankly the nhs were particularly unhelpful. Low fat diet didn’t work and mum was virtually starving herself to try and avoid flare ups.

Eventually after she collapsed on Piccadilly in London (very scary) we made the decision that she should have the operation privately. Done within weeks and can’t speak more positively of the whole thing.

See more...

Thank you for replying, I'm so sorry your mum had to go through so much I do hope she's much better now!

I fear that the NHS are going to be similar with me - they said take painkillers (fairly difficult when your abdomen is on fire and you think you're going to throw up!) But i'll keep at them and see what happens

Dunx

[DUNXandWILL]

Originally Posted by Frankie & gang

Hi I had my gallbladder removed by keyhole surgery in 2001. Recovery was really quick (signed off work 2 weeks but felt fine after cpl days) had no issues since & eat a normal diet.
The pain before it was removed was truly awful, worse than labour pains. Even too much milk in a cup of tea would set me off!
OP I hope you get sorted quickly.

See more...

Hi there,

Thank you for replying, you're reply gives me hope!

The pain is awful and really hard to describe to anyone who's never felt it, I hope and pray that it get's dealt with soon as i'm not planning any further children but childbirth seems like a cracking option at the moment!