Soooooo, it looks like I'm headed for gallbladder surgery. I figure it's going to take at least a

[hedgehog]

month, maybe more to jump through all the hoops. Does anyone have any advice for handling the pain until then?

[In_The_Wind]

1. Warm showers helped to ease my pain.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I would suggest that you avoid foods that cause the attacks.

You will feel a whole lot better afterwards!

[pscot]

3. Truth

A cheesy omelet can put one out of commission for 3 days.

[laundry_queen]

17. Yep, I was able to avoid

any attacks after my initial severe attack (the minor ones before that had lasted only a few minutes) and had none until my surgery 3.5 weeks later just from eating fat free. Like, totally fat free - I didn't even allow 1 gram to pass my lips. That, and I made sure my doctor prescribed me 2 types of heavy duty pain medication and some other medication (that stops the gall bladder spasms) in case I did have an attack. I was lucky I didn't need to use them. The one attack I had was so horrible it was like labor. I was on the floor, couldn't breathe, thought I was dying from a heart attack. I'm a single parent - dealing with kids while dealing with that was impossible. So even though I was a 'mild' case, I really pushed for them to move me up on the surgery list. So, 3.5 weeks went by really fast and I felt much better afterwards. The surgery itself was a piece of cake (I've had 3 c-sections, so laproscopy was easy) I do have some lasting issues with my digestive system, however, from not having a gallbladder. Taking probiotics helps a bit.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

[mopinko]

4. if it gets really bad, hit the er.

do you have stones or sludge? my doc told me that stones are actually less harmful than sludge, because stones can get pushed back from the duct, but sludge not so much.
but if the pain get intense, and stay that way, it is a medical emergency. stuck stones need to be dealt with before they get up the duct.

stay away from fatty foods is about the only advice out there, i think.

[elleng]

5. Seems like a long time to 'jump through all the hoops.'

Why so long? Not enough of emergency? If serious pain, why NOT enough of an emergency to get it done more quickly?

[hedgehog]

7. Step 1 - Family doctor makes diagnosis, schedules ultrasound

Step 2 - 1 week later, ultrasound

Step 3 - 1 week later, go back to family doctor, make appt with surgeon?

Step 4 - ! week later (maybe) see surgeon

Step 5 - spend week getting blood work, etc

Step 6 have surgery.

I figure if it only takes 4 weeks, I'll be lucky.

[elleng]

8. Still sounds long to me.

I had ultrasound first day, went to HOSPITAL first, didn't go through family doc. (This when I appeared 'yellow' to my family; I had no pain.)

OK w me if you're satisfied, but I wouldn't be.
GOOD LUCK, hedgehog!

[hedgehog]

9. Once you get jaundiced and/or a fever of 101.4, things speed up

considerably.

[elleng]

10. AHA!

No fever, but jaundice got me in quickly, I guess. NO PAIN. I feel very sorry for you with pain.

[woodsprite]

6. I had to eek out 3 months dealing with gall bladder pain before they finally diagnosed it.

It actually turned out to be a combination of both gall bladder and an small umbilical hernia. They did outpatient surgery for both -- the hernia on one Monday and the gall bladder removal the following Monday. It took about 3 wks before I was back to work from the first surgery.

The best advice I can think of -- small meals. I got so that my main diet was saltines or graham crackers, 1/2 a cinnamon pop-tart, a soft boiled egg here and there, boiled chicken breast, boiled green beans or carrots and a baked potato.

Hope you feel better soon!

[hedgehog]

15. Being raised Irish Catholic (we can put stoics to shame) plus being a mother means I ignored and/or

blamed myself for symptoms (That shoulder pain was from using the computer etc.) for about 2 months before going with my husband on a business trip for a month and then going to the doctor.

Fair warning - I think eggs may be the worst food for me right now. But I second the potatoes - topped with non-fat Greek yogurt!

[woodsprite]

16. Yeah, the eggs were probably not the 'best' thing, but I figured I needed the protein.

I second the idea of Greek yogurt on the potatoes! I find I'm substituting that in almost any recipe that used sour cream now. OMG, I didn't even think about the shoulder pain. I had that too and didn't even mention it to the doc because I thought it was just me laying on it in an odd position when I napped with the baby.

[hedgehog]

11. Thank all of you for your advice and good wishes.

It could be a lot worse - I was afraid this was chronic gastritis which may not have a real treatment. At least there's light at the end of this tunnel!

[Maraya1969]

19. Hello that's me. And I was going to tell you heavy narcotics for the pain!

I take them because I cannot stand the pain and when I didn't take them I lied on the couch for months and lost about 30 pounds because eating made me hurt.

I've always had a problem with constipation and this makes it worse, (and a lot of the meds for it make me sick too). I deal with it various ways.

I don't know why they have not given you some heavy duty pain medications. It sure looks like you are experiencing pain.

Oh I also put a lot of peppermint on my stomach. Caraway seeds are great if you make them into a tea with a lot of salt and a little butter.

Also I have done this and liver cleanses
http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/gallbladder-flush-directions/

Clean out your gallbladder for optimal function

To ensure a free flow of bile, both into and out of the gallbladder, you should clean this organ out with a gallbladder flush. It's simple to perform, but if you have a history of gallstones or other gallbladder issues, I suggest you check with your doctor first to rule out the possibility that you have any large calcified gallstones that might not be able to pass through the bile duct during the flush. And, obviously, you don't need to perform the flush if you’ve had your gallbladder removed.

The gallbladder flush requires one week, beginning on a Monday and ending on a Sunday. Before you begin you'll need to purchase:

Plenty of apple juice or cider (not concentrate, but the real thing, without added sugars)
Standard Process Disodium Phosphate Capsules (you can purchase these online)
Citrus fruits for fresh-squeezed juice (you can substitute canned or bottled citrus fruit if you prefer) and to eat whole
Unrefined olive oil, which is available at most health food stores
Lemon juice


I also have done coffee enemas to help get rid of old toxins. And maybe you have too much candida and not enough good bacteria. You can take probiotics for that.

Good Luck to you!

Maraya

[angstlessk]

12. I had gall stones since I was 17

Had all sort of tests...upper GI, lower GI...swallowed a camera...

When visiting my sister (when I was 19) in NY I had a severe attack...and went to a local hospital and they diagnosed me as a drug addict looking for a fix...

Because I had a yellow pallor to my skin they decided it must be from drugs...but my sisters mother in law who worked at that hospital suggested it was gall bladder, cause she knew I did not do drugs..

Fast forward 35 years, and indeed it was gall bladder..or a single gall stone...

The operation was one for the books...the stone was the size of a ping pong ball..the doc kept the gall bladder but gave me the stone

It was done Laparoscopic from my belly button and extracted with a minimal cut to my stomach...

Spent more days before the 'surgery than after..

[angstlessk]

13. Go to the emergency room and fear you are having an appendicitis

The weekend before I went when I was admitted to the hospital, I had seizures from all the pain/relaxers I was taking...they sent me home.

I KNEW I was not suffering an appendicitis, but that is one thing that requires immediate attendance...I was admitted that day.

[hedgehog]

14. So far - so good - I've tried to cut out every bit of fat that I could, and

fell much better - back down to a 2 from a 5!

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/02/boyfriend-doesnt-have-ebola-probably.html

[hedgehog]

18. Just a follow-up - my doctor got me in for a sonogram right away -

and blessings on the tech - she spotted a real problem and got back to the doctor right away. I did have gallstones.... and also cancerous lesions on my liver.

It's been a wild ride for the last two weeks; i start chemo this week. So I have to give credit where credit is due - at least around here, when there's a crisis, the system moves fast.

So, with any sort of luck, I can add this to my list of chronic diseases.

[TexasBushwhacker]

20. I went to the ER

The pain was radiating to my chest and back and I thought I was haaving a heart attack. My EKG was okay, so then they did the ultrasound - BINGO! They gave me morphine - a miracle drug if there ever was one - and admitted me. A surgeon came to see me the next day and said she would try to work me in the next day. That didn't work out though, so I went home and got added to her schedule in about 10 days.

It went pretty well. I'm single and didn't have anyone to take care of me, so they let me stay one night in the hospital. Vicodin does nothing for me and I did need one shot of morphine that night. Once I was home, I was fine. I just took an occasional Ibuprofen.

Don't be shy about getting the surgery sooner rather than later. Pancreatitis is a fairly common complication and you do not want to get that.

Just so you know, you will need to know where a bathroom is at all times for a few weeks after the surgery. You will have bouts of sudden, urgent diarrhea. I know that's TMI, sorry.

[dylb2]

21. reply

Sending you good vibes and energy!