diagnosed with gallstones 5 months ago... - British Liver Trust

British Liver Trust

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diagnosed with gallstones 5 months ago after first going to docs in may 2016 but suffered symptoms while pregnant so I put it down to that

Sammie50008 profile image
6 Replies

I just need to vent. I’ve had enough of being left to deal with everything on my own. Finally saw a GI 6weeks ago after waiting 5 months to be told he wanted me to have a ct scan angry upset doesn’t cover it I’m livid he refused point blank to get me in to have gallbladder out due to my pain being in my upper right back and nowhere else he thinks there’s another issue so wants a ct to rule everything out i agreed reluctantly.

Phoned ct after waiting 2 weeks to receive an appointment to be told you had an appointment and it’s been canceled due to not having recent blood tests. I’ve had to chase and find out what bloods I needed I’ve then had to book into my gp surgery to get them done. This was phoning Friday and having bloods done on the Tuesday we are now 2weeks in still no ct appointment. Chased with a few phone calls someone needs to say that it’s fine and could take upto 8weeks. But I’ve been told I have b12 defiency which can be inter linked with gallstones.

I have gone from being a size 12 and weighing in at 10 half stone down so not massively over weight to a size 8 weighing in at 9 Stone. I’ve stopped being sick which is the only silverling that I’ve got. Intake in food is ok I have my main meal on the night due to eating in the afternoon and having to phone my partner to come and get the children from school because I physically can not look after myself let alone walking to and from school across busy roads.

Consultant isn’t bothered. Doctors won’t give me pain meds’ I’ve tryed a lot. Gp has said only way to get rid of the pain is having gallbladder out hmm well that would be useful but consultant is dragging his damn feet can you do anything write to him something no we can’t great stuff 👍. So I’ll sit and continue to wait.

I’m not sleeping because of pain I can bearly function nobody cares. No body cares that the pain suddenly hit me at my parents house one night and my dad has had to drive me home because I couldn’t drive then I had to have my partners parents sit with the kiddies so my partner could go get our car cos I couldn’t look after them youngest had just turned 1 older 2 are fine. Dad wanted me to go to a&e I refused. NHS is stretched enough without me going in taking a bed for someone who actually needs it.

Thing that is doing my head in if I had broken a bone a&e would have xrayed me casted me up I would have been sorted by fracture clink but because you can’t physically see anything I’m left to just deal with it.

It is getting me really down I don’t know if it’s just waiting in limbo or if I have actually got the start of anxiety/depression. I don’t go out on the night on my own just incase it starts and I can’t get back or if I’m driving and have an accident the fort makes me skin crawl.

I just don’t know what to do anymore.

Thanks x

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Sammie50008
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6 Replies
steblue006 profile image
steblue006

Hi, sorry to hear your issues, I am not a doctor but what I can tell you is that I had your symptoms a few years back and it took me a year to get to the bottom of it. I found that I had insane burning pain in my back, gall bladder region and ended up in A&E as it got so bad. After many GP visits I eventually went for a camera down my throat to check out the inside of my stomach and it became evident I was suffering Acid Reflux complications due to a failed hiatus hernia(extremely common) which can mirror the pain you have described. I am pretty certain that I was passing Gall/Kidney stones too which was making my symptoms even worse. After taking proton pump inhibitor (PPI) tablets and cutting out spicy foods my symptoms have really calmed down.

I currently have some liver issues so have cut out alcohol until i get a full diagnosis so pretty much everything I enjoy I have had to quit (life sucks at times) but please do not despair, nag at your GP and you will get fixed. I was told ibuprofen is a no no if you do have stomach related issues so worth checking with your Doctor i guess if you take them for pain relief. Hope you get sorted very soon, stay strong the body will do amazing things to heal given the right treatment, time and bit of TLC.

Jofrances profile image
Jofrances in reply to steblue006

It saddens me to hear, what everyone is going through, I had inflammation markers in my blood tests high! This went on sine March this year. Recently I’ve had horrendous pains all over my body. That started to resonate from my upper GI tract through the shoulder plate. Jaw etc. The pain was constant and resulted in me nearly passing out. I’ve recently been to A and E twice asa result of this. Had a scan this week to then be finally told I have a Gall stone the size of a golf ball. This was nearly missed at my scan. But detected other problems I have to have sorted at a later date. The radiologist called me back, and said to me I need to check the top of your stomach that’s when it showed up. I called the emergency number, and the Paramedics took me to hospital and I was seen a lot sooner. All I would say is please don’t feel your putting on the NHS, this is a a very painful and genuine reason to need medical assistance with. On my second visit to A and e. I could barely function and nearly fell into a parked car exisiting my partners car at the hospital. I was seen by the surgeon and stayed on a ward for a few hours, given a drip for pain relief and now have a referral from the surgeon to have tiny gallbladder removed. I’m waiting for a date. Now. I’m also monitoring what I eat and made sure I have pain management from my doctor. I truly hope this helps someone on this site who reads this.

I can totally sympathise and feel you. I know this pain is horrendous.

It is very hard with little kids and yes you can get depressed from it all. It is too much to bear and when you feel misunderstood it is awful. Plus you seem to have a high pain threshold. Sometimes people who moan have more luck.

I would suggest to do some research and see what foods can help your case. It usually starts to go bad due to our awful diets with a lack of wholemeal grains, fruit and veg and fibre. So the answer can be found there perhaps.

I know people who cured their gall stones with apple juice and other remedies.

Worth a try when you have a bit of an opportunity to find out what you can do.

Sammie50008 profile image
Sammie50008

Thank you for the comments. Sounds like we’re all going or have gone through the mill.

Food wise I think I eat really well Home cooked food, not very often stuff comes out of a jar apart from my tikka sauce to many failed attempts 🙂, not very often we actually have take aways it’s normally as treat if the kids have done something at school or a birthday etc. We eat a lot of fruit and veg I’d say we average to 3-4 fruit n veg a day so not to bad. I drink tea or water. I’ve looked very closely at my food cheese bacon sausage red meats even chicken everything kicks it off it’s always night time cos I only eat about 6ish due to my partner having to leave work to pick the kids up his bosses are brilliant and they don’t mind but it’s still my partners job. so I’ve cut down on pretty much everything but cutting dairy ect has resulted in me having a very low b12 of 97.

I have very nearly passed out quiet a few times through pain and still refused to go to hospital even tho I couldn’t breath cos the pain took my whole chest had an elephant sitting on it only way to describe it. I did go up once by the time we got there and got seen the pain had settled to what I’d say was a 5. I have a very high pain threshold (numerous breaks fractures torn ligaments recent one was dislocation and fracture to my right elbow now that pain threshold went out of the window morphine didn’t touch me ended up with having ketamine aswel morphine and gas and air) and I much rather break my elbow every week then have this gallstones pain every night atleast id sleep.

I have now seen all 3 doctors at my gp surgery I’ve cried in front of all 3 of them walked out of one cos he was shrugging his shoulders cos he didn’t know what it was looking at me as tho I’m making it up to get medication I asked if it could be gallstones he told me no wouldn’t even listen tryed a list of meds nothing worked.

2nd doctor had tried antidepressants cos they relax your body epilepsy meds’ and god knows what else even with an ultrasound she said everyone’s got gallstones “I don’t think it’s this that’s causing the problems I think it’s your gut”.

3rd doc said that the pain I’m describing to him sounds like an inflamed gallbladder and gallstones am I seeing someone told him yes first appointment is on Friday roughly about 6weeks ago now. He called me in cos of my b12 he asked how it went and I told I’m waiting for ct etc. There’s nothing I can do I’ve just got to play the waiting game.

It does my head in cos I fort I’m seeing the GI in a few weeks time end of July this is to start getting my career back on track started my lvl 3 childcare to become a Home based childminder a lot of work fort I’d be sorted by the time I’m ready to submit to ofsted and I’m close to submit but my health is no better than when it was a year and half ago.

I’ve even looked at going privet the cost is massive I would have to get a loan or rob a bank 🙈.

Xx

grevid profile image
grevid

Hi Sammie 50008, I really feel for you and your frustrations with the NHS but you should have gone to A&E regardless of how far it is stretched, it`s the only way the importance of your condition will be recognised and forwarded through the system via your doctor. I am back taking Esomeprosol (Nexium) and managing to keep things at bay (just) until I am able to have the operation. I can only recommend that you try to stay calm at all times and be mindful in everything you do especially eating and relaxing after your meals. I unfortunately have to have an endoscopy on the 15th before my situation can be properly assessed. Don`t be afraid to change your doctor either Sammie, if you don`t have 100% faith in him/ her, I think some are only there for the money /status.

Sammie50008 profile image
Sammie50008 in reply to grevid

Thank you grevid. I’m sorry to hear about your health issues, I hope your doctors are better than mine. Keep me updated on how your doing.

I do try and stay calm but with 3 children and my partner it’s not very easily done 😂 . I am going away for the weekend tho no kiddies or partner.

I took your advice to eat and relax. Sorted my little one out put her into bed then I ate done nothing since. Pains been ebbing in since 10ish.

I think I’m going to start writing a food diary and inputting the pain scale. And give it to the docs next time I go down there. Xx

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