Gallstones

[Pollywollydoodle64]

I was diagnosed with gallstones 20 yrs ago. My gp at the time basically told me that we've all got them and to suck it up. I've been a low fat diet ever since. But I'm still in pain round my right side with referred pain in my right shoulder and every so often I have days of being sick etc. I've a new gp now but the pandemic has stopped me asking for an op. I'm a type 2 diabetic and constantly dieting to keep losing weight. I've lost 5 & 1/2 stone, do you think that's enough to get the op done?

[Hidden]

No doctor should tell anyone to suck anything up.. that makes me so angry to hear that. It pretty much sums up my past 8 months or so. 3 visits to A&E and each time misdiagnosed as gastritis and sent home in absolute agony. I’ve lost 6 stone!,... you near the same but I didn’t diet, ive been simply too ill to eat properly.

These are huge amounts of weight to lose!!.

I ended up having no choice but to go private and within a week was having an ultrasound which showed large gallstones. Then was sent for a CT with contrast which showed acute on chronic inflammation of the gallbladder. Lots more happened including hot sweats and being sick but to cut a long story short I’m still waiting 3 months later for what was supposed to be an absolute emergency operation. They are not doing any gallbladder operations so I have to sit in pain even as I’m typing this...

The pain alone is enough to get the operation... nobody should live with it or accept it as part life.

[Emmabskin in reply to Hidden]

Have they not given you antibiotics? Maybe another talk to your doctor. Wishing you well. X

[Hidden in reply to Emmabskin]

Thank you. No, not even when my bloods were massively deranged, my blood pressure 67/47 and being sick. Nobody wanted to take responsibility for me they kept referring me back to the consultant who was on holiday.

[Hidden]

Hi there, I'm sorry to hear that you are in pain - I've attached some information from the British Liver Trust about gall stones. Can I suggest that if you are in continued discomfort that you speak to your GP about this? Take care, Trust10

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

[PeterP54]

I too had gallstones mis-diagnosed. Had tremendous pressure in my chest - thought I was having a heart attack. GP missed that I was jaundiced, eventually she said I had infectious hepatitis. RUQ pain continued off and on despite following a strict low fat diet (ate nothing but steamed white fish, or grilled chicken breast with steamed veg). Pain still flared up every 2-3 weeks for six months or so until I had an ERCP which found lots of large gall stones. Gall bladder removed but bloods didn't return to normal. After lots more ERCPs was diagnosed with PSC.

Completely sympathise with the pain flares and GP not being proactive enough. I guess hospitals don't want to operate because too many people get Covid there. With the availability now of vaccines hopefully there will be more confidence in operating on people who are vaccinated.