any experience of gallbladder symptoms?

[hangingbasket]

After my irrational outburst earlier about bone cancer.. I'm looking into less dramatic possibilities before seeing my doctor.
I really don't know much about the gallbladder or gallstones. I would love someone with experience of this to explain the pain to me.
I've had what I've been calling rib pain for about 6 months but really, its just my rib area and I can't be sure its not coming from behind my rib cage which I believe is where gallbladder pain is felt as my pain is only ever on the right.
Its been a very intermittent pain for months and its been getting gradually worse throughout the day but not bothering me during the night.
I haven't noticed any difference after eating.
Today seems to be worse. I've been getting repeated attacks of excruciating stabbing pain, like a gnawing or pinching pain that lasts a few minutes before easing but the ache has been constant between these bouts.
I don't want or expect a diagnosis off anyone. I would just like someone with experience to discuss their gallbladder symptoms. My understanding was that gallbladder attacks are veryssudden and wouldn't be felt over months.

[Phuzella]

I had gallbladder problems a few years ago. The main symptom was excruciating pain in my right shoulder, so bad it would make my arm feel kind of numb. It would last up to an hour then totally disappear. Eating fatty foods would bring it on.

[Fishmanpa]

I'm just curious... Why do you need to find something at all?
Could it be a totally harmless niggle associated with muscle strain or digestion/gas related issues due to anxiety?

Positive thoughts

[hangingbasket]

I'm just curious... Why do you need to find something at all?
Could it be a totally harmless niggle associated with muscle strain or digestion/gas related issues due to anxiety?

Positive thoughts

It's more something needing to find me.

Yes you're right it could well be a harmless niggle, and most probably is muscle strain but it appears to be getting worse and I'm not sure a muscle strain could last this long. Believe me, I'd LOVE it to be a muscle strain... I've lived the last 6 months convincing myself it is and trying to ignore it while passing it off as anxiety and learning to control my anxiety with the hope of reducing this symptom. And while my anxiety levels reduced dramatically, the pain did not. And yes... it's probably obvious that the anxiety levels are sky high again now, and I do know I'm very irrational. But there's no ignoring the fact that SOMETHING is causing this pain and I'm hoping for less life threatening causes. Gallbladder problems are something I've never even thought about, but my husband had his appendix removed last week and spent a while in hospital on a ward with people with gallstones and gallbladder problems and it brought it to my attention that my pain is in the exact right place.

[*Fallen Angel*]

Before I had my gall bladder out I had excruciating pain just below where your boobs meet, so upper abdomen. It Also radiated to my back in exactly the same place. It didn't feel like heartburn just extreme pain like a vice. Been Pain free since I had gallbladder out.

---------- Post added at 20:42 ---------- Previous post was at 20:41 ----------

My dr knew exactly what it was when I said it went through to my back and his diagnosis was confirmed with a scan.

[hangingbasket]

Before I had my gall bladder out I had excruciating pain just below where your boobs meet, so upper abdomen. It Also radiated to my back in exactly the same place. It didn't feel like heartburn just extreme pain like a vice. Been Pain free since I had gallbladder out.

---------- Post added at 20:42 ---------- Previous post was at 20:41 ----------

My dr knew exactly what it was when I said it went through to my back and his diagnosis was confirmed with a scan.

Thankyou! Was your pain constant? Did it come all of a sudden or gradually get worse? And did you find eating made it worse?

Sorry for all the questions.. my pain seems to be in the exact right place

[Serenity1990]

The pain is massive if it's biliary colic, picture being stabbed just below your rib cage, barely able to walk and certainly unable to get in and out of a bath, etc. it can also radiate into the chest and back, but mostly remains where it is.

If you're passing a gallstone without issues then you can still get pain emanating from that area, of far less excruciating magnitude. If so it's important to remember that this is just a natural process.

But don't self-diagnose, if you're worried get it checked out by your doctor. I'm not a medical doctor, this is just my experience.

[*Fallen Angel*]

The pain did come and go and no one food was a trigger for me in that I could eat the same things more than once and be affected sometimes and other times not. That said things like eggs, coffee and cake strangely enough did make it worse at times.

I cold go months pain free but as time went on, the flare ups got closer together and more painful. When I had my scan they found loads of little stones like gravel.

Have you seen your Dr about it? It's not something you should ignore really. Whilst I was waiting for surgery I was prescribed omeprazole and co-codamol which helped manage the pain.

[maybrooke]

Hiya I've been diagnosed with gallstones too lots of little ones, don't really want surgery so going to try a low fat diet first. I get really bad pain under right ribs and an ache in my right side, and into upper back, I can't move when I get an attack the pain is horrific. I find eggs and sausages trigger attacks. What symptoms do you have ? X

[BreeMac]

I had my gall bladder out about 4 years ago. I first noticed severe back pain at night, it made me nauseas and it felt like I was been stabbed in the back, I put it down to an injury from playing netball. This was before I got health anxiety, so I left it for a while without seeig a doctor. The attacks got closer together, I couldn't walk during an attack, it was the worst pain I have ever felt and I've had two children, it got to a point where I couldn't eat anything without a flare up. I also went ridiculously jaundice.

I hope this helps somewhat? If it is gall stones, it's an easy fix and nothing to worry about, though anxiety can make you feel pretty darn terrible, so it's probably something far more simple.

Take care x

[Leslie735]

I had my gallbladder out 5 years ago in April. Mine came out of the blue one evening. I was home alone with my 2 kids while my husband was at work. I got a craving for some cookies so I made some out of some cake mix I had (yum!) after I made them I ate a few and went to relax while watching TV after my kids went to bed. I was sitting on the couch and started getting this uncomfortable feeling between my breasts (right below them, upper abdomen) and between my shoulder blades. It felt like gas at first. After about 30 minutes or so I decided to take a GasX to see if it would go away, it didn't, it kept getting worse. I had about 45 minutes or so before my husband would be home so I tried to keep myself comfortable until then. It kept building to the point I started rolling back and forth on the floor while being curled up in a ball. It was pretty bad, it felt like the worst gas pain you can imagine. My husband came home and I called my parents to come over and stay with our kids and he took me the ER. The nurse right way knew what was wrong (I had already had a clue as well), they did an ultrasound and found a bunch of stones in my gallbladder. They gave me pain meds and it took it away within minutes (I was also vomiting every 20 or so minutes). They sent me home with pain meds and anti nausea meds and told me to go see a surgeon. I went to see my surgeon and had it out a few weeks later. While waiting for surgery I ate a VERY VERY lowfat and bland diet until I could have my surgery. This kept me from having any more attacks until I could. I pretty much stuck to white bread (toast), plain salad, pretzels, plain dry cereal (like cheerios or rice chex) plain chicken, chicken noodle soup, grits and marshmallows. Needless to say I lost about 30 lbs. by the time I had surgery so it wasn't all bad I guess :shades: I hope that helps!!!