Gallstones :(

Has anyone had any experience with gallstones?  I was at the hospital last night for 6 hours with severe pain in my abdomen and back... they did blood work and a xray.. both came back fine, but are sending me for an ultrasound this morning.  They said it may be my gallbladder.

I was just wondering for people who have dealt with it, what were your symptoms?

OMG!  I had a gallbladder attack on Friday!  Exact same symptoms but they didnt do an ultrasound, just blood work and Xray and told me to see my GP.   The emerg doc ruled it a gallbladder attack by my symptoms. 

Hmm, that sounds the same as what I had when I had my gallbladder attacks.  The stones won't show up on X-ray or the bloodwork, but will show up in the ultrasound.  When I had mine, I was in observation over night until 6pm, and sent home with Demerol pills.  I was back in at 9:00 that night and they admitted me at midnight.  My gallbladder wast taken out 2 days later.

I didn't have to deal with it for long, as I was given pain killers and almost a liquid diet in the hospital.  But when you go for follow up, if they don't schedule surgery, ask how to manage the pain, and how to avoid the pain.  You may have to avoid certain types of food.

If you do get more attacks, go back to emergancy.

Cathy

Cathy, the doc I saw gave me a list of "do not eat" foods until I saw my GP.  Of course, everything that I was eating was on that list :(

My symptoms were horrible. Mainly because it bloomed into acute pancreatitis. Worst adbo pains imagineable. On the bright side, once my pancreas settled down, removal of the gall bladder itself was a bird operation. I don't even remember it.

I had 2 acute pancreatitis attacks a month a apart, worst pain I ever had. Was glad to have the gall bladder removed. If you have more problems head back to the ER.

Worst pain although with mine I thought I was having a heart attack the first time.  Finally had surgery booked and the surgeon decided I was too fat and he wouldn't operate on me so had to find a new surgeon which then took longer.
Good luck

 Oh crap, yay, sorry but that does sound like a gall bladder attack. I had the same syptoms in 2006 and then had my gall bladder taken out. Hope you get relief soon. I know the pain and it's just crappy.

I had to wait 7 months to have my gallbladder out.
It was in the middle of the H1N1 crisis and the hospitals were maxed out with patients at the time.

The foods I ended up living off of those 7 months were:
 applesauce
 apple juice
 oatmeal
 1% cottage cheese

When I finally had the surgery, it was (like others have pointed out) a cakewalk.
Back at work on the 6th day.

The best diagnostic tool was defniitely the ultrasound.
Be aware that there are stones and gravel - gravel is actualy worse. Those are tiny little stones that try to make their way through the bile duct - and THAT's the painful part. The arger stones can't even try to go through the duct. They sit in the gallbladder and get fat.

 Well it turns out I do have gallstones. They did an ultrasound and found them. I'm back on a liquid diet and I have an appt to see Dr. Hagen on Thursday. They say the gallstones are uncomplicated so I'm not sure what happens from here.