Question:
Gall Bladder

What are some symptoms that you may need you gall bladder out. Yesterday about 3:00p.m. I was in terrible pain..It stated on the left side and moved over to my right and thru my back. I couldn't sit up or walk the paid was so bad.. Seems like any movement made is worst..Now it's 2:20 and I'm still in pain but I can tolrate it... I can sit and walk just fine now..Waiting on the Dr's office to call me back. Thanks    — Kim *. (posted on February 4, 2003)

February 4, 2003
The gallbladder is on the upper right side under the bottom ribs. The left side is the pancreas and spleen. Call your doc or go to an ER to get it checked out.Good Luck Glenna Post-op 9/10/02 -100lbs!!!
   — Glenna L.

February 4, 2003
This is the exact pain I had with my gallbladder. I actually thought my appendix had ruptured. What sent me to the hospital was this, I had eaten a salad . The pain was so awful. However my gallbladder was extremley diseased and I ended up with Jaundice. Please go get checked out immediatley!
   — cathywalden

February 4, 2003
I had intense pains in the middle of my abdomen. They would start off as a dull pain and after 30 minutes or so I'd be in agony. Each episode would last 1-4 hours (with a day or two of tenderness afterwards) Some weeks I would have 2-3 episodes...other times it would be a couple of weeks between them. It really varied. It would hurt so bad that I was afraid to breathe. The only somewhat comfortable position was on my knees with my elbows and head on the bed...kind of like I was praying, but more bent over. I went to the hospital several times and was not diagnosed correctly. I was diagnosed with 1) kidney stones, 2) ulcers, 3) gastritis...none of which I had/have. It was frustrating, but I was always so grateful for the pain drugs that they gave me. Then one night I went out for Mexican food. The cheese smelled funny...kind of aged, but funny. I, of course, ate it anyway. About 4 hours later I started getting really, really sick. Nauseated, sweating, same stomach pains. Eventually, I was throwing up endlessly. Even a sip of water would cause me to vomit. After about 12 hours of this I went to the emergency room - I was sure that I had food poisoning. A wonderful, brilliant doctor ordered a sonogram...and presto! Many, many gallstones...one of which was blocking a duct to my liver. So, had my gallbladder out within an hour or two of arriving at the ER (lapro), stayed in the hospital for 2-3 days, and have never, ever, ever felt better. The point of the rambling...get a sonogram as soon as possible - it could save you a lot of pain and suffering!
   — Amy W.

February 4, 2003
hi there. i had my gallbladder out almost a year ago. i was suffering for a long time. i was told i was too young, and that maybe it was heartburn or something. i had some ultrasounds done to see if there were stones, but showed none. finally i called my doc crying and told her my ribs hurt so bad the day after, and she called a surgeon to set me up with an appt. when i had my pain i would throw up. the surgeon asked what color i said purple and he said that was blood and it needed to come out. when they took it out there was a mass on it and there were stones just not visible on the ultrasound. if you have the tightness of your ribs, and you can sit or lay down or even walk and breathe that is deffinetaly a red flag. gallbladder pain usually happens in your rib area and is so bad it feels like someone is stabbing you. but if you are worried call the doc and don't let it just keep happening with no reason or explanation, because like mine its not always seen... Good luck!!!
   — Lynne W.

February 4, 2003
Kim, The pain that I was feeling was on the rib cage, like right under the bra in the front, that radiated down to the right hand side of my tummy, sort of like that dull pain that we used to get when we were kids, when we used to either laugh to hard or run to much.. It's a dull pain though, on some days it would extend it's self to the back area to the lower back, I always thought that I had done too many sit-ups, or needs to see a chriporator for an adjustment, until less then 2 weeks ago I found out that I had gall stones, I had my gall bladder removed on Jan 24 Friday and was back and at work on Monday, tummy is still a little sore, they went in and removed it lap, the doctor said there was allot of scar tissue due to the open RYN, so it'll be a little painful, since then slight pain, I can't wait to get back into the rut of exercising again, I actually miss it. For some reason it controls the carbs that I crave. Go see your doctor just to make sure. Smile ! Post op 8 months down 115 pounds
   — tannedtigress

February 5, 2003
I had pain on my right side that felt in my back and it also was stabbing. I had numerous xrays, MRI, ultrasounds etc. - nothing found. Finally I had it and went to the ER - they did a IVP - I had Kidney stones!! So get that checked too. At one time the pain was so bad I was throwing up - Dr. said you DO throw up when the pain is so severe your body can't take it. Thank God I took matters in my own hands and went to the ER. We have so much insulation pre-op sometimes those xrays can't get thru!!
   — Sally P.

February 5, 2003
I had a gall bladder attack on Xmas day. Lasted 4 hours. I had what I thought was back pain after sitting. After I stood up, I realized that it wasn't in my back, but was distinctly upper right quadrant of my abdomen, up under my ribs. The pain was sickening, almost like labor, except with no resting periods. I used a heating pad for a while, but finally took a lortab. The pain made me moan, and I have a generally high pain tolerance. Had an ultrasound on my gall bladder the next day. Dx - more than 10 stones. And to add insult to injury, Aetna has denied me coverage on gall bladder surgery.
   — Susan B.