Question:
What are the symptoms of gall bladder problems?

I am 4 months postop from LAP RNY (60+lbs. lost) and am wondering what the symptoms of gall bladder problems are? I remember hearing that it often happens after a lot of weight loss. I am haveing some back pain that seems to go through me at times to my chest. (Back pain is at the same general location behind my chest). It has not been severe at all, but I just wondered if my gall bladder might be the source. Chances are it is stress---it has been heavy in my life recently! Any info. is appreciated.    — Dot W. (posted on January 23, 2000)

January 23, 2000
i had my gall bladder removed after a 4 month optifast diet where i ate nothing but liquids. the attacks lasted about 4 hours...and seemed to start after midnight...there was no position to get comfortable in...no medicine would stop it. it would finally stop around 5 am and i was really spent. it is a pain so severe it feels like it goes all the way thru your back. i found that when i ate meals high in fat it set it off, but that may have been a coinsidence. you can find out with an ultrasound. they remove them laproscopically (spelling?) and i had mine out and came home sore as heck the same day. in a couple of days i was fine. i haven't missed that old gall bladder once!
   — Shelly G.

January 23, 2000
You will have bile(stomach acid) to come up(purging)indigestion real bad alot of naushea and throwing up bile. Alot of very bad pain in lower right side of obdominal area. No back pain with mine. e-mail address [email protected]
   — Jackie F.

January 23, 2000
Well, my gallbladder attack was like in 1990, however, I still recall the symptoms, it was after a rather spicy sloppy jo.. I had pain on my stomach all the way through to my back..I doubled over in pain, and threw up not only the jo but some rather nasty bile.. I also recall a very light in color (almost white) BM... I was rushed into surgery that night. Hope this helps..
   — Victoria B.

January 23, 2000
I had what felt like chest pain. Thought I was having a heart attack and that my chest was going to explode. So much pain that I would break out in a cold sweat and be doubled over. No nausea or other problems between these terrible attacks which always came at night. Symptoms can vary however, nausea and vomiting is common as are less severe symptoms than I had. Diane
   — Diane N.

April 25, 2001
My first gallbladder attack was horrible. I felt kind of queezy all day long. Went to bed at 11:00 pm and woke at 1:00 with so much pain. The pain radiated from middle abdomen, to my right side under my breast area, to all thru me to my back. Couldnt sit, couldnt stand, and I just moaned. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but this was worse than childbirth. Went to the ER and ultrasound showed a polyp. Gallstones are mobile, but this was not so they said it was polyp. They gave me a couple shots of demerol, one wasn't enough, and that took care of it. I only get about 1 attack a year. The next year I had an attack, it was slightly different, began with chest pain which was scarry. Back to the ER and demoral again. Finally I figured out that if I took 7 Ibuprofen at once, it took the pain away even better than the demerol & no ER. No I sure don't advise everyone to take 7 Ibu, but I told my doc about it and he said it would be ok but not to take it like that too many times. Of course they wanted to operate after my first attack, but I don't jump into surgery for something like that when I only get an attack once a yr. Now that I'm wanting to get this surgery, they'll be able to take it out and my doc will be happy after all. :)
   — Karla K.